This week’s guest on the program “With Eylül Aşkın”, hosted by Eylül Aşkın, is the renowned pianist Gülsin Onay — who began her musical journey with the title of “Wonder Child”, graduated from the Paris Conservatory’s Piano Department at the age of 16 with first prize, is internationally recognized as an exceptional interpreter of Chopin, acknowledged as the foremost interpreter of Ahmed Adnan Saygun’s works worldwide, holds the title of State Artist of the Republic of Turkey, serves as a soloist with the Presidential Symphony Orchestra, a resident artist at Bilkent University, and UNICEF Turkey Goodwill Ambassador.

One of the Greatest Supporters of the Barış Children’s Orchestra and Development Association

Since its founding, Gülsin Onay has been both a financial and moral supporter of the Barış Children’s Orchestra and Development Association. Speaking about the development of the children being nurtured under the association, she said:

“The children playing there, their progress — not only musically, which is already very important — but the strides they’ve made in life have always amazed me and made me so happy. Every time I see them, I get deeply emotional — to see how far they’ve come. We also work together, we experience the excitement of performing together on stage, we play Mozart and other works. But once they gain access to those opportunities, they make incredible progress.
Being able to make music together, to speak the same language, and to create a polyphonic work as one — it’s so important, so beautiful. It’s a great service, a huge effort, and I thank every one of them. It’s something extraordinary, and I wish it a long life. Because sometimes even the most wonderful initiatives cannot continue without support. I believe that the support given so far has brought great results, and that’s why it’s still going strong.”

“Music Can Change Everything.”

As a musician who emphasizes the unifying power of music, Gülsin Onay expressed her belief in music’s role in cultural diplomacy, saying:
“There can be great debates, but in that moment, a piece of music can change everything.” She explained that music’s power lies in its ability to bring together even people who think differently and help them find common ground.

“Our music has a distinct color that comes from Anatolia.”

Having trained as a student of the renowned pianist Ahmed Adnan Saygun — one of the foremost figures who fused Anatolian musical tones with classical music — and having achieved international acclaim while continuing to perform today, Gülsin Onay responded to a question about cultural heritage by saying:
“Our music has a distinctive color, rhythm, and strength that originates from its Anatolian roots. The ones who expressed this most strongly in classical music through their compositions are Ahmed Adnan Saygun and Ulvi Cemal Erkin. I believe that when people abroad listen to their music, they better understand our cultural heritage. That’s why I try to perform their works as much as possible.”

With these remarks, she underlined that performing classical music should not be limited to Western compositions. She added:
“I’ve performed Adnan Saygun’s piano concerto abroad with 18 different orchestras — many times — and countless times with all the orchestras in Turkey. For many of these orchestras, it was their first time performing that music. And they played it with such passion and depth, as if it were a Tchaikovsky or Rachmaninoff piece they’ve always loved — they truly felt it.”
Through this, she also highlighted the universality of music.

The First to Give a Live Concert on Social Media During the Pandemic

Actively engaged on social media as a necessity of the modern age, Gülsin Onay stated that she was the first person in Turkey to give a live concert on social media during the pandemic. She shared that she placed her phone on an ironing board and streamed a concert that reached nearly one million viewers. Due to high demand, she even took requests during the performance, at one point asking, “Shall I play Chopin or Beethoven?”
Emphasizing the importance of digital platforms and social media, she said: “I saw how many people you can reach. It’s something very important in our time.”

UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador

Speaking about her efforts in support of UNICEF, Gülsin Onay said:
“We must provide every kind of support we can to children — and I’m able to do this through music. Most recently, I gave a concert in England with UNICEF for the benefit of the earthquake victims.”
(This refers to the February 6, 2023 earthquake in Hatay, Turkey.)

Praise from a Renowned Pianist to the Young Generation

Addressing the current state of classical music and the needs within the field, Gülsin Onay particularly praised the younger generation, saying:
“Lately, we’ve been swept up in a storm of success from the younger generation. News of awards, concerts, accomplishments in every area of music — violin, piano, composition, conducting… There are so many doing incredible things. But the number of things that need to be done is growing just as fast. We need to find them working spaces, create opportunities for them to showcase their talents, and increase those opportunities.”