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Ahmet Kanneci was born in Halfeti in 1957. He began his musical (theory) studies with one of Turkey’s leading composers, Turgay Erdener and continued later on with İstemihan Taviroğlu and Ali Sevgi. After meeting Julian Byzantine in 1977, his interest turned to classical guitar performances. He continued his music studies with Julian Byzantine, while studying at the Middle East Technical University, Department of Architecture. Four years later, while graduating from the Department of Architecture, he was awarded a scholarship from the Spanish Government to study with Josè Tomas at the “Conservatorio Superior de Música Óscar Esplá de Alicante”. He has had the privilege of playing for Alirio Diaz and receiving his critical acclaim.
When he returned to Turkey, he was the first to found the classical guitar departments in four different conservatories. In 1993, he was awarded by Fulbright, a scholarship for research in the USA for which he was awarded with “Life Time Achievement in Art”. He was also awarded “Honorary Doctorate” by Harran University and Isparta Süleyman Demirel University and the “Award of Appreciation” by Middle East Technical University. He has recently been awarded by Hacettepe University with the "Art Award". In addition to his musical activities in Turkey, he appeared abroad in various concert halls such as Museo Andrés Segovia (Spain), Carnegie Hall (USA), Merkin Concert Hall (USA), Royal Festival Hall (UK) and Teatro Colón (Argentina). Besides his solo guitar concerts, he performed in duet concerts with several artists such as Victor Pikaizen (Violin), Ayhan Erman (Violin), Jorge Cardoso (Guitar), Selva Erdener (Soprano), Dorothy Randolph (Baroque Violin), Şefika Kutluer (Flute), Ekrem Öztan (Clarinette), Hiroki Terashima (Guitar), Javier Garcia Moreno (Guitar), Diler Argat (Piano), Sibel Özgün (Piano), and Ataol Behramoğlu (Poet). He has also been a soloist several times in guitar concertos with orchestras.
Currently Kanneci is the chairman of the Department of Guitar at Hacettepe University State Conservatory and he is giving guitar courses at Sevda - Cenap And Music Foundation in Ankara. He concentrates on performing works which have been dedicated to him, and is conducting research in guitar music that he has started with the distinguished Turkish guitarist Savaş Çekirge. The following modern composers have written compositions and dedicated them to him: T. Erdener, F. Say, J. Cardoso, F. Ortiz, E. Bayraktar, H. E. Korkmaz, İ. Taviroğlu, N. Bosna, M. A. Cherubito, C. Padro, T. Walker, M. Toros, T. Shahidi, M. Hoshino, H. Terashima, F. Cuenca. |
