Fazil Say, born 1970 in Ankara, first studied piano and composition at the National Conservatory there, later in Düsseldorf with David Levine at the Robert Schumann University. In 1994 he won the Young Concert Artists International Auditions and began a fast-paced career, which brought him together with the most important conductors and greatest orchestras (such as the New York Philharmonic) and most outstanding chamber music partners (such as Yuri Bashmet). Fazil Say regularly appears as guest musician at the most important festivals (such as the Salzlburg Festspielen, Verbier Festival and Piano Festival Ruhr. He is also exceptionally successful as jazz musician and composer.
Say's discography ranges from Mozart, Strawinsky and Tschaikowsky to jazz and improvisation. In 2010 Fazil Say was guest Artist-in-Residence at the Elb Philharmonic Hanover with its one-week-long Say Festival. Prior to that he was Artist-in-Residence at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris. A further residence occurred in 2010 in Meran at the festival there. A further great residence in the Concert House Berlin features 12 concerts with Fazil Say in the 2010/11 season. Fazil Say often plays on Bechstein and performed in 2003 at the company's Jubilee Concert in the Berlin Philharmonic.
Photos: © Erika Mayer, C. Bechstein
