AYŞEGÜL SARICA – Biography
Ayşegül Sarıca, born 1935 in İstanbul, learned to play the piano when she was 5 under the guidance of her German mentor, Gertrud Isaac. She became one of the leading students of the renown Turkish pianist from Austria, Prof. Ferdi Statzer in 1945. Sarıca gave her first solo concert at the age of nine at İstanbul, Kadıköy Municipality’s Center for Urban Advancement.
Following her graduation in Istanbul in 1951, Sarıca moved to Paris where she studied Piano with Lucette Descaves and Chamber Music with Pierre Pasquier. She successively graduated as valedictorian in 1953 from the Paris National Conservatory Piano Institute and from the same Conservatory’s Chamber Music Institute in 1954, again as valedictorian.
She briskly advanced on her studies with Marguerite Long while pursuing her training at the Marguerite Long Music Academy in 1954. The following year, in 1955, she received the Jury’s Leading Prize at the Munich International Piano Competition. Her next success followed in 1959 at the Marguerite Long - Jacques Thibaud International Competition, where she won the title of “Prix de la Ville de Paris” - the Paris City Award.
She became a member of the Turkish Presidential Symphony Orchestra’s soloist cadre in 1968 and was bestowed the honorary “State Artist” title in 1971. She was further awarded the “Gold Beethoven Medal” by the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Turkish-German Cultural Center in 1970 in recognition of her outstanding performance of Beethoven compositions. She was equally decorated with the “Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et Lettres” by the French Cultural Ministry in 1974.
Ayşegül Sarıca gave numerous concerts in Europe, Scandinavian countries, Russia, the Far East, Australia and in the Middle East. Her performances were recorded in many CD’s as well as having had various visual and auditory performances recorded on digital platforms.
The artist has played alongside such recognized conductors as Karel Ancerl, Pierre Dervaux, Anatole Fistoulari, Louis Fourestier, Gotthold Lessing, Tadeusz Strugala, Niyazi Tagizade, in addition to such virtuosos as Christian Ferras, Andre Navarra, Heinrich Schiff, and Alexander Rudin in countless concerts and recitals within and outside the country. Sarıca also became a faculty member of Bilkent University’s Department of Music and Performing Arts, training students in Master’s and Art Competency between 1991-2000. She also taught piano classes at Master’s and Doctoral Degree levels at Istanbul Technical University’s Dr. Erol Üçer Center for Advanced Studies in Music (MİAM). Meanwhile, she has regularly been a jury member in countless International piano competitions over the years.
She was presented the Music Award of Honor by the Istanbul Culture and the Arts Foundation in 2006, the “Honor Award” during the 10th Year Celebration of the D-Marin Turgut Reis’ International Classical Music Festival in 2014, the Donizetti Classical Music Awards’ “Lifetime Achievement Award” by the Donizetti Andante Magazine in 2016, and the “Foundation Gold Medal of Honor” by the Sevda-Cenap and Music Foundation in 2018.
A biography of the artist entitled “Playing the Piano is living a life of a Beauty” ---Ayşegül Sarıca, written by Serhan Yediğ, was published by the Sevda Cenap and Music Foundation.
The Artist passed away in 2023.
