Süher Pekinel

Süher Pekinel studied at Lycée Notre Dame de Sion Istanbul, Conservatoire de Paris and Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts. Training under Ferdi Statzer and Mithat Fenmen is recorded. The recorded working language is Turkish, German and English. Distinctions recorded are State Artist and Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.

• Illustration — The Pekinels They appeared in public first at the age of six, and by nine years old they had made their orchestral debut with the Ankara Philharmonic Orchestra. After their education in Paris with Yvonne Loriod and attending the Frankfurter Musikhochschule, the twins were invited by Rudolf Serkin to continue their studies with him at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. The sisters completed their musical training at the Juilliard School New York in 1978, having also studied with Claudio Arrau, Leon Fleisher and Adele Marcus. At the age of 18, the Pekinels shared the first prize at the German National Piano Competition as soloists, followed by several first prizes in national and international competitions in Germany, Italy, France and USA as a duo and also as soloists, including the first prize in representing Germany at the UNESCO World Piano Competition as duo in 1978. Following their musical training, Güher and Süher Pekinel were first discovered by Herbert von Karajan in 1984 and engaged to appear at the Salzburg Festival, to which they returned frequently in subsequent years. They have since embarked on a worldwide career and played with leading orchestras, including the Berlin, Vienna, New York, Israel and London Philharmonic, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Leipziger Gewandhaus, Tokyo Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic and many others. Extended recital and orchestra tours took Güher and Süher Pekinel to the major music centers and most important festivals of Europe, the United States, Asia and Japan.

• Illustration — The Pekinels Güher and Süher Pekinel have also pioneered three significant music education projects. Their first project aims to further professional music education in Turkey to meet international standards. Entitled “Young Musicians on World Stages”, the project, sponsored by Turkish firm Koç / Tüpraş, supports twelve young musicians by granting them qualitatively instruments and scholarships to study with distinguished musicians and pedagogues in Europe and to participate in international music competitions. Within five years, the scholars have been awarded seven first prizes and four second prizes at international competitions. Pekinel's received the best social responsibility award for their “Young Musicians on World Stages” project in 2011. Their second project was launched in 2007 by founding the G&S Pekinel Music Department in the private boarding school TEVITÖL for gifted children from throughout Turkey. This scheme has achieved integration for the first time in Turkey into the standard musical curriculum and is now accepted as credit at notable universities. The third project initiated by Pekinels’ concentrates on their vision to establish the globally implemented Orff Schulwerk Method at kindergartens and primary schools in Turkey to raise the creativity, self-confidence, and analytical skills of children. Since September 2010, the Ministry of National Education has been working within the framework of a joint protocol to ensure that this important project succeeds.