Gulsin Onaj: “St. Sophia” is a wonderful home for music

With creative ascension and top mastery on the piano, the Turkish pianist Gulsin Onay last night organized a concert for enjoyment within the 61st edition of the Ohrid Summer Festival.

The pianist with a rich career that spans all continents and in the most prestigious concert halls, left a strong impression on the audience flawlessly performing Chopin’s works.

– I am in Ohrid for the first time at the “Ohrid Summer”, but I performed twice in Skopje and played with the Philharmonic Orchestra. The atmosphere in Ohrid made the history and beauty of the church, as well as the warmth of the audience. The feeling is really amazing. The acoustics are divine in this church, it is a wonderful home for music. “I only had Chopin in the repertoire, but I changed the beginning and put Bach in because I think it’s incredibly wonderful to perform Bach right here,” said Onaj.

Gulsin Onay is a state artist in her native Turkey where she has been the official soloist of the Presidential Symphony Orchestra in Ankara for many years. Her more than 20 recorded releases speak to the breadth of her repertoire, as well as her interpretive power, which ranges from solo piano works and concerts by Haydn and Mozart to works by contemporary composers. He is a resident artist at Bilkent University in Ankara and holds an honorary doctorate from Bosphorus University in Istanbul and Hacettepe University in Ankara.

– I am glad that we are slowly returning to the concerts, to normal. So far, he has planned several concerts, as well as several recordings. I have my own festival that has been held for 18 years near Bodrum and I am happy that many top artists from all over the world are guests, added Onaj.

Chopin’s evening with top pianist Gulsin Onay in the St. Sophia Church was followed by the Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to the country, Hasan Mehmet Sekizkok, as well as the Turkish Honorary Consul in Struga, Abduraim Bajraktar.