
Music Director
Gurer Aykal
Welcome to Gurer AYKAL
Connecting Cultures Through Art and Heritage.
In 1975, Aykal was appointed as the Permanent Conductor of the Presidential Symphony Orchestra and later served as the General Director of the State Opera and Ballet. During this period, he co-founded the Ankara Chamber Orchestra with Suna Kan, leading the orchestra in over a hundred concerts abroad in addition to its domestic activities. Aykal has conducted numerous concerts with leading European orchestras, including the English Chamber Orchestra and the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra.
Meet Gurer Aykal: Founder and Principal Conductor of the New Manhattan Sinfonietta
Gurer Aykal began his musical education at the Ankara State Conservatory, graduating from the Violin Department in 1963 under the tutelage of Necdet Remzi Atak, and from the Composition Department in 1969 under Adnan Saygun. In the same year, he received a state scholarship and went to England, where he studied conducting at the Guildhall School of Music in London with renowned conductors such as Andre Previn and George Hurst. He graduated with top honors from the advanced conducting programs of both the Guildhall School of Music and the Royal Academy (1972). Aykal then continued his studies in Italy, earning a Conducting Diploma from the Accademia Chigiana and completing his studies at the Santa Cecilia Academy, where he worked as an assistant to Franco Ferrara. At the request of Adnan Saygun, he also pursued studies in Gregorian choral music and Renaissance polyphonic music at the Pontificio Istituto di Musica Sacra in the Vatican with Bartolucci.
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In 1975, Aykal was appointed as the Permanent Conductor of the Presidential Symphony Orchestra and later served as the General Director of the State Opera and Ballet. During this period, he co-founded the Ankara Chamber Orchestra with Suna Kan, leading the orchestra in over a hundred concerts abroad in addition to its domestic activities. Aykal has conducted numerous concerts with leading European orchestras, including the English Chamber Orchestra and the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra.
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In addition to his conducting career, Aykal has made significant contributions as an educator, serving as a professor of conducting both domestically and internationally. He has taught advanced conducting courses at Indiana University (Bloomington), Texas Tech University, and the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) in the United States. He continues this role at Bilkent University and was awarded the title of "Professor Emeritus" in the U.S. for his contributions as a general music director. In recognition of his international achievements and services in the field of music, Aykal was honored with the title of State Artist in 1981. He has recorded CDs and DVDs with prestigious ensembles such as the London Philharmonic Orchestra, North German Radio (NDR), Ankara Chamber Orchestra, Bilkent Symphony Orchestra, Presidential Symphony Orchestra, and El Paso Symphony Orchestra.
In 1999, Aykal was named Artist of the Year by the Turkish Journalists' Association for his successful efforts in promoting the modern face of the Republic of Turkey through music both nationally and internationally.
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Gurer Aykal founded the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra in 1999, serving as its Permanent Conductor and General Music Director, and currently holds the title of Honorary Conductor. Between 2000 and 2004, he undertook the task of establishing and developing the Antalya State Symphony Orchestra. In May 2008, he was awarded the Finnish State Order for his contributions to cultural cooperation between Turkey and Finland. In July 2008, he received an International Achievement Award in Performing Arts at the Rome Lazio Europe and Mediterranean Festival. In 2009, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Bilkent University and was honored with the 2011 Honorary Award Gold Medal by the Sevda-Cenap And Music Foundation.
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In 2018, with the aim of promoting Turkey's modern cultural identity and providing a platform for young Turkish soloists and composers to showcase their talents on the global stage, Gurer Aykal established the New Manhattan Sinfonietta under the Turkish American Arts Society of New York (TAASNY), enabling Turkish artists to perform at Carnegie Hall.
