Borusan to stage special concert with Poyrazoğlu

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

The Borusan Philharmonic Orchestra prepares to present a concert featuring Ali Poyrazoğlu (R) and Gürer Aykal as guest conductors.

The Borusan Philharmonic Orchestra (BİFO) is set to present a special concert featuring Ali Poyrazoğlu as guest conductor to raise funds for young musicians attempting to launch their careers.

BİFO has been holding such concerts since 2006, and past guest conductors have included Cem Yılmaz, one of Turkey’s most famous comedians.

This year’s special concert will be held Dec. 11 at Istanbul’s Lütfi Kırdar International Congress and Exhibition Center.

While providing funds for aspiring musicians, the concert series have also served to increase interest in classical music in Turkey.

The honorary director of this year’s concert will be Gürer Aykal while former student violinist Nihat Ağdaç will be the soloist. After Aykal, Poyrazoğlu will take the stage as the guest conductor.

Poyrazoğlu, who is a theater actor by trade, will be conducting passages from the opera “Carmen.”
Tickets for the concert range from 50 to 300 Turkish Liras.

The first special BİFO orchestra was conducted by Ahmet Kocabıyık, a chief executive officer, in 2006. Funds from the event facilitated Turkish mezzo-soprano Fatma Ayazlar’s study at Brooklyn College in New York, where she still resides.

In 2007, Rahmi Koç, Koç Holding’s honorary president, conducted the orchestra, with revenue from the concert being donated to furthering the career and education of Burak Özdemir.

Meanwhile, the Borusan Music House on Istanbul’s İstiklal Avenue, will be hosting an event titled “New Sounds of Berlin” from Radical System V, which combines electronic music and classic music, between 8 p.m. and 12 a.m. on Nov. 24.

Berlin-based Radial System V has become noted for its mixture of classical, romantic, and modern music in a short period of time.

The event will feature a unique sound bringing together baroque violins, DJ sets, as well as audio and visual compositions, promising a special evening of music.