(PIANO, BARITONE, SOPRANO)
PROGRAM
S. Rachmaninov
• Vsyo otnyal u menya op.26 no.2
• A Dream op.8 no.5
• V molchani nochi taynoy op.4 no.3
• Etude-Tableau Op.39 No.2
• Ne poy krasavitsa op.4 no.4
• Zdes horosho op.21 no.7
• O, net, molyu, ne uhodi op.4 no.1
• Vchera my vstretilis op.26 no.13
• Etude-Tableau Op.33 No.3
• Vokaliz op.34 no.14
• Prelude in C-sharp minor, Op.3 No.2
• O ne rydai, mai Paolo from Francesca da Rimini Opera, Francesca’s Aria
• Ves’ tabar spit from Aleko Opera, Aleko’s Cavatina
Dilruba Bilgi
Dilruba Bilgi was born in Izmir in 1985. She graduated from Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University State Conservatory Opera Department in 2011. Starting her technical studies with Sema Cal, Bilgi participated in workshops with Kei Wessel, Amelia Felle, Mustafa Yurdakul, Marina Saguch, Anna Vandi, Christian Koch, and Ulf Bestlein. In 2011, she won the third prize in the Siemens Opera competition. In 2009, she performed the role of “Lauretta” in G. Puccini’s opera “Gianni Schicchi” at Süreyya Opera. She sang the role of “Bastienne” in W. A. Mozart’s opera “Bastien und Bastienne,” organized by the Austrian Consulate. In 2012, she performed the Soprano Solo part in the world premiere of Fazıl Say’s work “Ses” (op. 40). In 2013, she realized the Turkish premiere of G. F. Handel’s stage cantata “Apollo e Daphne” with Istanbul Baroque Orchestra, taking on the role of Daphne. She was accepted to Istanbul State Opera and Ballet in 2013 and took to the stage in numerous operas. She has performed with Antalya State Symphony Orchestra, Izmir State Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Sion, Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra, and Presidential Symphony Orchestra. Representing the Ministry of Culture, she participated in events in South Korea and Northern Cyprus. She gave a New Year’s Concert with Roma Sinfonietta and participated in Opera Laboratorio studies. She is currently continuing her work within the Istanbul State Opera and Ballet.
Caner Akgün
Caner Akgün, 1985 yılında İzmir’de doğan bir bariton. Müzik kariyerine Kültür Bakanlığı Caner Akgün, a baritone born in İzmir in 1985, started his music career in the Culture Ministry Polyphonic Youth Choir and Alegria Chamber Choir. In 2001, he was accepted to Hacettepe University Ankara State Conservatory Opera-Vocal Main Art Branch and completed his vocal training with Eralp Kıyıcı and Prof. Mustafa Yurdakul.
Throughout his music career, Akgün achieved numerous successes. In 2006, he won the third prize in the Young Voice Competition organized by the Professional Voice Association. Additionally, he received a Mention award in the Lied competition organized by SedatGüzin Gürel Education and Art Foundation in 2007, and he secured the third prize in the 9th Siemens Opera Competition held the same year. He reached the finals in the Marie Kraja Singing Competition held in Albania.
After being accepted to the Istanbul State Opera, Akgün took on significant roles. He performed in Giuseppe Verdi’s operas La Traviata, Falstaff, and Rigoletto, Charles Gounod’s Faust, Georges Bizet’s Carmen, Gioachino Rossini’s The Barber of Seville and The Marriage of Figaro, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Don Giovanni and Cosi fan tutte, Giacomo Puccini’s La Boheme, Gaetano Donizetti’s Don Pasquale, and many other important productions.
Akgün also interpreted works by composers such as Gustav Mahler, Carl Orff, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Luigi Bacalov, Cemal Reşit Rey, Aydın Karlıbel, Nevid Kodallı, and Ahmed Adnan Saygun. He performed concerts accompanied by many prestigious orchestras such as the Presidential Symphony Orchestra, Antalya State Symphony Orchestra, Bursa State Symphony Orchestra, Astana State Symphony Orchestra, C.R.R Orchestra, Sion Orchestra, Academic Capital Orchestra, and Istanbul State Opera and Ballet Orchestra.
Currently, he continues his work as a solo artist at the Istanbul State Opera and Ballet.
Gökhan Aybulus
Gökhan Aybulus, born in Eskişehir, began his music education at Anadolu University State Conservatory under the guidance of Prof. Zöhrab Adıgüzelzade. In 2000, he was accepted into the class of Prof. Naum Shtarkman at the Tchaikovsky State Conservatory in Moscow. He completed his undergraduate and graduate studies with Naum Shtarkman in 2006, and in 2009, he successfully completed his doctoral studies at the same school under the special scholarship of Mrs. Lale Tara, with the supervision of Prof. Sergei Dorensky. Throughout his education in Russia, Aybulus collaborated with renowned musicians such as Mikhail Voskresensky, Ruvim Ostrovsky, Pavel Nersesian, Nikolai Lugansky, Andrey Pisarev, and Nina Kogan.
As a highly accomplished pianist, Gökhan Aybulus has been recognized with awards in numerous national and international competitions. He has performed in prestigious music festivals such as the International Carniola Music Festival (Slovenia), Bruckner Music Festival (Austria), Bella Pais (Cyprus), and Istanbul Music Festival. Additionally, he has given concerts in various countries, including the United States, Russia, Ukraine, Slovenia, Austria, Germany, Spain, Italy, Israel, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Azerbaijan, and China.
Aybulus has been featured as a soloist with the Presidential Symphony Orchestra, performing on a concert tour in China under the direction of Rengim Gökmen. He has also given concerts in renowned venues worldwide, including Brucknerhaus, Philharmonie Essen, Vienna Konzerthaus, Berlin Konzerthaus, Tchaikovsky Conservatory Grand Hall, Beijing National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Xinghai Concert Hall, Shenzhen Concert Hall, Maribor Union Hall, Sarajevo National Theatre and Vijećnica, Albert Long Hall, and the Presidential Symphony Orchestra Concert Hall.
Collaborating with esteemed musicians such as Naum Shtarkman, Nikolay Lugansky, Dora Schwarzberg, Natalia Gutman, Daniel Hope, Alexander Buzlov, Roman Simovich, and Alexander Kagan, Gökhan Aybulus has received widespread acclaim.
For his remarkable contributions to the field of music, Gökhan Aybulus has received various awards, including the “Art Incentive Award” from Anadolu University in 2013, the “Professional Service Award” from Eskişehir Yunus Emre Rotary Club in 2014, and the “Pianist of the Year” award at the 7th Donizetti Classical Music Awards in 2017.
Having earned the title of Associate Professor in 2012, Gökhan Aybulus has taught at Uludağ University and Anadolu University between 2010 and 2023. In 2023, he was appointed as a Professor at Ankara Music and Fine Arts University. Additionally, he continues to be invited as a soloist to orchestras both within Turkey and abroad, while also giving solo recitals and chamber music concerts domestically and internationally.