MAESTRO Hasan Niyazi Tura

Born in Istanbul in 1982, Hasan Niyazi Tura began studying the violin at the age of 7 at the Istanbul State Conservatory, where he graduated in 2003. In addition to numerous performances at home and abroad, he premiered the violin concerto by Turkish composer Djémal Réchid in 2006.

He studied composition with his father Yalçın Tura, an important figure in Turkish music, and Hasan Uçarsu. In 2004, he won first prize in the Turkish Ministry of Culture's National Composition Competition with his "1st Symphony". In 2007, he composed the highly acclaimed "Oratorio for Martyrs", which earned him recognition and prestigious commissions such as the ballet "Aspendos" (2013) by the Turkish State Opera House (premiered at the 20th Aspendos Opera&Ballet Festival) and "Song of a Martyr" (2015), a symphonic poem based on a song by his grandfather, a veteran of the First World War; by the Istanbul Foundation of Culture and Arts (premiered at the 43rd Istanbul Music Festival). In 2017, he also performed as solo violinist in the German premiere of his violin concerto "Concíertango".

His works include 3 symphonies, symphonic poems and suites, concertos for various instruments, chamber music, choral music, etc.

His first digital album "Symphonic Anatolia" was recently released by one of the country's leading publishers, Muzikotek.

Tura studied orchestral conducting with professors Gürer Aykal and Rengim Gökmen and completed his master's degree at the Ankara State Conservatory in 2010. Since then, he has performed on national and international stages, including the Central Saxon Philharmonic Orchestra (Germany), the Sliven Symphony (Bulgaria) and the Karaganda Philharmonic (Kazakhstan) orchestras, the Athens State Orchestra (Greece) and the London Chamber Orchestra (UK). In 2018, he was appointed Deputy Chief Conductor of the Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra, where he has held the position of Chief Conductor since 2021.

He emphasised conducting and premiering symphonic works by his native composers such as Cemal Reşid Rey (also known as Djémal Réchid), Ferid Alnar, Adnan Saygun and his father Yalçın Tura. Tura contributed to the celebration of the Centenary of the Republic of Turkey by organising the world and UK premiere of his father's piano concerto last October when he made his London debut with the London Chamber Orchestra.

PLAYER Jihyun Cho

Ji-Hyun Cho, winner of the Artists International Competition, made her debut at the Weill Recital Hall in Carnegie Hall in 1995. In 1997 she performed again in the Artists International Competition at the Merkin Concert Hall in New York. She was awarded 1st place in the Yook-Young Competition in her native Korea, 3rd place in the IBLA International Competition and a diploma in the Trani International Competition in Italy. She has performed as a soloist with the Korean Symphony Orchestra, etc. Elim Symphony Orchestra, Seoul National University Alumni Symphony Orchestra, Kaunas Chamber Orchestra and the Seoul Academy Ensemble. As a member of the Rose of Sharon Artists Chamber Music Ensemble, she performed in the "Concerts for World Piece" organised by the United Nations at the Dag Hammarskrjold Library Auditorium in 1996 and 1999. As a concert pianist, she was sponsored by "The Piano Music" and "Jeunesses Musicales" in Seoul. In 1998, she took part in a performance in the "Young Promising Artists Series" organised by the Seoul Arts Center. In 2001, she was featured in the "Virtuoso 201 Series" presented by "The Piano Music", Kumho Art Hall Friday Concert and Bucheon Philharmonic Chamber Music Festival.

She has performed at Alice Tully Hall, Merkin Hall, Weill Recital Hall in Carnegie Hall, Korean Cultural Service in New York and has given performances at Young San Art Hall, Seoul Arts Centre, Sejong Culture Center, Opus Hall and Kumho Art Hall in Seoul, Korea. She has been broadcast on KBS-FM and TBS-FM radio stations in Korea.

After completing her Bachelor of Music degree at Seoul National University, she received a Master of Music degree from the Juilliard School as a student of Oxana Yablonskaya. She was awarded a D.M.A. from the Manhattan School of Music, where she was a scholarship student of Constance Keene. She taught at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music in New York. She is currently a faculty member at both Seoul National University and Dankook University.