Erol Erdinç (born 30 November 1945) is a Turkish

conductor Conductor or conduction may refer to: Biology and medicine * Bone conduction, the conduction of sound to the inner ear * Conduction aphasia, a language disorder Mathematics * Conductor (ring theory) * Conductor of an abelian variety * Cond ...

classical music Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be #Relationship to other music traditions, distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical mu ...

, composer, pianist and educator.

Early life and education

Erol Erdinç started out studying composition with

Ahmet Adnan Saygun Ahmet Adnan Saygun (; 7 September 1907 – 6 January 1991) was a Turkish composer, musicologist and writer on music. One of a group of composers known as the Turkish Five who pioneered western classical music in Turkey, his works show a maste ...

and piano with T. Çetiz at the

Ankara State Conservatory The Hacettepe University Ankara State Conservatory (), the first conservatory to be founded in the Republic of Turkey, was established in 1936 by a directive of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. The conservatory is part of Hacettepe University. History ...

. After graduating in composition he stayed on at the conservatory to teach, while also working as pianist for the Ankara State Opera and Ballet. In 1975, he went to Paris where he studied conducting under well-known musicians such as

Jean Martinon Jean Francisque-Étienne Martinon (also known as Jean Martinon (); 10 January 19101 March 1976) was a French conductor and composer. Biography Martinon was born in Lyon, where he began his education, going on to the Conservatoire de Paris to ...

at the Paris Conservatory;

Pierre Dervaux Pierre Dervaux (born 3 January 1917 in Juvisy-sur-Orge, France; died 20 February 1992 in Marseilles, France) was a French operatic conductor (music), conductor, composer, and pedagogue. At the Conservatoire de Paris, he studied counterpoint and ha ...

at the Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris; composition with

Nadia Boulanger Juliette Nadia Boulanger (; 16 September 188722 October 1979) was a French music teacher, conductor and composer. She taught many of the leading composers and musicians of the 20th century, and also performed occasionally as a pianist and organis ...

and Pierre Petit; and accompaniment with Pierre Pontier. He also participated in master classes given by Pierre Boulez and Kirill Kondrashin.

Career

Returning to his country in 1980, Erol Erdinç became conductor at the Ankara State Opera and Ballet. Between 1983 and 2000, Erdinç was the chief conductor and musical director of the

Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra The Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra ( or İDSO) is a Turkish symphony orchestra based in Istanbul. Founded in 1945 as the Istanbul Municipality City Orchestra, its first principal conductor was Cemal Reşit Rey and Dr.Mehmet Muvaffak Goren. In ...

as well as conducting teacher at the

Istanbul University Istanbul University, also known as University of Istanbul (), is a Public university, public research university located in Istanbul, Turkey. Founded by Mehmed II on May 30, 1453, a day after Fall of Constantinople, the conquest of Constantinop ...

Conservatory. He then became dean of the Faculty of Music at

Bilkent University Bilkent University () is a private non-profit research university located in Ankara, Turkey. It was founded by İhsan Doğramacı, the first president of the Council of Higher Education and the head of the prominent Doğramacı family, with th ...

, serving in this position until 2002. In 2003 he became a member of the

Hacettepe University Ankara State Conservatory The Hacettepe University Ankara State Conservatory (), the first conservatory to be founded in the Republic of Turkey, was established in 1936 by a directive of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. The conservatory is part of Hacettepe University. History ...

, where he led the Composition Department and the Hacettepe Symphony Orchestra. In 2010 he created the

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

department of this music faculty. Erdinç has served as a jury member several times in international competitions, including the Canada International Music Competition and the Enescu Conductors Competition in Romania. He produced music for the television network. In 1991, he created his own TV show on

Turkish Radio and Television Corporation The Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT; Turkish: ) is the national public broadcasting, public broadcaster of Turkey, founded in 1964. TRT was for many years the only television and radio broadcaster in Turkey. Before the introductio ...

