July 12, Monday, 9.30 pm
Ahmed Adnan Saygun Arts Center
GREEK-TURKISH YOUTH ORCHESTRA
IŞIN METIN: Conductor
Tine Thing Helseth: Soloist, trompet
The State Polyphonic Chorus
Programme
F. Joseph Haydn - Trumpet
Concerto in E flat major
Allegro
Andante
Finale-Allegro
L. van Beethoven - Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 "Choral"
Allegro ma non troppo
Scherzo: Molto vivace
Adagio molto e cantabile
Presto
Işın Metin started his music training at a very early age in Istanbul with private lessons in piano. Displaying a noticeable talent for composition, he was admitted to the Bilkent University, Faculty of Music and Performing Arts in 1987. Metin studied composition and conducting with Sami Hatipoglu, Wojciech Szalinski and Bujor Hoinic. He attended various seminars and master-classes and worked with Prof. Arif Melikov during 1993-1994. Continued his studies at Bilkent, Metin achieved "High Honor" standings for his academic degrees in composition and conducting including a PhD in 2001. Amongst Isin Metin's published compositions are the "Concerto for Violin", Symphonies no.1 and No.2, Symphonic Movement "Intuitions", Symphonic Sketches, String Quartets, "Music for Choir and Strings", "Miniatures" and Piano Suites. Işın Metin conducted the Bilkent Youth Choir (2006 European Grand Prix invitee) for two years (1992-93). He regularly guest conducts state and private orchestras in his native Turkey and has a long-standing collaboration with the newly founded Eskişehir Symphony Orchestra. Metin has been working with the Bilkent Youth Symphony Orchestra since 2005 and is the founder of the Bilkent Virtuosi.
Metin also prefers to conduct in festivals and venues such as Afyon Music Festival, Bodrum D-Marin International Festival, Mersin International Festival, Phaselis Music Festival, Istanbul İş-Sanat Concert Hall alongside metropole such as Istanbul and Ankara. Some of the notable acclaim he has received from foreign critiques press during his concerts abroad mention his "fresh purity and passion".
In 2003 Işın Metin was appointed as the Artistic Director of the Bilkent Symphony Orchestra, the most prestigious permanent private ensemble in Turkey. With his initiative, the orchestra started recording for prominent record labels such as EMI, CPO, Naxos, ALPHA and IMAJ. The orchestra realized its first tour to Japan in 2005 and is currently planning to meet invitations from France, Greece and Spain as well as tours to nearly all regions of Anatolia in Turkey.
As artistic director, Metin has created partnerships with other important culture centers and organizations in Turkey and abroad and introduced guest appearances by world famous artists such as V. Ashkenazi, V. Repin, M. Maisky, F. Say etc. with the Bilkent Symphony Orchestra on tour and at the Bilkent Concert Hall. Along with DVD archive productions of all music performances at Bilkent. Special education and social benefit concerts are also incorporated in to the programming with standing long-term cooperation with non-government organizations and foundations such as UNICEF, LÖSEV and the International Istanbul Festival.
Metin has been awarded two prestigious medals for his achievements in and contributions to the artistic platform in Turkey and abroad. The "Sevda & Cenap And" Music Foundation Silver Medal and the Mersin International Music Foundation "Hanri Atat" Award.
Currently Metin is following a busy conducting schedule with guest appearances in Ankara and Germany, Portugal, Spain, USA as well as the BSO. He is working as a member of the composition and conducting department and acting dean of the Bilkent University, Faculty of Music and Performing Arts, Artistic Director of the Bilkent Symphony Orchestra
Tine Thing Helseth, trumpet
"Born in 1987, Tine belongs to a new generation of Norwegian soloists and indeed a new generation of brass soloists all together, perhaps more influenced by the idiom of string players and singers than what used to be the case. Tine's approach to music is refreshingly focused and straightforward, with an extra touch of artistic magic that reaches everyone who hears her playing. At the age of 20 Tine Thing Helseth has the best reason in the world for playing and recording these concertos: She makes wonderful music!" - Simax about her first recording
Tine Thing Helseth, born in 1987, started to play trumpet at the age of 7 and is already one of the leading trumpet soloists of her generation. Already in her short career Helseth has appeared as a soloist with, amongst others, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, Vienna Chamber Orchestra, the Zurich Chamber Orchestra, Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra, Ulster Orchestra, Philharmonie Baden-Baden, all the major Norwegian orchestras and further afield with the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra.
