Fazıl Say facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fazıl Say
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Say recording at Mozarteum in 2019
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| Born | 14 January 1970 Ankara, Turkey
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| Years active | 1984–present |
Fazıl Say (born on January 14, 1970) is a famous Turkish pianist and composer. He is known all over the world for his amazing musical talents.
Contents
About Fazıl Say's Life and Music
Fazıl Say was born in Ankara, Turkey, in 1970. His father, Ahmet Say, was a writer and studied music. His mother, Gürgün Say, was a pharmacist. Fazıl was a very special child. When he was only two years old, he could already do math with big numbers!
His family noticed his musical talent very early. When he was three, he started taking piano lessons. His first teacher was Mithat Fenmen, a well-known pianist.
Early Compositions and Unique Style
Fazıl Say wrote his first piano piece, a sonata, when he was just 14 years old in 1984. He was a student at the Ankara State Conservatory at the time. He wrote many other pieces in his early years, including music for violin and piano, and a guitar concerto.
One of his important early works is Four Dances of Nasreddin Hodja (1990). This piece shows his unique style. His music often feels like a story or a dream. He uses rhythms that change a lot, often like a dance. He also uses many melodies inspired by Turkish folk music. He is like other famous composers such as Béla Bartók who used local traditions in their music.
Fazıl Say became known internationally with his piano piece Black Earth, Op. 8 (1997). In this piece, he used special techniques for the piano, similar to what John Cage did.
Big Orchestral Works
As he grew as a composer, Say started writing for large orchestras. He found inspiration in the poems and lives of writers like Nâzım Hikmet. He composed big pieces for singers, choirs, and orchestras. His oratorio Nâzim, Op. 9 (2001), is a great example.
He often uses traditional Turkish instruments in his orchestral works. These include drums like the kudüm and darbuka, and the ney reed flute. In 2007, his 1001 Nights in the Harem violin concerto was first performed. It has been played in many concert halls around the world.
His first symphony, the Istanbul Symphony, was first performed in 2010. This work is a lively and beautiful tribute to the city of Istanbul. In the same year, he wrote his Divorce String Quartet and concertos for piano and trumpet.
In 2011, Say wrote a clarinet concerto called “Khayyam.” It is about the life and work of the Persian poet Omar Khayyam. His music is published by Schott Music.
Music Reflecting Society
Fazıl Say also uses his music to reflect on important events. For example, his three works called Gezi Park from 2013/14 were inspired by the Gezi Park protests in Turkey.
He also created the song "Insan Insan." The words for this song come from a very old poem by the Alevi poet Muhyiddin Abdal. Fazıl Say arranged the music for it, and different singers performed the vocals.
Fazıl Say is also a big fan of the Fenerbahçe Spor Kulübü sports team.
Honors and Awards
Fazıl Say has received many awards for his incredible talent:
- Winner of the Young Concert Artists International Auditions (1994)
- Paul A. Fish Foundation Awards (1995)
- Le Monde Awards (2000)
- Echo Klassik (2001)
- German Music Critics’ Best Recording of the Year Award (2001)
- Ambassador of Intercultural Dialogue (2008)
- "Echo" German Record Award (2009)
- "ECHO Klassik 2013 Special Jury Award" for his Istanbul Symphony Album
- Prix International de la Laïcité 2015 (from France)
- Beethoven Prize 2016 (from the Beethoven Academy)
- Duisburger Musikpreis (2017)
Artist and Composer in Residence
Fazıl Say has been a special artist or composer in residence at many famous music places. This means he spent time working and performing there. Some of these places include:
- Staatskapelle Weimar, 2022/23
- Alte Oper Frankfurt, 2015/2016
- Laeiszhalle Hamburg, 2014/2015
- Bodenseefestival, 2014
- Wiener Konzerthaus, 2013/2014
- Hessischer Rundfunk Frankfurt, 2012/2013
- Konzerthaus Berlin, 2010/2011
- Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival 2011
- Merano Festival, 2010
- Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, 2010
- Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Paris 2010
- Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern 2010
- Sumida Triphony Hall, Tokyo 2008
- Konzerthaus Dortmund, 2005–2010
- Musikfest Bremen 2005
- Radio France 2003 & 2005
Recordings
Fazıl Say has released many recordings of his performances and compositions. Here are some of them:
- 1993 CD / (SFB) (Scarlatti–Berg–Say)
- 1996 CD / Troppenote Records (Say)
- 1998 CD / Warner Music (Mozart Sonatas)
- 1999 CD / Teldec (Bach)
- 2000 CD / Teldec (Gershwin)
- 2000 CD / Teldec (Stravinski–Le sacre)
- 2001 CD / Teldec (Liszt–Tchaikovski)
- 2002 CD / İmaj (Nazım)
- 2003 CD / Naive (Say/Black Earth)
- 2003 CD / İmaj (Metin Altıok ağıtı)
- 2003 CD / Bilkent (Nazım)
- 2004 CD / Naive (Mozart Concertos)
- 2005 CD / Naive (Beethoven Sonatas for Piano)
- 2006 CD / Naive (Haydn Sonatas)
- 2006 CD / Avex (Live in Tokyo)
- 2007 CD / Naive (Kopatchinskaja–Say / Beethoven / Bartok / Ravel)
- 2008 CD / Naive (Kopatchinskaja–Say 1001 Nights in the Harem)
- 2011 Fazil Say: Pictures (CD / DVD)
- 2012 Istanbul Symphony & Hezarfen Ney Concerto (CD / DVD)
- 2019 CD / Warner Bros. (Fazil Say plays Say: Troy Sonata, Yürüyen Köşk, two pieces from Art of Piano)
- 2019 CD / Winter & Winter (Ferhan & Ferzan Önder play Fazil Say: Winter Morning in Istanbul, Gezi Park – Concerto for two pianos & orchestra, Sonata for two pianos)
- 2019 CD / Sony (1001 Nights in the Harem: Violin Concerto, Grand Bazaar, China Rhapsody)
- 2022 CD / Warner Classics (Goldberg Variations BWV988)
- 2023 CD / Alpha Classics (Kopatchinskaja–Say / Janácek / Brahms / Bartók)
- 2024 CD / Warner Classics / Oiseaux tristes (Couperin * Debussy * Ravel)
Images for kids
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Say recording at Mozarteum in 2019
See also
In Spanish: Fazıl Say para niños
- Bilkent University
- Bilkent Symphony Orchestra
- Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra
- Konzerthaus Dortmund
