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The Aydın Gün Encouragement Award, which has been granted every year since 2012 by the İstanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV) to promising young classical musicians, has been awarded to 22-year-old pianist Can Çakmur in 2018.
Can Çakmur will receive his award at the opening ceremony of the 47th Istanbul Music Festival.
The Aydın Gün Encouragement Award is granted to a young musician who is studying or working in the classical music field every year.
The selection committee is headed by İKSV General Director Görgün Taner, and consists of conductor Rengim Gökmen, opera director Yekta Kara, violinist Cihat Aşkın, Borusan Sanat General Manager Ahmet Erenli, and İKSV Deputy Director General Yeşim Gürer Oymak.
About Can ÇakmurBorn in 1997 in Ankara, Can Çakmur began his music education with Leyla Bekensir and Ayşe Kaptan. Since 2012, he has worked with musicians such as Alan Weiss, Arie Vardi, Ewa Kupiec, Leslie Howard and Robert Levin among others at Mendelssohn-Akademie, The Holland International Music Sessions, Liszt-Akademie Schillingsfürst, and International Academy of Music in Liechtenstein, where he was granted a scholarship. Çakmur currently pursues his studies with Grigory Gruzman in Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt Weimar and continues to work privately with Diane Andersen in Belgium. The first prize winner of the 10th Hamamatsu International Piano Competition in 2018 and the Scottish International Piano Competition in 2017, Can Çakmur also won the first prize and the Bartók special prize at the 4th International Franz Liszt Competition for Young Pianists. Çakmur is the recipient of the Young Musician of the Year Award of the 5th Donizetti Classical Music Awards, as well as a laureate from the X. Balys Dvarionas Competition for Young Pianists where he won two special awards. |
About Aydın GünBorn in Adana in 1917, Aydın Gün contributed greatly to the development of opera in Turkey. He was among the founders of the İstanbul and Ankara State Operas and took on the role of General Director at both organizations. In addition to the European Council Culture Award, Gün was also honoured with the State Artist title in 1988. One of the founders of İKSV as well, Gün undertook the role of General Director, spearheading many of the foundation's events. He was the Artistic Director of the International Istanbul Festival for 20 years; launched the Contemporary Art Exhibitions, which later became the Istanbul Biennial, and was also among the founders of the Leyla Gencer Voice Competition. Gün moved to Berlin with his family towards the end of the 1990's, where he continued his work in the field of art, and passed away in November 2007, at the age of 90. |
(AÖ/SD)
