| Art Profile |
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Rahşan Apay was born in Istanbul. She started her musical life playing piano at the age of 5 and continued with violoncello in the class of Prof. Reşit Erzin at State Conservatory of Mimar Sinan University. After graduating in 1996, she continued her Master’s Degree and gave lectures on violoncello for four years at her alma mater. She attended master classes, given by such prominent cellists as Alexander Rudin, Phillippe Müller, and Raphael Pidoux. Upon an invitation by Phillipe Müller to Paris, Apay studied with both Prof. Müller and Franz Helmerssohn. She got lessons on string quartet from Pierro Farulli and Andre Nannoni at Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Italy. Apay became second-best at International Violoncello Competition, which was held in Ankara in 1998.
Giving her first recital at the age of 11, Apay has given orchestral concerts, recitals and solo concerts in many countries such as the USA, Germany, Holland, France, Italy, Greece, Armenia, Hungary and Portugal, apart from numerous solo concerts in Turkey. She recorded A. Adnan Saygun’s Violoncello Concerto and Solo Partita for TRT (Turkish Radio Television) with the accompanying IDOB (Istanbul State Opera and Ballet) Orchestra, conducted by Selman Ada in tribute to the 100th Birth Anniversary of A. Adnan Saygun and performed at Athens Megharon concert hall. Apay performed a premiere of Violoncello Concerto of Necip Celal Andel, Turkish tango composer, tracked down by Cihat Aşkın in 2009, and made a CD recording for this composition. Closely interested in jazz music as a daughter of Çınar Apay, who is a jazz music artist at TRT, she recorded with TRT Jazz Orchestra and made recordings for TV, as well.
Apay has a wide repertoire ranging from Baroque era to today’s contemporary music. With awareness of importance of handing over Turkish music culture down to next generations, she dedicated her soloistic career to the works of Turkish composers in recent years, recording such compositions and performing them in national and international concerts. She is a regular writer for the classical music magazine “Andante”. Apay serves as the principle cellist for Aşkın Ensemble. Since 1998, she has been a member of the Cemal Reşit Rey Symphonic Orchestra.
Reference: baliunalp.com, trtpanorama.com |