Helseth's debut album (Classical Trumpet Concertos with the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra) was released in November 2007 on the Norwegian Simax label and named 'Classical Recording of the Year' by the Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten. Her second album, 'My Heart is Ever Present', a collection of Tine's favourite Christmas songs and hymns released in November 2009, went to 'gold' in the Norwegian classical chart after just three weeks.
In connection with the award show of the Nobel Peace Prize 2007, Tine Thing Helseth was given the honourable task to open the great galla concert in Oslo. The concert was transmitted on TV to viewers all over the world.
Appearances for Ms. Helseth at European festivals have included the Schleswig-Holstein, Festival Mecklenbrug-Vorpommern, Rheingau Music Festival, Bergen International and Kissinger Summer Festival where, in 2007, she was awarded the Luitpold Prize as the most outstanding and interesting young artist of the year.
Amongst the long list of awards garnered by Ms. Helseth, she has received the 2009 Borletti-Buitoni Trust Fellowship, 'Newcomer of the Year' at the 2007 Norwegian Grammy Awards (and the first classical artist ever to be nominated), second prize in the 2006 Eurovision Young Musicians Competition and the prestigious Prince
Eugen’s Culture Prize in Stockholm.
Highlights at the end of 2009 included her U.S. recital debut in Washington. D.C and a return to the Ulster Orchestra. Future engagements during the 2009/2010 season include the Norrköpings Symphony Orchestra and Camerata Bern. 2010/2011 season will among others bring her France debut with Orchestre de Lille and her Carnegie Hall recital debut.
Greek Turkish Youth Orchestra
Greek Turkish Youth Orchestra was founded upon the suggestion of Mrs. Athena Kritikou, the wife of Greek Ambassador Yorgo Yennimata in Ankara, by the joint initiatives of Greek art-lover Leni Koniadilis and the Acting Dean of Bilkent University Music and Performing Arts Faculty Işın Metin.
During his visit to Ankara for conducting the Bilkent Symphony Orchestra on May 19th 2007, Vladimir Ashkenazy was offered by Koniadilis and Metin the direction and honorary presidency of this youth orchestra project. The great artist, who has a genuine affection for both countries, gladly undertook the offered post and making room in his busy schedule, accepted to conduct the orchestra on a summer tour to both countries. On the Turkish side Bilkent University and on the Greek side a total of 14 sponsors provided the support required for the establishment of the orchestra.
Initially, Bilkent Youth Symphony Orchestra members were assigned to the orchestra to be formed from the young musicians of the two countries. As the auditions in the Greek side lead to a wider range of age, Bilkent Youth Symphony Orchestra invited its graduates. Thereby, reaching an enviable figure of 102 members in its first year, the orchestra encloses distinguished young musicians of both countries.
Musicians came together on both sides of the Aegean to re-create the works chosen by Vladimir Ashkenazy. The Turkish part of the orchestra rehearsal this programme under the baton of Işın Metin and Orhun Orhon and the Greek part under the baton of Anastasios Symeonidis and Cristopher Warren Green.
The two parts of the orchestra conjoined for the first time in Ankara at the Bilkent University Music and Performing Arts Faculty and henceforth the young musicians worked together. With the accession of Vladimir Ashkenazy, the final stage was reached and the soloists Gülsin Onay (State Artist) and Vasilis Tsabropoulos also attended at this stage.
The orchestra had made its debut with a selection from the Greek Dances by Nikkos Skalkotas in Turkey and the orchestral suite Köçekçe by Ulvi Cemal Erkin in Greece. In both countries, the soloists will perform Edward Grieg’s Op.16 Piano Concerto in A minor. The second half of the programme will feature Cesar Franck’s suite named after Psyche, the Goddess of Love and Beauty in Greek Mythology, and the 1919 arrangement of Igor Stravinsky’s suite The Firebird.
The first concert was held in Ankara at the Bilkent Concert Hall, which hosted the orchestra practices, and the second concert was in İstanbul at the Lütfi Kırdar Concert Hall. The orchestra then toured to Greece for two more concerts; one at the Hellenic Festival in Athens at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus and the other at the Patras Festival at the Ancient Odeon of Patras.
Greek Turkish Youth Orchestra had its second tour on July 2009. The orchestra had performed under the baton of Işın Metin and Anastasios Symeonidis in Athnens, Kavala and Olympos Festival in Dion. They performed L.van Beethoven’s 7th Symphony and Felix Mendelsohn’s E Minor Violin where Ilya Gringolts and Sergiu Nastasa had joined the orchestra as soloists.
