Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra
Encyclopedia
The Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra (BIFO) was founded by enlarging the Borusan Chamber Orchestra in 1999. This orchestra is funded by Borusan Holding.
industrial group of companies, entering into the complex and challenging world of establishing orchestra
s, was based on its vision of helping to bring polyphonic music to a wider audience of Turkish people. This group rapidly grew in both number of musician
s and quality of musical performance, so that it became a symphonic orchestra in 1999. That same year Maestro Gürer Aykal was appointed as the General Music Director and Permanent Conductor of the Orchestra.
On 13 May 1999, at the Yildiz Palace Silahhane Building on the European side of Istanbul
, the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra performed its first concert
and soon began offering concerts on the Anatolia
n side of the city as well. By the end of 1999, BIFO was performing two concerts per month, one on each side of the Bosphorus, at the Lütfi Kırdar Concert Hall on the European side and at the Kadiköy People's Education Center on the Asian side, thereby quickly becoming a true city orchestra. This pattern continues until this day, totaling twenty-four concerts per year, with performances on the Anatolian side now being held at the Caddebostan Cultural Center. For the international audience of the Istanbul Festival
, the BIFO has become a well known and estimated musical standard for many years.
In 2008, the future of the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra looks brilliant. A source of great pride and joy to Turkish people, particularly Istanbul's educated and cultural elite, BIFO, under the baton of Sascha Goetzel, its newly appointed Austrian Artistic Director and Principal Conductor, will continue to serve as a bridge between the people of Turkey and the European tradition in classical music.
lovers in Istanbul to some of the world's foremost musicians. The Orchestra has had the privilege of performing with virtuosos such as Maxim Vengerov
, Vadim Gluzman, Dimitris Sgouros
, Alexander Rudin, Suna Kan
, Idil Biret
, Fazıl Say
, Ayşegül Sarıca, Meral Güneyman, Ayla Erduran, Verda Erman, Gülsin Onay
, Anna Tomowa-Sintow
, Olga Kern
, Corey Cerovsek
, Stanislav Ioudenitch
. Celebrated guest conductors
who have led the Orchestra include Igor Oistrak, Emil Tabakov
, Giuseppe Lanzetta, Fabiano Monica, Alain Paris, and Ender Sakpınar. In addition, BIFO has also been accompanied by the Wiener Singverein
, one of the world's leading choir
s.
One of the most popular traditions in its short history is Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra's annual "New Year Celebration" concerts. Held in December of every year, these highly anticipated performances are known for bringing cheer and goodwill to Istanbul during the festive season, not to mention positive cultural attention, through the participation of highly regarded local and world-renown musicians.
The Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra opened the 2007–2008 season in October with a concert conducted by Gürer Aykal, featuring the young Canadian
violin
ist James Ehnes
as the solo
ist. Works by A. Adnan Saygun, to commemorate the one hundredth anniversary of his birth, and by Sibelius
, to honour the fiftieth anniversary of his death, were performed in this concert. The concert in November was conducted by Josep Caballé-Domenech and the guest soloist was pianist
Emre Şen. In the New Year Welcoming Concert in December, the orchestra under the baton of Gürer Aykal accompanied soloist Turgay Hilmi
in a work written specifically for Alphorn
.
The guests of the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra last season included conductor Andreas Schüller, Ferhan and Ferzan Önder piano duo, Ayhan Uştuk, Çağ Erçağ, Özcan Ulucan, John Lill
and conductor Sascha Goetzel. In the Gala Concert, the orchestra hosted the prominent Philharmonia Chorus
and performed Dvořák
’s Requiem
for the first time in Turkey.
In the opening concerts of the new season on November 19 and 20, 2008, the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra will be conducted by Gürer Aykal, who recently became the Honourary Conductor of the orchestra.
Goetzel takes over from Maestro Gürer Aykal, the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra’s music director since the founding of the orchestra, and responsible for its artistic development. One of Sascha Goetzel’s principal duties will be the preparation of concert tours and guest appearances of the orchestra in the framework of major European music festivals in the coming years. The orchestra had a special role to play in the 2010 Istanbul Festival when Istanbul held the title of European Capital of Culture.
History
The Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra was founded as the Borusan Chamber Orchestra in 1993. This initiative by Borusan, a leading TurkishTurkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
industrial group of companies, entering into the complex and challenging world of establishing orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
s, was based on its vision of helping to bring polyphonic music to a wider audience of Turkish people. This group rapidly grew in both number of musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
s and quality of musical performance, so that it became a symphonic orchestra in 1999. That same year Maestro Gürer Aykal was appointed as the General Music Director and Permanent Conductor of the Orchestra.
