Young Musicians on World Stages
2018 GERMAN CULTURE AWARDS RECOGNITION
The Young Musicians on World Stages (YMWS) project—founded by Güher and Süher Pekinel, carried forward under their mentorship, and sponsored by TÜPRAŞ—was selected as a finalist among 250 candidates at the German Culture Awards, organized by Kulturkreis der deutschen Wirtschaft im BDI e.V.
While the awards for that year were ultimately presented in the Drama and Literature categories, The recognition of YMWS as a finalist represents a significant international achievement. Congratulations to our extraordinary, talented Musicians for the World-Wide Recognition.
“2021 BEST SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AWARD TURKEY”
2021 One of their 3 education systems, DSGM “Young Musicians on World Stages”, was awarded with the “Best Social Responsibility Project Award” in Turkey”
“PEKINEL INTERNATIONAL MASTERCLASS 2025”
Organised to support the sustainability of the arts, the Pekinel International Masterclass took place at the AKM from 6 to 12 September 2025. Led by Artistic Director Prof. Dr. Markus Becker, the six-day programme focused on improvisation in classical music, offering participants opportunities for creative development in solo, duo, trio and piano duo categories.
The Pekinels emphasised that the programme is not merely an educational initiative, but also a space for creative sharing and discovery; the event aims to expand the boundaries of classical music. Whilst young musicians from Turkey and abroad had the opportunity to work with international artists, audiences were able to follow the process free of charge. Participants will be able to take a more confident step into the international music world with the experience they have gained.
Young Musicians on World Stages Scholars
With astonishing and internationally recognized outcome, the foundation „Young Musicians on World Stages“ is reaching out to extraordinary young talents and provide them the opportunity to develop and deepen their unique artistic identities, so that they can compete at world standards and make an international career.
Besides their training as soloists, the goal is to make it possible for them to work with the best musicians all over the world at the best educational institutions, as well as providing them the highest quality instruments from 17th and 18th Century and helping them to build up international careers, since 15 years.
In addition to financial support, the musicians are guided and supported for their academic choices and musical collaborations.
As a result, due to their high performance and interpretations at the most prestigious competitions, the musicians have won
20 First Prizes Some of them are – Veriko Tchumburidze, “Tchaikovsy Violin Competition “ in Geneva first prize in 2016,
“15. International Wieniawski Violin Competition” first prize as the youngest competitor in 2017. – Can Çakmur first prize in “Scottish International Piano Competition”, and in 2017 – first prize in “10. Hamamatsu International Piano Competition” , in Japan 2018. – In 2010 Dorukhan Doruk won 1st Prize at the “Liezen International Cello Competition” in Austria and in 2015 he won 2nd Prize and 2nd Special Awards at the “X. Witold Lutoslawski International Cello Competition” in Poland. – Trio Arte (Veriko Tchumburidze, Dorukhan Doruk and Yunus Tuncalı) first prize in Italy “International Pietro Argento Music Competition”, 2018 – Tolga Atalay Ün first prize in “Kendall Taylor Beethoven Piano Competition”, in 2015. – Alican Süner first prize in “Max Rostal International Violin Competition”, 2016. – Umut Sağlam won the first prize in Italy “Gaetano Zinetti Music Competititon” in 2018, France „Tremplin International Violoncello Competition“ in 2018. – As the youngest participant, Naz Irem Türkmen won the Grand Prize and Special Prize for “Exceptional Artists Personality” at Odessa International Violin Competition in 2018 and the first prize in the „12.International Grumiaux Violin Competition“ in Belgium in 2019. – Duru Aydın was awarded Second Prize in the 12th International Chopin Piano Competition held in Narva, Estonia, in 2018. – In 2021, Kormaz Can Sağlam won the first prize at the Vendome International Piano Competititon in New York. – Ege Banaz won the first prize of the GWK Music Prize and Marsyas International Clarinet Competition. – Yağızcan Keskin won first Prize Dobrich International Clarinet Competition in his category. – Eda Seviniş won the first Prize in Robert Schumann International Piano Competition in 2021, Düsseldorf.
In this context, we bring the extraordinary talented musicians together for special occasions and exclusive concerts together. Besides giving important concerts all around the world, the musicians are regular artists in highly regarded orchestras and institutions in Turkey. Among these are the IKSV (International Istanbul Music Festival) Opening concerts in three consequent years, the 41 st by Veriko Tchumburidze, the 42 nd by Dorukhan Doruk and the 43 rd by Can Çakmur. The 44 th IKSV Concert with world famous Gérard Caussé and Trio Arte (Veriko Tchumburidze, Dorukhan Doruk and Yunus Tuncalı) 2016-2017 Concert in Ankara with Presidential Symphony Orchestra, 18th International Mersin Music Festival Concert in 2019 , and annual Boğaziçi University Albert Long Hall are only some of the concerts.
The live shooting of their concert held in Zürich Tonhalle Kammersaal was published on the market as the second CD / DVD of YMWS by“Lila Plak” company. The live concert, which resonated greatly, have been broadcast several times by the Zürich SRF 1 and 2 Radio Programs.
After Can Çakmur’ s first prize at the 10th Hamamatsu International Piano Competition, his debut album from the Swedish record label BIS Records received full marks from the critics and won ICMA 2020/2021 (International Classical Music Awards) award for the best solo albüm, and he continued to release new records. His second album is already recorded. In June, his concert in Scotland was broadcasted live by the BBC. Within the scope of the Japan Tour, he performed the closing concert of the “Muza Kawasaki” Festival with the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra.
On February 20, in Mersin-born violinist Veriko Tchumburidze held with the participation of 13,000 people in the world-famous MSO Bowl with Melbourne Symphony Orchestra a concert, in which she was introduced as the comet of the future.. In addition to the concerts she gave with important Orchestras and musicians, with the invitation of Leif Ove Ansdness, she shared the stage with the most outstanding musicians at Rosendal Chamber Music Festival for 4 nights in a row. Finally, she held the opening concert with the Capetown Philharmonic Orchestra in South Africa.
Tolga Atalay Ün, who was presented a Beethoven Medal in 2018 , received an additional academic Christopher Hogwood Scholarship as C. Beckstein scholar due to his outstanding achievement at RCM (Royal College of Music)London , is pursuing his master’s degree. He continues giving concerts in the most prestigious concert halls among Wigmore Hall. Lately , he met British music lovers with his concert in Cadogan Hall. In 2019, he finished has graduated with the Master’s Degree at the Royal College in London.
Umut Sağlam, who pursues his education at Barenboim-Said Academy gives concerts with numerous musical collaborations. He continued his European concerts in Vienna and Italy after the concerts he held at Pierre Pierreez Saal in June. Lately, he was entitled to join the Classe d’Excellence class with the Capuçon by the Louis Vuitton Foundation. Lately he is finishing his Master studies at the University of Music “Hanns Eisler” in Berlin.
The youngest musician of the foundation, 13-year-old Naz İrem Türkmen while continuing her education with Prof. Sonja Korkeala at Hochschule für Musik, after her first prize in “12. International Grumiaux Violin Competition, also took part in concerts in many halls in Turkey. Today, she is continuing her studies in the Salzburg Mozart Music Academy.