The Istanbul Music Festival, organized by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts, will be celebrating 40th anniversary this year between May 31 and June 29. Featuring two world and three Turkish premieres, the festival will feature 23 concerts including symphonic and chamber orchestras, vocal concerts and recitals.
The festival is celebrating its 40th year with a special program. Featuring two world and three Turkish premieres, the festival will feature 23 concerts including symphonic and chamber orchestras, vocal concerts and recitals. The festival also hosts side events such as “Istanbul Music Festival in Search of Its Young Soloist,” “Young Masters and Their Heroes” and “Open Conservatory,” which will be held in the Karaköy Greek Primary School.
The Istanbul Music Festival will continue to contribute to contemporary music with commissions of two world-renowned composers. One of the most productive artists of our time, pianist Fazıl Say, and one of most important composers of Georgia, Giya Kancheli, both have world premieres of new works commissioned by the Istanbul Music Festival included in the program.
This year’s festival theme will be “Hope and Heroes,” and its program will present a range of specific works and special concert projects selected within the scope of these two intertwined themes.
The festival’s opening concert will feature the Turkish State Polyphonic Choir and İKSV’s resident orchestra, Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic, led by conductor Sascha Goetzel, on May 31. Soloists will be soprano Simge Büyükedes, who takes leading parts in operas around the world, alto Ezgi Kutlu, tenor Cenk Bıyık and bass Burak Bilgili.
The Honorary Award of the 40th Istanbul Music Festival will be presented to prominent pianist Hüseyin Sermet, who is renowned not only for his successful interpretations but also for his compositions. Sermet, who has been performing with prominent orchestras and conductors all around the world, and whose recorded albums have been presented with important awards such as Diapason d’Or and MIDEM Classical Award, will receive his award on Thursday, 31 May at the Opening Ceremony of the Festival at Haliç Congress Center.
The Lifetime Achievement Award of the festival will be presented to composer Giya Kancheli, on Monday, 11 June at the Hagia Eirene Museum, before the world premiere of his work commissioned by the Istanbul Music Festival.
Tickets
The tickets of the 40th Istanbul Music Festival, Opening Ceremony and Opening Concert will be sold beginning from 10:00 on Saturday, 4 February through:
For more info visit www.iksv.org or www.biletix.com
