Gülsin Onay Performs Chopin

The recital concludes with Chopin’s Sonata in B minor op.58, one of his most ambitious piano works, unfolding across four contrasting movements from the commanding Allegro maestoso to a driven final movement.

This event will last for approximately 1 hour with no interval.

About Gülsin Onay

Gülsin Onay is internationally recognised as one of today’s leading pianists, celebrated for her expressive depth, technical brilliance and wide-ranging repertoire. A child prodigy, she gave her first public recital on Turkish Radio at the age of six before studying with Ahmed Adnan Saygun and Mithat Fenmen, and later at the Paris Conservatoire with Pierre Sancan, Monique Haas and Nadia Boulanger. She graduated at just sixteen, winning the prestigious Premier Prix du Piano.

Her distinguished international career has taken her to more than 80 countries across all continents, performing with many of the world’s leading orchestras, including the Dresden Staatskapelle, Vienna Symphony, Philharmonia Orchestra and Japan Philharmonic. She has collaborated with eminent conductors such as Vladimir Ashkenazy, Neeme Järvi and Esa-Pekka Salonen, and has appeared at major festivals worldwide, including Berlin, Warsaw, Mozartfest Würzburg and Schleswig-Holstein.

Renowned as a leading interpreter of Turkish composer Ahmed Adnan Saygun, whose Second Piano Concerto was dedicated to her, Onay has played a vital role in bringing his music to international audiences. Her extensive discography reflects the breadth of her repertoire, from Mozart and Beethoven to Rachmaninov and Bartók.

Alongside her performing career, she is a passionate advocate for music education and outreach. A UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2003, she regularly supports charitable initiatives through performance and education. She is also Artist-in-Residence at Bilkent University and continues to mentor young musicians internationally, while maintaining an active presence in broadcasting and festival direction.