The State Polyphonic Chorus
The State Polyphonic Chorus, founded in 1988 under the body of the Fine Arts Directorate of Ministry of Culture and Tourism, is the largest with it's 69 members- professional "a capella" group of Turkey.
Short after its foundation, the chorus performed its first concert in May 13th, 1989, conducted by İnci Özdil and the art director Hikmet Şimşek. The premiere of "Gözlerimin Bahçeside" composed by Sıdıka Özdil, attracted the audiences' attention to the choir, during the opening ceremony of TRT TV-3. Since then, performing in about 500 musical activities up today, the choir has become one of the most distinguished musical institutions.
Initially working with Bujor Hoinic for a short period, the chorus worked with İnci Özdil, and then with Walter Strauss, who has an important role in the development process of the chorus, between 1989 and 1993. Caner Ruhselman was the assistant conductor of that period (1989-1990). Conducted by Ahter Destan in years 1993-1998, the chorus has been performing under the direction of İbrahim Yazıcı since 1998.
The chorus was instructed by Müfide Özgüç and Mustafa Yurdakul on singing until 1992, when İlhan Sürmen took over this duty. Filiz Balkız accompanies the chorus as pianist since 1992.
Along with the a capella concerts, our chorus performed works in the forms of cantata, oratorio, requiem accompanied by all the Turkish State Symphony Orchestras. Most of these performances were the Turkish premieres, and some were the world premiere of these pieces. The chorus has also appeared in the ancient sites and ancient theaters as Aspendos, Ephesus, Side and Pergamon.
The chorus set a precedent in Turkey, appearing in the opening concerts of International İstanbul, Ankara, Eskişehir, Bursa Music Festivals and Aspendos Opera and Ballet Festival during the 2003-2004 concert season.
The State Polyphonic Chorus reaches 10000 students in a season by means of the educational concerts named the Historical Adventure of the Art of Music.
In December 2003, the chorus performed a series of a capella concerts in 8 cities in Korea. Their Seoul concert was also broadcasted to the country by a national television channel. The choir sang "the 2nd Symphonie of Mahler" and "John Harbison's Abraham" with Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, London and Krakow Philharmonic Choruses during the concert for the “Meeting of Three Religions” held in presence of Papa Jean Paul II in Vatican in January 2004. In 2006,The Chorus invited to Germany for "Happy New Year Tour" by the famous conductor Justus Frantz and performed 2nd Symphonie of Mahler with Nations Philharmonic Orchestra in Berlin and Coburg. The Chorus is invited to Germany again and they performed Beethoven's 9th Symphonie and Op.80 Coral Fantasie at 4 concerts in January 2007.
The chorus performed the CD recordings of "Mozart’s Requiem", "Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana", "Fazıl Say’s Nazım and Metin Altıok Oratories", "Kamran Ince's Galatasaray Symphonie". The soundtracks of the movies "Kurtuluş" and "Cumhuriyet" was also recorded by our chorus. The Chorus gave some concerts in the campaign of "Stop Violence Against Women!" and recorded a CD in memory of the campaign named "Women and Folk Songs" . The chorus has included nearly 800 a capella pieces into its repertoire since its foundation.
Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra, E flat major
Allegro
Andante
Allegro
This famous concerto which is one of Haydn’s maturity age creations has been written in the year 1796 and has been published upon the manuscript found in the twentieth century. It is the composer’s last concerto and the last of the partitions he wrote for orchestra. The concerto has been written for one of the Viennese court trumpeters Anton Weidinger who is the inventor of a ‘’keyed’’ trumpet that can play all degrees of the chromatic scale over a range of two octaves and was performed by this master musician in Vienna on the day of March 28, 1800. Upon the success the soloist showed, other composers also displayed works for this instrument in a short time; one of the most famous of these is Hummel’s concerto in the same tone carrying the date 1803.
In the staff of the orchestra who undertakes the accompaniment of the concerto, two flutes, two oboes, two bassoons, two French horns, two trumpets and tympani take place together with the stringed instruments. The first part, as in the last symphony of Haydn (104/London), contains an extremely substantial thematic study. The rhytmic and at the same time melodic properties of trumpet are profoundly processed in this part. The theme of Andante in A flat tone in extremely romantic character resembles the theme Haydn wrote one year after for C major String Quartet that will later be used as the Austrian { and still later as German} national anthem. And the finale part, as in many of Haydn’s last creations, exhibit the main features of classical sonata and rondo forms in a very bright way.