, the state cultural channel, in which different aspects of music were approached. As a composer and orchestrator, he has written numerous works for orchestra, choir, symphonic jazz orchestra and music for children, integrating traditional Turkish modal music, popular styles, and jazz, and creating his own musical language. As a chamber pianist, he is especially involved with jazz. While he was still a student at the Ankara Conservatory, he started to play solo piano in different formations. Many years later he introduced symphonic jazz music to Turkey, through the "Spring Concerts" with the Istanbul State Symphony. He was also guest conductor with some European, American and Latin American orchestras around the world, including

Saint Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra The Saint Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra (, ''Symphonic Orchestra of the Saint Petersburg Philharmonia'') is a symphony orchestra based in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Their home venue is the Saint Petersburg Philharmonia. History The roots of th ...

, Russian State Symphony Orchestra and

Orchestra Sinfonica di Roma Orchestra Sinfonica di Roma is an orchestra based in Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and ...

. He has made guest appearances in France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Belgium, Netherlands,

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, Poland, Hungary, Russia,

Lithuania Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, P ...

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Azerbaijan Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a Boundaries between the continents, transcontinental and landlocked country at the boundary of West Asia and Eastern Europe. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by ...

Belarus Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Belarus spans an a ...

Bulgaria Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern portion of the Balkans directly south of the Danube river and west of the Black Sea. Bulgaria is bordered by Greece and Turkey t ...

Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia ( ; Czech language, Czech and , ''Česko-Slovensko'') was a landlocked country in Central Europe, created in 1918, when it declared its independence from Austria-Hungary. In 1938, after the Munich Agreement, the Sudetenland beca ...

, Mexico and the United States. He conducted major orchestras through tours of South America, Argentina and Brazil. An internationally recognized maestro, he has at least seven CD recordings with the

Bilkent Symphony Orchestra The Bilkent Symphony Orchestra (Bilkent Senfoni Orkestrası in Turkish language, Turkish, also known as BSO) is a major symphony orchestra of Turkey located in Bilkent, Ankara. It was founded in 1993 by Bilkent University. Since 1994 the orchestra ...

and others. Between 1992 and 1995 he was artistic advisor to the Ministry of Culture. From 2011 to 2013 he was named General Director of Fine Arts at the Ministry of Culture. In the same period he was music director and chief conductor of the

Presidential Symphony Orchestra The Presidential Symphony Orchestra (; CSO), with headquarters in Ankara, is the presidential symphony orchestra of the Republic of Turkey. Its history dates back as far as 1826, making it one of the first symphony orchestras in the world. Afte ...

. He made several CD recordings with different kinds of repertoire, including opera, symphonic music and jazz.

Honours

Erol Erdinç has received a variety of honours and awards, including: 1994 - ''Medal of Honour'', Republic of Turkey's 7th President Süleyman Demirel 1998 - ''

State Artist State Artist (, also sometimes translated as "National Artist") is an honorary title granted to prominent artists by the government of Turkey for their contributions to the Turkish culture. It was established in 1971 by the President of Turkey ( Ce ...

'', Republic of Turkey 2011 − ''Best Conductor of the Year'' award, Mavi Nota 2012 - ''Artist of the Year'' award, Hacettepe University of Ankara 2013 - ''Chevalier de l′

Ordre des Arts et des Lettres The Order of Arts and Letters () is an order of France established on 2 May 1957 by the Minister of Culture. Its supplementary status to the was confirmed by President Charles de Gaulle in 1963. Its purpose is the recognition of significant ...

'', France

Personal life

Erdinç has been married to Vera Oliveira Erdinç since 1983,

Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...

ian pianist at Ankara State Opera and Ballet. They have a son, Deniz Erdinç, a music student at

Music Faculty.

References

External links

VIAF.org

5.International Şefika Kutluer Fest

Müziklopedi

Turkish State Opera and Ballet

Presidential Symphony Orchestra
{{DEFAULTSORT:Erdinc, Erol 1945 births People from İskenderun Ankara State Conservatory alumni Turkish classical pianists Turkish music educators Conservatoire de Paris alumni Conductors Academic staff of Bilkent University Music directors (opera) Opera managers State Artists of Turkey 20th-century conductors (music) 21st-century Turkish conductors (music) Living people 21st-century Turkish classical pianists Academic staff of Hacettepe University Ankara State Conservatory