On 13 May 1999, at the Yildiz Palace Silahhane Building on the European side of Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra performed its first concert
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
and soon began offering concerts on the Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
n side of the city as well. By the end of 1999, BIFO was performing two concerts per month, one on each side of the Bosphorus, at the Lütfi Kırdar Concert Hall on the European side and at the Kadiköy People's Education Center on the Asian side, thereby quickly becoming a true city orchestra. This pattern continues until this day, totaling twenty-four concerts per year, with performances on the Anatolian side now being held at the Caddebostan Cultural Center. For the international audience of the Istanbul Festival
Istanbul International Music Festival
The Istanbul International Music Festival, formerly Istanbul Festival, is a cultural event held every June and July in Istanbul, Turkey. It offers a selection of European classical music, ballet, opera and traditional music performances with the participations of famous artists from all over the...
, the BIFO has become a well known and estimated musical standard for many years.
In 2008, the future of the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra looks brilliant. A source of great pride and joy to Turkish people, particularly Istanbul's educated and cultural elite, BIFO, under the baton of Sascha Goetzel, its newly appointed Austrian Artistic Director and Principal Conductor, will continue to serve as a bridge between the people of Turkey and the European tradition in classical music.
Musical programs and performances
Over the years, the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra has introduced classical musicClassical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
lovers in Istanbul to some of the world's foremost musicians. The Orchestra has had the privilege of performing with virtuosos such as Maxim Vengerov
Maxim Vengerov
Maxim Alexandrovich Vengerov is a violinist, violist, and conductor who was born in the Soviet Union.-Youth:Born on 20 August 1974 in Novosibirsk, Russia, to a family with musical tradition....
, Vadim Gluzman, Dimitris Sgouros
Dimitris Sgouros
Dimitris Sgouros is a Greek classical pianist. He began playing the piano at a young age, and received formal training in Athens, London, and New York. Widely acclaimed for his prodigious musical talent as a boy, Sgouros is one of the world's leading concert pianists...
, Alexander Rudin, Suna Kan
Suna Kan
Suna Kan, born on October 21, 1936 in Adana, Turkey. Great Turkish violinist.She started playing the violin at the age of five and gave her first public concerts when she was only nine years old, performing Mozart's A major and Viotti's A minor violin concertos with the Presidential Symphony...
, Idil Biret
Idil Biret
İdil Biret is a Turkish concert pianist, renowned for her interpretations of the Romantic repertoire.-Education:...
, Fazıl Say
Fazil Say
Fazıl Say , is a Turkish pianist and composer born in Ankara, Turkey.-Biography:Born in 1970 in Ankara, Turkey, Fazıl Say started playing the piano at the age of four. He continued his music training in Ankara State Conservatory as a student of Special Status for Highly Talented Children and...
, Ayşegül Sarıca, Meral Güneyman, Ayla Erduran, Verda Erman, Gülsin Onay
Gülsin Onay
Gülsin Onay is a leading Turkish concert pianist.-Education:Born into a musical family, Gülsin Onay began to play the piano at the age of three. Her first teacher was her mother....
, Anna Tomowa-Sintow
Anna Tomowa-Sintow
Anna Tomowa-Sintow is a Bulgarian soprano who has sung to great acclaim in all the major opera houses around the world in a repertoire that includes Mozart, Rossini, Verdi, Puccini, Wagner, and Strauss. She enjoyed a particularly close professional relationship with conductor Herbert von Karajan...
, Olga Kern
Olga Kern
Olga Kern is a Russian classical pianist. Born as Olga Pushechnikova to a family of musicians with ties to Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff, she later adopted her mother's maiden name professionally...
, Corey Cerovsek
Corey Cerovsek
Corey Cerovsek is a violinist, pianist, and mathematician. At age 12, he was the youngest student to receive a gold medal from the Royal Conservatory of Music. In 1992, Cerovsek was the recipient of the Virginia-Parker Prize from the Canada Council for the Arts...
, Stanislav Ioudenitch
Stanislav Ioudenitch
Stanislav Ioudenitch , is a pianist from the former Soviet Republic of Uzbekistan. He was a Gold Medalist at the Eleventh Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2001, tying for first place with Olga Kern...