Symphony No. 9 D-minor Op. 125. "Choral"
Allegro ma non troppo
Molto vivace
Adagio molto e cantabile
Presto
This symphony is considered the ‘’ zenith’’ in Beethoven’s art. The entire ideal of the composer shines in this symphony. Beethoven does not see remaining in the customary limits of the orchestra sufficient to explain his ideas, he calls for human voice to help. And the thought he wants to tell is the most supreme, most noble of thoughts. To call out to joy, joy that is the flame of gods; to unite humans in this joy in an atmosphere of brotherhood!
Beethoven, in his job of giving joy , the sense of brotherhood by human voice, has used the great German poet Friedrich Schiller's (1759-1805) poem titled ‘’Ode to Joy’’(An die Freunde) as a supporter. The desire of composing this poem for chorus and solo is in Beethoven’s soul since his days of youth.
Beethoven was not happy in any stage of his life. And in his last period, the pecuniary troubles coming one after another, family problems are in complete contrast to his life full of glory ten years ago. Moreover, his deafness has made him a totally introverted person. Now, the composer pursues joy in nature. In the summer of 1823, while he was wandering in a forest near Baden, for the first time, he contemplates to write a great symphony, totally different from the ones he wrote until that day. Moreover, he was going to compose the work for the Philharmonic Society of London just to spite the ‘’intolerant’’ Viennese and have it played there. In 1824 winter he plans to end the work with Schiller’s poem; thus the symphony has taken in its final shape in Beethoven’s mind.
The Ninth Symphony is in four movements. The first movement gives the sense of an expectancy, an intuition with its slowly emerging, developing themes, echoing sonority approaching like a mysterious call. The broken, hesitating bits of theme in the introduction then reach a great, rapturous crescendo and constitute the main theme of the first movement of the symphony. This theme, after a long development section, is repeated in the orchestra as a fluent D-minor passage. Coda is in a length in conformity with the ending of this long-winded movement and starts just at the desired, expected time.
The second movement is a scherzo. Beethoven is for the first time, changing the accustomed order of the classical symphony and using minuetto or scherzo as the second movement. Scherzo carries the basic features of the kind known under this name; it is scherzo with its repetitions, trio, da capos, in respect of form, with its external appearance but Beethoven is adding a new atmosphere, a new sound to this traditional form. In the trio with two beats, the atmosphere of peasant dances is sensed. This part has been defined as ‘’the miracle of monotony’’. Indeed, within the atmosphere of the part loaded with repetitions, there is an amazing modulation, color, counterpoint variety. Again in Wagner’s words’’ a simple theme frequently heard in the midst of the part is like seeking to express a very simple joy; this state is the manifestation of a pure and humble joy.’’
The third, heavy movement is founded on two themes. The themes are the opposites of each other. The first theme is in 4/4 time in B flat major tone, it is played in adagio tempo. After the quite placid, serene air of adagio, the movement gains fluency with development of the second theme. Beethoven has marked the second theme with ‘’espressivo/emotional’’ nuance. This theme is repeated alternately with the other; during this repetition, the first theme remains as it is, but the second one confronts us with modifications. For this movement of the symphony Wagner says these: ‘’The sounds we will hear here call out to our soul in a completely different way! These sounds have softened the obstinacy, the wild desires dared by a soul afraid of despair in a manifestation such pure and poetic, transformed it to such a sentimental sensation! This state is exactly similar to the awakening of a memory in our heart, nay, the memory of a decent bliss experienced once upon a time’’.. The great innovation of the symphony in respect of its age is the finale movement. After a brief, stormy introduction, double basses play some kind of recitative. This is the statement we will hear later from baritone solo with Schiller’s lines. Beethoven, in the meanwhile reminds the main themes of all the past movements successively. The statement of double bass is filling the gaps of these theme reminers. And then, the relaxed, lucid, noble melody of the violoncellos is heard: ‘’The theme of Delight’’[joy]. After that, this call of the baritone solo is heard:’’Oh friends, not these tones, rather let us raise our voices in more pleasing and more joyful sounds !’’, And then, the Song Of Joy is presented from the chorus and the soloists [baritone, alto, soprano and tenor] with Schiller’s lines of verse.
Tenor solo has been composed in ‘’ alla turca’’ style which is one of the fashions of the time valued and respected by everbody. Its Orchestration is inspired by the music of the janissary band. When the tenor calls out saying ‘’Run, brothers, your Path!, the chorus obeys this call in unison and all humans who have become brothers run to victory all together.