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KAMERHAN TURAN
Kamerhan Turan was born in Ankara in 1965, where he began to play the piano at the age of seven with Prof. Ferhunde Erkin. He then continued his piano and music studies with the duo-pianists Elif and Bedii Aran. After his graduation in Pharmacy from the Hacettepe University in 1987 he entered the “Hochschule für Musik und darstellende Kunst” in Vienna, where he studied with Prof. Noel Flores and Prof. Roland Keller. During his studies he was awarded scholarships by the Austrian Ministry of Culture and the “Alban Berg Music Foundation”.
His outstanding talent and remarkable virtuosity enabled him to win prizes at international piano competitions. In 1990 and 1993 he won first prizes at the 5th European Music Competition in Moncalieri and IBLA International Piano Competition in Ragusa. He was prizewinner at the Senigallia International Piano Competition in 1992,”Ettore Pozzoli” International Piano Competition in 1995 and Finalist at the Rome International Piano Competition in 1996.
From 1999 to 2008 Kamerhan Turan taught at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna. In 2008 he joined the faculty of Başkent University State Conservatory in Ankara where he was appointed Professor in 2013.
He has appeared as a soloist with the Presidential Symphony in Ankara, with the State Symphony Orchestras of Istanbul, Izmir, Bursa, Çukurova, Eskişehir, the Bilkent Symphony, Azerbaijan State Chamber Orchestra, “Ancyra” Chamber Orchestra, Başkent University Chamber Orchestra, Mersin University Chamber Orchestra the Symphonic Orchestra of the Vienna Music Academy and Orchestra Internationale d’Italia under Yalçın Adıgözelov, Koral Çalgan, Erol Erdinç, Artun Hoinic, Barry Kolman, Ertuğ Korkmaz, Fabio Maestri, Krastin Nastev, Orhun Orhon, Naci Özgüç, Antonio Pirolli, Ari Rasilainen, Patrick Souillot, Hans Wallat, Emin Güven Yaşlıçam and Helmut Zehetner.
Kamerhan Turan has performed in significant concert halls of Austria, Belarus, Belgıum, Egypt, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Northern Cyprus, South Korea, Sweden, Turkey and USA. His CD recordings were released by Pepperland Records, Brilliant Classics, Classitone, Harmonia Classica, Pb Müzik, Çağsav Müzik and Athena Records.
ELENA ÇEKIÇ
Elena Çekiç began her Music and English education at the Biysk Music College for talented children at the age of 5. During her studies she participated in a number of international festivals and gave piano recitals under the supervision of Prof. A. Bahchiev Prof. E. Sorokina and Prof.M. Zheleznov. She performed at the Moscow Conservatory and at the Paris Conservatoire with Sandra and Jeroen Van Veen, Dominigue Morel and Dauglas Nemish (Canada, Montreal), and together with Anna Louise and Edward Türjon (USA, Springfield).
Çekiç was awarded first prize in the “Altay’s young talents” competition. After winning the competition, she was invited by the President of the Child fund Khachaturyan Culture Foundation to study at the Barnaul College of Music, where she graduated from with an Honors Degree. She later entered the Novosibisk State Conservatory where she aslo graduated with an Honor Degree. While studying at the Conservatory, she attended many national and international competitions as a chamber musician, accompanist and soloist in Czech Republic, Bulgaria, and Russia. She has participated in the Chopin Master Class, music events in Bulgaria ran by Prof.Anatasa Kurteva, Prof T.Poddubnaya, Russia Prof. P. Yegorov (St.Petersburg Conservatory Honorary Artist) Prof. A. Bonduryansky (Moscow Conservatory).
Since 2007, Elena Çekiç has worked successfully in the Administration of the Chamber Ensemble NGK (Novosibirsk State Conservatory) and in 2008 was awarded the first prize in the Novosibirsk Pedagogical Talent Contest. In 2009 she joined the delegation for cultural exchange between Russia and China. She performed a series of concerts both as a soloist and an accompanist. Since 2012 she has been living in Turkey working with the students of different ages and levels from several provinces and overseas providing academic consultancy and training.
BILKENT PIANO FESTIVAL 