Two Turkish classical music virtuous, pianist Rüya Taner and saxophonist Kürşat Başar, will be giving a free recital at St James’s Church in Piccadilly, central London, later this month.

Regarded as one of the finest pianists of her generation, 53-year-old Turkish Cypriot Rüya made her debut at The Wigmore Hall in London, and went on to tour extensively in over 60 countries in Europe, the US, Asia and the Middle East.

Rüya trained at Ankara State Conservatoire and at the age of 11, benefiting from Turkiye’s Highly Gifted Children Act, she secured a state-fundinded scholarship to London, where she studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

The gifted pianist has been a prize winner of many national festivals around the UK and has performed with the leading state and private orchestras in countries such as Turkiye, Hungary, Belgium, Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Greece, Azerbaijan, and many others.

She has released several classical music albums, most recently Sweet Waters of Europe (2021).

Rüya will be sharing the stage with a regular collaborator, Istanbul-born writer and artist Kürşat Başar. A multi-instrumentalist, playing the saxophone, oud, saz, and kemence, as well as his own powerful, expressive vocals, Kürşat can often be found performing music inspired by Ottoman classical and Anatolian and Middle Eastern folk music.

He has a devoted following in his native Turkiye and abroad thanks to his ability to adroitly meld these diverse influences and enchant audiences with his passionate performances and moving songs.

The pair will be performing an eclectic mix of Eastern and Western songs for their London concert.

Programme

Bir Köy Var Uzakta (That village is our village) – Münir Ceyhan

IL Sospiro – Franz Liszt

Arap Ali Ağıdı (Lament for Arap Ali) Compiled by Yılmaz Taner – Mahmut Islamoglu

From Fantasiestucke, Op. 12 Robert Schumann

Des Abends

Aufschwung

In der Nacht

Traumes Wirren

Black Luiz Bonfa / Carlos Jobim

Scherzo Alexander Borodin

Yiğidim Aslanım (My Brave My Lion) Zülfü Livaneli

From suite Bergamasque Claude Debussy

Clair de Lune

Passepied

Çanakkale Ihsan Ozanoglu

Ah o gemide ben de olsaydım [Oh if I was on that ship] Metin Ersoy

Concert Details

Title: Ruya Taner & Kürşat Başar

Date: Saturday 20 April 2024

Times: the concert starts at 6pm

Venue: St James’s Church, 197 Piccadilly, London W1J 9LL

Admission and tickets: free entry and no prior registration is required, but admission will be on a first come, first served basis. For more details, visit the venue website – click here.

 

Main image, top, of a picture from their Eastern Mediterranean University, North Cyprus, performance on 13 October 2022