Lineup clear for Istanbul Festival
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Hürriyet Daily News
OluÅŸturulma Tarihi: Nisan 15, 2009 00:00
ISTANBUL - One of the biggest culture events, organized by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts, or IKSV, and sponsored by Borusan Holding, the 37th International Istanbul Music Festival will host 500 local and international musicians this year, from June 5 to 30.
As the 28th International Istanbul Film Festival draws to a close, the organization behind it is wasting no time in announcing the rich offerings for its music festival in June.
Organized by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts, or IKSV, and sponsored by Borusan Holding, the 37th International Istanbul Music Festival will host 500 local and international musicians this year, from June 5 to 30. Speaking at a press conference in Istanbul yesterday, Festival Director Yeşim Gürer Oymak said despite the organizational difficulties that have arisen due to the crisis - which led some sponsors to back out - the festival still has a full and varied lineup, including 18 large-scale concerts packed with performances by world-famous artists.
Festival highlights include an opening concert by the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra, led by the acclaimed conductor Sasha Goetzel, whose debut was heralded by loud praise from world-famous conductors. The Borusan Philharmonic will be the resident orchestra for the festival. Two more international classical stars, guitarist Göran Söllscher and cellist Jian Wang, will present works from their "Reverie" album in the unique venue of the Imperial Council.
Best of classical music
Turkish virtuoso violinist Suna Kan will join two world stars, cellist Alexander Rudin and pianist Nikolai Lugansky, in the "Festival Encounters" series, which is set to become an event classic. Another much-anticipated performance will come from Yelda Kodalli, the brightest Turkish voice representing the country in the international arena since Leyla Gencer. The artist will perform a repertoire of love arias from various operas in her concert titled "Voice from the Heart." Other headline performances include those by the young international legend Han-Na Chang, Çağ Erçağ, Rolando Villazon and Daniel Barenboim.
Musical groups that will be headlining the festival include Sonatori de la Gioiosa Marca, famous for playing period instruments. The Jacques Loussier Trio is also getting ready for an unforgettable performance that will add an essence of jazz to one of the most arresting pieces of classical music in "Play Bach" - a celebration of the group’s 50th anniversary.
Along with the performances, Oymak said, the festival will include educational and social programs that aim to convey expert musical knowledge to youth and aspiring musicians. As a part of this effort, there will be briefings before each performance about the history of the pieces that will be played and the musical techniques that were adopted while devising the various ensembles. During the festival’s run, local and international musicians will also visit 10 different schools, where they will lead workshops and performances. "The festival is an educational experience," Oymak said, adding that this element of the festival will help bring people together socially on an international scale through music, inevitably increasing dialogue between different cultures.
Festival events will take place at a wide range of modern and historic venues on both the European and Asian sides of Istanbul. IKSV General Manager Gorgun Taner, also speaking at the press conference, said the selection of various historic sites in the city - such as Hagia Eirene, the Archaeological Museum, Topkapı Palace and the Süreyya Opera House - as concert venues will contribute to the growing appreciation for cultural heritage in Turkey.
Details on the festival program, venues and ticket sales can be found on the IKSV Web site: http://www.iksv.org/muzik
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Organized by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts, or IKSV, and sponsored by Borusan Holding, the 37th International Istanbul Music Festival will host 500 local and international musicians this year, from June 5 to 30. Speaking at a press conference in Istanbul yesterday, Festival Director Yeşim Gürer Oymak said despite the organizational difficulties that have arisen due to the crisis - which led some sponsors to back out - the festival still has a full and varied lineup, including 18 large-scale concerts packed with performances by world-famous artists.
Festival highlights include an opening concert by the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra, led by the acclaimed conductor Sasha Goetzel, whose debut was heralded by loud praise from world-famous conductors. The Borusan Philharmonic will be the resident orchestra for the festival. Two more international classical stars, guitarist Göran Söllscher and cellist Jian Wang, will present works from their "Reverie" album in the unique venue of the Imperial Council.
Best of classical music
Turkish virtuoso violinist Suna Kan will join two world stars, cellist Alexander Rudin and pianist Nikolai Lugansky, in the "Festival Encounters" series, which is set to become an event classic. Another much-anticipated performance will come from Yelda Kodalli, the brightest Turkish voice representing the country in the international arena since Leyla Gencer. The artist will perform a repertoire of love arias from various operas in her concert titled "Voice from the Heart." Other headline performances include those by the young international legend Han-Na Chang, Çağ Erçağ, Rolando Villazon and Daniel Barenboim.
Musical groups that will be headlining the festival include Sonatori de la Gioiosa Marca, famous for playing period instruments. The Jacques Loussier Trio is also getting ready for an unforgettable performance that will add an essence of jazz to one of the most arresting pieces of classical music in "Play Bach" - a celebration of the group’s 50th anniversary.
Along with the performances, Oymak said, the festival will include educational and social programs that aim to convey expert musical knowledge to youth and aspiring musicians. As a part of this effort, there will be briefings before each performance about the history of the pieces that will be played and the musical techniques that were adopted while devising the various ensembles. During the festival’s run, local and international musicians will also visit 10 different schools, where they will lead workshops and performances. "The festival is an educational experience," Oymak said, adding that this element of the festival will help bring people together socially on an international scale through music, inevitably increasing dialogue between different cultures.
Festival events will take place at a wide range of modern and historic venues on both the European and Asian sides of Istanbul. IKSV General Manager Gorgun Taner, also speaking at the press conference, said the selection of various historic sites in the city - such as Hagia Eirene, the Archaeological Museum, Topkapı Palace and the Süreyya Opera House - as concert venues will contribute to the growing appreciation for cultural heritage in Turkey.
Details on the festival program, venues and ticket sales can be found on the IKSV Web site: http://www.iksv.org/muzik
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