Arya Su Gülenç, the young pianist whose musical education ÇEV Sanat has supported since 2018 through its “Young Talents Project”, has won awards in three different categories at the “Youth Makes Music (Jugend Musiziert)” competition in Germany.
ÇEV Sanat’s pianist Arya Su Gülenç, who at just 16 stands out for her extraordinary musical maturity, stage presence and depth of interpretation, has won awards in three categories at the “Youth Makes Music (Jugend Musiziert)” competition organised by the long-established cultural institution Stiftung Jugend Musiziert Niedersachsen. With the awards she received at a ceremony at the Landesfunkhaus Hannover, held under the auspices of the Lower Saxony Ministry for Science and Culture, Gülenç added yet another success to her international achievements. The jury described Arya Su’s approach to music, her naturalness on stage and the depth of her interpretation as those of “an exceptional artistic personality”.
With this success, warmly received in artistic circles at home and abroad, the young artist has once again become a source of pride for ÇEV Sanat and for Turkey.
Three Awards at Once from Lower Saxony
Arya Su Gülenç received the following awards:
- Chamber Music Encouragement Prize (Förderpreis Kammermusik)
- Award for Outstanding Achievement (Herausragende Leistung)
- Individual Artistic Scholarship (Stipendium)
Continuing Her Studies in Germany
Arya Su Gülenç, whose musical education ÇEV Sanat has fully supported since 2018, won a place in 2024 on the IFF (Institut zur Früh-Förderung musikalisch Hochbegabter) programme at HMTMH – Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover in Germany. There the young artist studies with Prof. Elena Levit and continues her work under the artistic guidance of the institute’s director, Prof. Martin Brauß.
She is also successfully pursuing her academic education as a Year 10 pupil at Goetheschule Gymnasium.
About ÇEV and the ÇEV Sanat “Young Talents Project”:
ÇEV Sanat was founded in 2009 to support the education of exceptionally gifted young classical musicians
and to nurture a new generation of artists for the country.
To this end, ÇEV Sanat, founded in 2009 under the leadership of ÇEV board member Berrin Yoleri, supports the education at home and abroad of young musicians selected by audition by a jury of national and international artists through its “Young Talents Project”, run with the contribution of QNB.
ÇEV Sanat strives to provide the opportunities that young artists who have brought major classical music achievements to the country need
to progress as cultural ambassadors and become stars shining on the world’s stages.
ARYA SU GÜLENÇ
Born in Bursa in 2009, Arya Su Gülenç began piano lessons at a private music centre at the age of six and joined the Çev Sanat “Young Talents” project in June 2018.
Festivals and Competitions:
– 2017 – Paris International Music Competition, ages 7–9 | First Prize
– 2017 – Varna International ‘Heirs of Orpheus’ Music Competition, ages 7–10 | First Prize
– 2017 – Rome Grand Prize Virtuoso International Music Competition | First Prize
– 2018 – St Petersburg / 9th Savshinsky International Music Competition | Second Prize
– 2018 – Stuttgart 7th International Music Fireworks at Baden-Württemberg Competition, ages 7–10 | First Prize
– 2018 – International Bilkent Piano Festival, Steinway & Sons under-16 | First Prize
– 2018 – San Marco, Italy – BV Festival of the Gulf in competition | First Prize
– 2019 – Crescendo International Piano Competition, New York, USA: won first prize in the age-9 category, performed at Carnegie Hall and won the competition’s Grand Prize.
– Performed at international music festivals in Bursa/Nilüfer (2017), Istanbul/Pera and İzmir (2019).
– Attended masterclasses with Prof. Tamara Poddubnaya, Prof. Boaz Sharon, Prof. Eduardus Halim, Prof. Mira Marchenko, Prof. J. Bernard Pommier, Prof. Akiko Ebi, Prof. Danie Yoffe, Prof. Pavel Gililov, Prof. Elena Levit, Alexander Mekaev, Gülsin Onay, İbrahim Yazıcı and Emre Şen.
– In October 2018 performed at the Pushkin Museum as part of the 15th Friends Meet International Festival in Moscow, Russia, organised by the V. Spivakov Foundation.
– In 2019 won second prize at the 7th International César Franck Piano Competition in Brussels, Belgium.
– In 2021 won the Special Prize for interpretation with Adnan Saygun’s İnci’nin Kitabı (Inci’s Book) at the Anton Rubinstein Piano Competition (ages 8–15) in Düsseldorf.
– Performed concertos with the Cemal Reşit Rey Symphony Orchestra under Murat Cem Orhan on 23 April 2022, and with the Antalya State Symphony Orchestra on 19 May 2023.
– In 2023 became the youngest pianist ever to win the 16th International Pianale Piano Competition in Germany, open to musicians aged 13 to 29.
Performed with orchestra and as a soloist at the concert marking the centenary of the Republic organised by Çev Sanat.
– In 2024 performed Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23 with the Bursa Regional State Symphony Orchestra and the Çukurova State Symphony Orchestra.
– In 2024 performed at the International North Cyprus Bellapais Music Festival and, on 23 July, at the International Pianale Piano Festival in Fulda, Germany.
– Gave 60-minute, single-part solo performances at the Ahmed Adnan Saygun Arts Centre in İzmir and the Yel Değirmeni Arts Centre in Kadıköy.
