One of Türkiye’s most distinguished classical musicians, Gülsin Onay, will return to the London stage this autumn for a special recital devoted entirely to the music of Frédéric Chopin.
The internationally acclaimed pianist will perform at Kings Place in King’s Cross on Saturday, 31 October, as part of the 2026 London Piano Festival, which celebrates its 11th edition this year. Onay’s hour-long afternoon recital takes place in Hall One from 3pm.
The programme offers audiences a journey through some of Chopin’s most expressive and technically demanding works, opening with Variations brillantes, Op.12.
Onay will also perform Ballade No.3 in A flat major, the sweeping Andante spianato et Grande Polonaise brillante, and the darker, introspective Nocturne in F sharp minor, before concluding with Chopin’s monumental Sonata in B minor, Op.58.
The concert is particularly fitting for Onay, whose interpretations of the Romantic repertoire have featured prominently throughout her long international career. She continues to perform Chopin regularly, including his Second Piano Concerto, which was among the major works she performed during her busy 2025 concert schedule.
About Gülsin Onay
Born in Istanbul, Onay was recognised as a child prodigy, giving her first public recital on Turkish Radio aged just six. She studied with two towering figures in Turkish classical music, Ahmed Adnan Saygun and Mithat Fenmen, before continuing her education at the Paris Conservatoire, where her teachers included Pierre Sancan, Monique Haas and Nadia Boulanger. She graduated aged only 16 with the prestigious Premier Prix du Piano.
Her subsequent career has taken her to more than 80 countries, performing with orchestras including the Vienna Symphony, Dresden Staatskapelle, Philharmonia Orchestra and Japan Philharmonic, and working with leading conductors such as Vladimir Ashkenazy, Neeme Järvi and Esa-Pekka Salonen.
Onay is also regarded as one of the foremost interpreters of Saygun’s music – the Turkish composer dedicated his Second Piano Concerto to her – and she has played an important role in taking Turkish classical music to audiences around the world. She has also served as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2003 and continues to teach and mentor younger musicians.
Her Kings Place appearance comes during another packed year for the veteran pianist, which has included recitals, orchestral concerts, masterclasses and competition jury duties across Türkiye and Europe, including performances elsewhere in Britain.
Concert details
Title: Gülsin Onay Performs Chopin
Date: Saturday 31 October 2026
Time: 3pm (doors 2.30pm)
Venue: Hall One, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9AG.
Duration: The recital lasts approximately one hour with no interval.
Admission: tickets cost between £20 and £30, with a limited number of £10 concession tickets also available.
Tickets and further information from Kings Place
