About Çağatay Akyol
«Each note flowing through the strings is a journey touching the unseen emotions of life. Life whispers through the harp, weaving unseen emotions into sound.
He was born in Balikesir, in 1969. He began studying the harp at the age of 10 with Ass. Prof. Kaysu Dogansoy at Ankara State Conservatory in 1980. He graduated from the conservatory in 1988 and started working at the Presidential Symphony Orchestra (PSO) as solo harpist at the age of 19.
Apart from his career as the resident solo harpist of the PSO, he performed in various concerts and orchestras between 1989-1995. He was the first young Turkish musician to be accepted in these orchestras and following him, other young Turkish musicians were also accepted.
- 1989 Mediterranean Youth Orchestra as solo harpist
- 1990 Duo concert with Ursula Holliger at Festival Pontino di Musica
- 1991 Won the Scholarship of German Academics (D.A.A.D.) and worked with Mariana Schmidt Kriceberg and Regina Herving at the Berlin Music Academy and graduated with high degree diploma in1993.
- 1992 Jeunes Musicales Weltorchester as solo harpist in 1992
- 1992-1995 Gustav Mahler Jugend Orchester as solo harpist
Projects
He is a dedicatee of works by several Turkish composers including Harp Concerto by Nejat Başeğmezler, Uzak Düş (The Distant Dream) for solo harp by Mahir Cetiz, Trio for flute, viola and harp by Hasan Tura, as well as Concerto for Harp and Ney and Anatolia Colors for flute and harp by Kemal Günüç.