Gülru Ensari is one of the most successful young Turkish pianists. Born in Istanbul, she began her musical studies at the State Conservatory of the university in her hometown at the age of 6. After graduating from the German School in Istanbul, she completed her studies with Prof. Meral Yapalı at the Istanbul Conservatory. She then received a scholarship from the German School to the Cologne University of Music and Dance, where she earned her concert diploma under Prof. Vassily Lobanov in 2012. This was followed by her master's degree with a focus on chamber music under Prof. Anthony Spiri in 2015. Her extensive commitment to chamber music has led to collaborations with musicians such as Gautier Capuçon, Ilya Gringolts, Mirijam Contzen, Sebastian Manz, and Ramón Ortega Quero. The CD "Go East!" was released in early 2017, on which she and pianist Herbert Schuch combined works by Hindemith, Brahms, Özkan Manav, and Stravinsky into a furious concept album. The two have performed together at the Cologne Philharmonic, the MiTo Festival in Milan/Turin, in Salzburg, and in Essen. Further engagements in the 2017/18 season will take them to the Hessian State Orchestra Wiesbaden and the WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne. Gülru Ensari has received numerous national and international awards, including two first prizes at the national Jugend Musiziert competitions. She is the winner of the Edirne Mimar Sinan University International Music Competition and a prizewinner of the "3rd Interfest-Bitola International Competition for Young Pianists" in Macedonia. In 2005, she received the Yamaha Prize as the most successful student at the Istanbul University State Conservatory. Gülru Ensari has performed with many of Turkey's leading orchestras, including the Istanbul Orchestra, the Adana State Orchestra, the Bursa State Philharmonic, the Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra, and the Istanbul Chamber Orchestra. She has given concerts in Turkey, the USA, Poland, Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Austria, Portugal, and Switzerland, and has appeared at international festivals such as the Istanbul Festival, the Bebersee Festival, the Antalya Piano Festival, the Samos Young Artists Festival, and the Turgutreis D-Marin Festival. In recent seasons, she has performed at venues including BOZAR in Brussels, Schloss Elmau, the Tonhalle Zurich, the Beethovenhaus Bonn, and the Sociedad Filarmonica in Bilbao.

Photo: © Felix Broede