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Birsen Ulucan was born in Şumen in Bulgaria. She started playing piano at the age of seven. In 1984, she was accepted to the Dobri Hristov Music School in Varna and studied piano with Ekaterina Tsetkova. She won the second prize in the National Scetoslav Obretenov Music Competition in 1982. She also received the first prize in the section of performance and second prize in the section of composition in the National Radio Contest in Bulgaria. In addition she also took lessons of ballet and cello. Ulucan performed Mendelssohn’s Re minor Concerto with Şumen Philharmonic Orchestra first time at the age of twelve. In 1989, she graduated from the school and moved to Turkey with her family. She studied piano with Prof. Meral Yapalı at the Istanbul State Conservatory and completed in one year. Ulucan then taught piano at the Istanbul State Conservatory for 4 years. In 1992, she participated in the National R. Lipizer Violin Contest in Italy with her brother Özcan Ulucan, and got “the best Interpretation of Beethoven Sonata” prize. In 1993, she continued her study at the Guildhall School of Music in London with fellowships, which she received from Turkish Education Foundation and Eczacıbaşı Culture Art Foundation. In 1996 she graduated from the school with the “diploma of soloist”. In the same year, she was awarded first prize in the “Smith Kline Beecham” Music Contest in Oxford and gave her concert. Between 1997 and 1999, she continued her master’s degree at the City University of London. In 1999, Ulucan played Liszt’s Piano Concerto in the St. John Smith Square.
Between 2000 and 2004, Ulucan worked as a pianist at the famous violinist Maxim Vengerov in the Saarbrücken Music Academy in Germany. Since 1989, she has performed with Turkish famous orchestras including the Presidential Symphony Orchestra, Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra, Borusan Chamber Orchestra, Bursa Symphony Orchestra, Çukurova Symphony Orchestra, which were conducted by notable conductors such as Burak Tüzün, İnci Özdil, Erol Erdinç, I.I.Galati and Güler Aykal. She has participated in many international music festivals including Salzburg Mozarteum (1996), International Istanbul Festival (1992 and 1993), International Flain Music Festival (1996) and Cyprus Bellapais Music Festival, and given her concerts. In 2004, Ulucan gave her solo recital and chamber music concerts in Miami. She also won in the concerto contest at Miami University and performed with a Symphony Orchestra. Currently Ulucan continues to perform as a solo pianist and a member of chamber orchestra not only in Turkey but also in Bulgaria, Germany, England, Cyprus, Italy, France, Austria, Israel and Portugal.
Reference: muzik.tevitol.k12.tr
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