Tolga Atalay Ün – Pianist, Harpsichordist, Conductor
Born in 1995, Turkish-American pianist and harpsichordist Tolga Atalay Ün is currently continuing his studies at the Royal College of Music, London.
While currently studying piano with Prof. Norma Fisher, he also studied the harpsichord for two years with Prof.Terence Charlston and piano with Prof. Niel Immelman. He is a Kenneth and Violet Scott Scholar at the The Royal College of Music. He was supported for concert and master classes from Talent Unlimited London and the Sevda Cenap And Music Foundation.
In September 2016 Ün was selected for the “Young Musicians on the World Stages” system, created and mentored by Güher and Süher Pekinel and is part of this family since then.
Playing as a soloist as well as conducting the Ankara Youth Symphony Orchestra in the opening concert of the 33rd International Ankara Music Festival in April 2016 won him great recognition amongst musical authorities.
Tolga Atalay Ün has played numerous concerts in many different countries such as Turkey, United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, Greece and Romania. Ün participated in masterclasses given by renowned pianists and harpsichordists such as Ton Koopman, Janina Fialkowska, Rolf Plagge, Idil Biret, Özgür Aydın, Gülsin Onay, Ian Jones, Gordon Fergus-Thompson, Andrew Zolinsky, Anton Voigt, Jia Xie, Rostislav Yovchev, David Wilde, Pawel Kaminski, Dmitar Tsanev, Jozsef Balog, Alessandro Tenaglia, Manolis Papasifakis and Krassimir Taskov. He also took conducting lessons from Turkish Conductors Orhun Orhon, Ibrahim Yazıcı and Burak Tüzün. As a result, Ün conducted numerous concerts with orchestras such as Hitit Philharmonic Orchestra (a volunteer orchestra that he formed with his peers), Hacettepe Youth Symphony Orchestra and Ankara Youth Symphony Orchestra.
In 2004, he was accepted as a member of the Polyphonic Children’s Choir of the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, conducted by Ahter Destan. Between the years of 2004-2009, he played in many concerts, tours and organisations as a choir member and accompanist. In 2007, he was offered to start his professional piano studies with Sibel Özgün at the Hacettepe University Ankara State Conservatory, where he graduated with the “Top of the School Award” in 2014. During his seven-year conservatory education; he gave many concerts, premiered many pieces and made many radio recordings as a pianist, conductor, chamber musician and accompanist.
He took lessons on Modern Music History and Contemporary Music Techniques from Turkish composer Ilhan Baran between 2009-2013. In November 2015, he won the ‘Second Prize’ at the Broadwood Horniman Harpsichord Competition. In 2017 he won the first prize at the “Kendall Taylor Beethoven Competition”. In 2018 he received the “Beethoven Medal” in St. Martin-in-the-Fields. He taught as a lecturer at the Ankara Music and Fine Arts University for a term, starting in September 2021. He now continues his professional musical career as a pianist, historical keyboard player and conductor.