. Celebrated guest conductors
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
who have led the Orchestra include Igor Oistrak, Emil Tabakov
Emil Tabakov
Emil Tabakov is a Bulgarian conductor, composer, and double-bass player. He is the former chief conductor of the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra and Bilkent Symphony Orchestra. He has composed seven symphonies, instrumental concertos, and a requiem to date....
, Giuseppe Lanzetta, Fabiano Monica, Alain Paris, and Ender Sakpınar. In addition, BIFO has also been accompanied by the Wiener Singverein
Wiener Singverein
The Vienna Singverein is the concert choir of the Vienna Musikverein with around 230 members. It is regularly requested by top orchestras and conductors for large and varied projects.- History :...
, one of the world's leading choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
s.
One of the most popular traditions in its short history is Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra's annual "New Year Celebration" concerts. Held in December of every year, these highly anticipated performances are known for bringing cheer and goodwill to Istanbul during the festive season, not to mention positive cultural attention, through the participation of highly regarded local and world-renown musicians.
The Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra opened the 2007–2008 season in October with a concert conducted by Gürer Aykal, featuring the young Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ist James Ehnes
James Ehnes
James Ehnes, CM is a Canadian concert violinist.The son of Alan Ehnes, trumpet professor at Brandon University and Barbara Ehnes, former director of the Brandon School of Dance, James Ehnes began his violin studies at the age of four...
as the solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
ist. Works by A. Adnan Saygun, to commemorate the one hundredth anniversary of his birth, and by Sibelius
Jean Sibelius
Jean Sibelius was a Finnish composer of the later Romantic period whose music played an important role in the formation of the Finnish national identity. His mastery of the orchestra has been described as "prodigious."...
, to honour the fiftieth anniversary of his death, were performed in this concert. The concert in November was conducted by Josep Caballé-Domenech and the guest soloist was pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
Emre Şen. In the New Year Welcoming Concert in December, the orchestra under the baton of Gürer Aykal accompanied soloist Turgay Hilmi
Turgay Hilmi
Turgay Hilmi is a Turkish Cypriot French horn player. Former member of the Nurnberg State Opera and associate professor of music at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, in Germany. Hilmi is also the Honorary Representative for cultural affairs of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in...
in a work written specifically for Alphorn
Alphorn
The alphorn or alpenhorn or alpine horn is a labrophone, consisting of a natural wooden horn of conical bore, having a wooden cup-shaped mouthpiece, used by mountain dwellers in Switzerland and elsewhere...
.
The guests of the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra last season included conductor Andreas Schüller, Ferhan and Ferzan Önder piano duo, Ayhan Uştuk, Çağ Erçağ, Özcan Ulucan, John Lill
John Lill
John Lill CBE is an English classical pianist.-Biography:Lill studied at the Royal College of Music and with Wilhelm Kempff. His talent emerged at an early age, as he gave his first piano recital at the age of nine. At age 18, he performed Rachmaninoff's 3rd Piano Concerto under Sir Adrian Boult...
and conductor Sascha Goetzel. In the Gala Concert, the orchestra hosted the prominent Philharmonia Chorus
Philharmonia Chorus
The Philharmonia Chorus is an independent self-governing symphony choir of up to 150 singers based in London, UK. It performs concert and operatic choral repertory from baroque to contemporary...
and performed Dvořák
Antonín Dvorák
Antonín Leopold Dvořák was a Czech composer of late Romantic music, who employed the idioms of the folk music of Moravia and his native Bohemia. Dvořák’s own style is sometimes called "romantic-classicist synthesis". His works include symphonic, choral and chamber music, concerti, operas and many...
’s Requiem
Requiem (Dvorák)
Antonín Dvořák's Requiem in B-flat minor, Op. 89, B. 165, is a funeral mass for soloists, choir and orchestra, composed in 1890.- Background :...
for the first time in Turkey.
In the opening concerts of the new season on November 19 and 20, 2008, the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra will be conducted by Gürer Aykal, who recently became the Honourary Conductor of the orchestra.
Artistic Director and Principal Conductor
After a year long selection process (season 2007/2008) with guest conductors from four different countries, an international jury has awarded the musical direction of Turkey’s foremost symphony orchestra to Austrian conductor Sascha Goetzel.Goetzel takes over from Maestro Gürer Aykal, the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra’s music director since the founding of the orchestra, and responsible for its artistic development. One of Sascha Goetzel’s principal duties will be the preparation of concert tours and guest appearances of the orchestra in the framework of major European music festivals in the coming years. The orchestra had a special role to play in the 2010 Istanbul Festival when Istanbul held the title of European Capital of Culture.