Introducing the notes of world-famous classical music and jazz artists for 16 years to brighten the nights of Gümüşlük, Muğla, the International Gümüşlük Classical Music Festival will open its doors to art lovers on July 12. This year, the artists who have achieved virtuosity with their instruments will perform at the splendid venues of the festival.

The 16th International Gümüşlük Classical Music Festival, which will run until Sept. 6, will be hosting musicians from the Netherlands, Taiwan, Germany, Italy, Israel, Ireland and Spain along with Turkish artists. Extending its borders beyond Gümüşlük each year, the festival will open its doors in Aktur-Zefirya Culture and Art Center. The festival will open with the performance of state pianist Gülsin Onay, who is a favorite of classical music lovers and the art consultant of the festival. The performances will take place at the 2,500 year old stone quarry, the festival center on the coast of Gümüşlük, and at Dibeklihan Culture and Art Village.

Speaking about her thoughts on the festival, Onay said the power provided by everyone's contributions to the art life in the country feeds hopes for our future and young people. "For me, the enthusiasm of the Gümüşlük festival is something else among the 2,500 concerts I gave on five continents in 80 countries. The master class period I spend with my students is an inspiring, exciting time for me. The festival becomes richer each year with surprises and new sections and will again welcome world-renowned virtuosos this year. We will host important artists from the Netherlands to Israel and from Taiwan to Norway for 17 concerts to take place in four venues. With master classes in five branches, lucky students will have the opportunity to work with these artists," said Onay.

Open with wind of Zephyros

The first of the concerts planned in cooperation with the new art and cultural center of Bitez, Zefirya will also be the opening concert of the festival. Named after the Greek god Zephyros, identified with the etesian wind, blowing cool from the west in the summer, the first guest of the festival will be Gülsin Onay. Deemed as one of the grand Frederic Chopin performers of the world, Onay will present the works of the composer. The opening event will be sponsored by Liba Laboratories. The second concert at Zefirya Culture and Art Center, will be the performance of the Dutch cellist Jeroen Den Herder and Taiwanese pianist Hua Hsuan on July 19. The next concert at the unique venue of the center will take place on the evening of July 26. Tuncay Yılmaz and Emre Elivar will perform the works of Ludwig van Beethoven and Johannes Brahms with piano and violin. German pianist Konstanze Eickhorst will perform at the last concert in Bitez on Aug. 2.

Beach concerts galore

The festival again will host concerts at Toprak Ev and on the beach on cushions. The guests of the first concert at Toprak Ev will be Escarteen Sisters on July 17. The duo from Spain, siblings Flavia and Laia Escarteen, will perform with vocals, cello and violin. On July 21, the "Cello on Sand" concert will take place on July 21, the "Violin on Sand" will take place on July 28 and "Piano on Sand" will take place on Aug. 11. The concert at the festival center will be moved from Toprak Ev to the beach on Aug. 20. Norwegian Mathias Eick Quintet will meet jazz lovers at sunset on the Gümüşlük coast. With Mathia Eick on trumpet, Audun Erlien on bass, Andreas Ulvo on the piano, Hakon Aase on the violin and Torstein Lofthus on drums, the five-person group will bring the northern winds to Gümüşlük. The final concert at Toprak Ev is the "Contrabass on Sand" concert on Aug. 25. This concert, performed by the students of Fora Baltacıgil, will be the last concert at Toprak Ev but not at the festival center. The last concert of the festival center will again be on the beach. "Gümüşlük Jazz Camp Opening Concert," bringing together leading jazz musicians of Turkey, will host figures such as Sibel Köse, Ece Göksu, İmer Demirer, Engin Recepoğulları, Erkan Oğur, Neşet Ruacan, Eylül Biçer, Can Çankaya, Kağan Yıldız and Berke Özgümüş on Aug. 27.

Classics at ancient stone quarry

With a history going back 25 centuries, the magical atmosphere of the ancient quarry is ready to host classical music lovers. The guests of the evening of Aug. 8 will be Italian pianist Francesco Libetta, deemed as the "most talented musician of the time" by Aldo Ciccolini, and a regular guest of the festival. The venue will host an interesting concert on the evening of Aug. 16: "Festival Gathering on Stone" by Bodrum Chamber Orchestra led by an Israeli conductor will welcome three pianists, Gülsin Onay, Tolga Atalay Ün and Deniz Akalın, as soloists. The third concert at the Stone Quarry will welcome the Irish Fidelio Trio. With Darragh Morgan on the violin, Adi Tal on cello and Mary Duella on piano, the Fidelio Trio will be on stage with a repertoire of works by Maurice Ravel, Franz Schubert and Irish contemporary composer Donnacha Dennehy.

Dİbeklİhan, the last stop

Dibeklihan Culture and Art Village, one of the venues of the International Gümüşlük Classical Music Festival, will host pianist Eser Öktem on Aug. 1. The second concert in Dibeklihan is by guitarist Begül Erhan on Aug. 18. The final concert at the art village will also be the closing event of the festival. State Artist Gülsin Onay will be at her piano again in front of her fans with an unforgettable repertoire on Sept. 6.

Master classes at the academy

As part of the International Gümüşlük Classical Music Festival, organized by Bodrum Classical Music Association, with pianist Eren Levendoğlu as the art director and pianist Gülsin Onay as the art consultant, the Gümüşlük Festival Academy (GFA) has been organized for the past 14 years will again have an intense training period. The school hosting young musicians from all over the world, giving them hope and improving their experiences, has handed out 1,300 certificates to talented young musicians. At the academy, master classes were given for piano, violin, viola, cello, flute, oboe, harp, orchestra conducting, singing, composition and guitar, and 10 students had the opportunity to study full-time abroad.

The first master class will be held on the cello this year at the festival's academy. Jeroen den Herden will give master classes from July 15 to 21. The next master classes will be on the violin, given by Ildiko Moog and Erkin Onay from July 23 to 28. Francesco Libetta, Konstanze Eickhorst and Gülsin Onay will be giving a piano master classes from July 30 to Aug. 11. Then, very rare conducting master classes will take place from Aug. 13 to 18. The trainer of this class will be Lior Shambadal. The last master classes of 2019 will be the counter bass master classes given by Fora Baltacıgil from Aug. 20 to 25. Around 100 young talents will participate in the five categories of master classes to be held at the GFA this year.