SALIH CAN GEVREK, pianist: 'Bach made me love music and life when I was a child'

Salih Can Gevrek will perform a piano recital in Madrid 'Music above the Park' 8th of november at 19:00 h.  He will play works composed by Haydn and Chopin. The turkish pianist Salih Can Gevrek was accepted into the prestigious Bilkent University Faculty of Music and Drama Preparatory School in Ankara at the age of 7. He continued his studies at Bilkent University with Gulnara Aziz until 2011 when he was accepted into the Royal College of Music London as a Soirée d’Or Scholar supported by a Russell Race Award. Salih is a fourth year undergraduate and currently studies with Dmitri Alexeev. He is a founding member of the piano trio, ‘Trio Incendia’, with colleagues from the Royal College of Music who won the 2012 Royal College of Music Chamber Music Competition

Could you make a review of your career until today?

 I started to play the piano at the age of 5 and ever since then I have learnt lots of different repertoire and ways of interpretation. Until I started studying in London at the Royal College of Music under Dmitri Alexeev, I played in lots of concerts including chamber works and and took part in competitions. Aziz, I had a great, intense and inspirational time with my previous teacher Gulnara Aziz. However, Dmitri Alexeev, my present teacher took me to another stage by solving any difficulties with music and artistry. I am indebted to his genius. I have played in lots of concerts in London mostly solo and chamber music and learnt different things each time I performed. Now I would like to start performing in international competitions.

What artists have been important to your development as a pianist?

There are lots and lots of great artists in the world of music as well as other types of art and I would have to count all of those great names who inspired me throughout my life. They are all incredibly unique and it's really hard to talk about only a few of them. However, I grew up listening to Bach since I was 2. My mother loves Bach and she apparently put Bach B minor Mass on the radio thirty minutes after I opened my eyes to this beautiful world. I believe Bach made me love music and life when I was a child.

How do you study? Are you research about the composers, studying the structure of the scores?

There are two types of musicians, one creates the music the other one performs it. I find the basics of performing music very similar to acting. Actors initially read the text, learn and act as if it is part of their own life. If they only 'act ', it is not going to be convincing, audience wont feel like they are inside the story. So when I learn a particular work, I try to finish the first two parts as quick as I can and focus on making the music part of me. 

As Turkish pianist, what you think about the criticism Fazil Say has done against the government?

Fazil Say is one of the greatest and most renowned musicians not only in Turkey but in the entire world, both as a pianist and also as a composer. He has achieved a most deserved international fame. My favourites among his works are his Istanbul Symphony and Violin-Piano Sonata any many others... I am a much younger artist, recognising the need and the importance of concentrating on my music. I spend most of my day and way into the night studying. The best a young artist can do is to represent his country  to the best of his ability on the international stage. In my case this is music and not politics. At a time when governments for one reason or the other refrain from promoting the arts, organizations like Music Above the Park and Talent Unlimited show how important it is to support young artists who wish to go beyond the perimeters of national restrictions and reach international status, just like Fazil Say.

What works will you play  in the concert will be offering in Madrid ( “Music above the Park”)?

I chose to start with Haydn Sonata HOB;49 which is a very humorous and lively sonata which might take away the audience from the issues of their daily lives and put a smile on their faces. Chopin 12 Etudes op.10 is  one of the greatest and most virtuosic sets of pieces ever written for piano, each Étude tells you a different story and by the end of the set you realise that Chopin takes you through a journey of 12 different short stories..