Tolga Atalay Ün

Biography

Turkish-American pianist, historical keyboard player and conductor Tolga Atalay ÜN was born in 1995, in Ankara, Turkey. He studied piano with Sibel Özgün at the Hacettepe University Ankara State Conservatory, from where he graduated with the “Top of the School Award”; piano with Prof.Norma Fisher and Prof.Niel Immelman; and Historical Performance and Historical Keyboard Instruments with Prof.Terence Charlston and Prof.Robert Woolley at the Royal College of Music London, where he has received his Bachelor of Music (Honours) with First Class, Master of Performance (MPerf) with Distinction and Artist Diploma. Throughout his studies in London he has obtained the titles ‘Mills Williams Junior Fellow’, ‘C. Bechstein Scholar supported by a Christopher Hogwood Scholarship’ and ‘Kenneth and Violet Scott Scholar’ at the RCM. He was generously supported by Sevda-Cenap And Music Foundation and Talent Unlimited for his studies. From 2016 to 2021, Tolga Atalay ÜN was a scholar in the ‘Young Musicians on World Stages’ (YMWS) system created and mentored by Güher & Süher Pekinel with financial support of TÜPRAŞ.

Playing as a soloist with the Ankara Youth Symphony Orchestra, as well as conducting them from the keyboard in the opening concert of 33rd International Ankara Music Festival in April 2016 won him a great recognition amongst the musical authorities. On the 6th March 2019, he played piano in the concert organised for the annual President’s Visit from His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales to the RCM. On the 4th February 2022, he conducted the Presidential Symphony Orchestra in Turkey from the harpsichord, in his first concert with them, and became one of the youngest conductors to do so. After that, he has performed as a conductor, harpsichordist and pianist with Izmir State Symphony Orchestra and Bursa Regional State Symphony Orchestra. His recent prizes and medals include the 2021 Mills Williams Medal at the RCM, the Beethoven Medal from the Worshipful Company of Musicians as a result of winning the First Prize and the Thomas Harris Beethoven Award at the Beethoven Piano Society of Europe’s 2017 Senior Intercollegiate Piano Competition; the First Prize, as well as the Prize for the Best Performance of A.A.Saygun and the Audience Prize at the 4th Ahmed Adnan Saygun Piano Competition in Turkey, 2017; the First Prize at the Kendall Taylor Beethoven Competition at the RCM in 2017 and the Second Prize at the Broadwood Horniman Harpsichord Competition in November 2015. He played numerous concerts in many different countries, such as Turkey, United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, Italy, the Netherlands, Greece and Romania; and in prestigious concert halls such as London Royal Festival Hall, Cadogan Hall, St.Martin-in-the-Fields, Drapers’ Hall, Steinway Hall London, Regent Hall, RCM Amaryllis Fleming Concert Hall, Salzburg Mozarteum, Bayerische Musikakademie Marktoberdorf, CSO Main Hall, İzmir Ahmed Adnan Saygun Cultural Centre, Boğaziçi University Albert Long Hall, German Consulate General in Istanbul, Istanbul Arter Museum, Istanbul Notre Dame de Sion High School, Embassy of France in Ankara, Ankara MEB Şura Concert Hall, Bilkent Concert Hall, Antalya Cultural Centre and Mersin State Opera and Ballet. He participated in masterclasses given by renowned pianists and harpsichordists such as Ton Koopman, Carole Cerasi, Pawel Siwczak, Janina Fialkowska, Rolf Plagge, Daniel Shapiro and Jonathan Plowright. He studied conducting with Orhun Orhon, Lior Shambadal, Peter Gülke, Peter Stark, Howard Williams, İbrahim Yazıcı and Burak Tüzün. As a result of this, he conducted numerous concerts with orchestras including Hitit Philharmonic Orchestra (a volunteer orchestra that he formed with his friends), Hacettepe Youth Symphony Orchestra, Ankara Youth Symphony Orchestra and Bodrum Chamber Orchestra.

In 2004, he was accepted as a member to the Polyphonic Children’s Choir of the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, conducted by Ahter Destan and Atilla Çağdaş Değer. During 2004-2009, he participated in many concerts, tours and organisations as a choir member and accompanist. In 2007, he was offered a place to start his professional piano studies with Sibel Özgün at the Hacettepe University Ankara State Conservatory. During his seven-year conservatory education; he gave many concerts, premiered many pieces and made many radio recordings as a pianist, conductor, chamber musician and accompanist. He took lessons on Modern Music History and Contemporary Music Techniques given by a famous Turkish composer İlhan Baran in 2009-2013. In May 2009, he was awarded the “honourable mention” in the Fourth International Istanbul Pera Piano Competition and in 2010, the “Jury’s Special Award” in “The National Chopin Piano Competition”, which was organized jointly by Başkent University and Bahçelievler Rotary Club in Ankara, Turkey under the auspices of the Polish Embassy, to commemorate Chopin’s 200th birthday. After winning this prize, he got an invitation to become one of the founder members of Bahçelievler Interact Club. As an Interact, he has had the opportunity of participating in various social activities. He taught as a lecturer at the Ankara Music and Fine Arts University for a term, starting in September 2021. He now continues his professional musical career as a pianist, historical keyboard player and conductor.

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