IKSV honors promising young talent with an aw

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

Hande Küden received her award from IKSV’s Chairman Bülent Eczacıbaşı.

stanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (IKSV) launched a new award in 2012 on its 40th anniversary to support up-and-coming young musicians. The Aydın Gün Encouragement Award, which will be presented to a different musician every year, is open to instrumentalists, singers, composers, and conductors under 30 years of age. In its first edition, a jury comprised of State Opera and Ballet General Director conductor Rengim Gökmen, State Opera and Ballet Chief Director Yekta Kara, Center for Advanced Studies in Music Co-Chair violinist Cihat Aşkın, Borusan Culture and Arts General Director Ahmet Erenli, and Istanbul Music Festival Director Yeşim Gürer Oymak selected one young musician from among the nominations. The 2012 Aydın Gün Encouragement Award was presented to violinist Hande Küden in recognition of the success she has already achieved with national and international performances, her strong and steady progress, as well as her promising future endeavors.

Hande Küden is currently Stephan Picard’s post-graduate student at the Hanns Eisler Berlin Music Academy. She has won various competitions, including the Second National Gülden Turalı Violin Competition, the 14th International Young Musicians Chamber Music Competition, and the Necdet Remzi Atak Violin Competition. The Lepidus Quartet, in which she has been playing since 2011, won first prize in the Yaşar University Third Chamber Music Competition. Küden performed Beethoven’s Triple Concerto with pianist Hüseyin Sermet and cellist Efe Baltacıgil, accompanied by the Turkish National Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, at the Berlin Konzerhaus and the Beethovenfest Bonn.

She was presented with the Aydın Gün Encouragement Award, worth 15,000 Turkish Liras, at a reception hosted by IKSV’s Chairman Bülent Eczacıbaşı on March 11.