FERHAT CAN BÜYÜK – BIOGRAPHY

 

Ferhat Can Büyük was born in December 26th, 1997. He started first piano lessons with Aytaj Rizaguliyeva when he was 5. In 2008, he was accepted by Prof. Meral Yapalı for her piano class, going through Istanbul State University Conservatory School’s placement exam. In the same year he earned “The Promising Pianist” award in KASDAV events, organized by Municipality of Kadıköy, Istanbul.

 

Young piano artist who presented his first performance when he was 6 in Marmara University Concert Hall, also performed his first concerto when he was 15, in accompany with Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra conducted by Chef Antonio Pirolli. He performed in many other concerts and recitals both domestic and international.

 

He gave a recital upon an invitation in “Macedonia Bitola International Classical Music Festival” organization at “Manastır Military Preparatory School” building where Mustafa Kemal Atatürk had studied for a while and which being utilized as a museum nowadays.

 

He was awarded first place in 2015, in the event named “Shining Stars in memory of Meriç Soylu” which is organized every year by İş Sanat. He also took stage in the same year with Borusan Philharmonic, conducted by Chef Sacha Goetzel, for the opening concert of İş Sanat Festival. His achievements appreciated many times by national printed media and TV channels both by interviews and concert reports.

 

He earned the masterclass scholarship from “International Holland Music Sessions” selected among numerous young talents. He has also been invited to several prestigious recitals held in Netherland / Bergen in August 2016 as a part of this organization. Recordings of those sessions have been but on the air in TRT3, the National Radio Broadcast Channel.

 

He took the exams of The Feliks Nowowiejski Music Academy in Bydgoszcz and was accepted to Prof. Ewa Pobłocka's piano class in 2016.

 

He proudly represented his country in the “Commemoration of Chopin” concert in Warsaw, which was held jointly by Chopin Institution and Turkish Warsaw Consulate. A full page interview published afterwards in the Gazeta Pomorska, a recognized Polish newspaper. He took stage with various musicians from diverse countries along the series of “International Civic Culture” concerts. He’s also performed several pieces from his repertoire in a live radio broadcast at Radio Polska.

 

He earned the 1st place in 03 05 2018 as a "Grand Prize" winner in traditional “31st Antonin Chopin Piano Contest” among the most talented and brilliant foreign students selected by Polish conservatories as the representative of their schools.

 

After his award; he has been invited to one of the most recognized and prestigious events in Poland, the 37th International Chopin Festival, to give a recital in the closing concert. The concert took place in an historical medieval space, with the attendance of very distinguished audience.

 

He’s been double awarded as the “1st place winner” in the 9th International Bitola Piano Contest with the “1st place Special Jury Award winner” among whole category champions in 07 10 2018.

 

He was a guest of Polish National Radio PİK Polskie on 12 11 2018. He gave a recital with the participation of Polish music lovers in the program that took place in the concert hall of the radio. This program which attracted a lot of attention from the press, was also featured on many art / culture pages.

 

He was awarded the first prize in the solo piano category at the Moscow "Musica Classica" Competition which was held for the 27th time this year between 1 - 5 June 2020. He also drew attention with his being the only participant from outside of Russia to win an award from the jury of instructors who train artists in many internationally recognized conservatories, including Tchaikovsky conservatory.

 

In January 2023, he performed Chopin's Concerto in F minor, accompanied by Maestro Gürer Aykal and the Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra, at the Atatürk Cultural Center. In September 2023, he performed Rachmaninov's 2nd piano concerto at the Atatürk Culturel Center, accompanied by Maestro Cem Mansur and the TUGFO orchestra, consisting of successful young musicians selected from conservatories in Turkey.

 

With the help of Borusan Kocabıyık Foundation and Enka Foundation scholarship supports, he graduated his piano bachelor education in Poland The Feliks Nowowiejski Music Academy. He received a high grade from the conservatory jury with his thesis on the common aspects of A. A. Saygun and B. Bartok’s music. Afterwards, he was chosen for the master studies in the same conservatory to Prof. Jarosław Drzewiecki’s class. He graduated in the first place with his thesis work about Duyuşlar by U. C. Erkin, on the dyplom examination among all the piano master students in 2022.

 

He attended numerous master class sessions organized by many doyen pianists such as İdil Biret, A. Jasiński, A. Diev, R. Plagge, A. Frölich, D. Alexeev and M. Raekallio. Ferhat Can Büyük who is teaching as a piano pedagogue at Marmara University Faculty of Arts keeps going to his music career with concerts and album works.