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Hailed as Young Musician of the Year by Donizetti Classical Music Awards and the winner of various international harp competitions, Merve Kocabeyler, is one of today’s leading artists.

Born in Istanbul, Merve began studying harp at the age of 11 at the Istanbul University State Conservatory. She then worked with Prof. Helga Storck and Prof. Stephen Fitzpatrick (Principal Harpist of the Staatskapelle Berlin) during her Bachelor’s Degree studies at the Mozarteum University of Salzburg where she earned a full scholarship. In 2012, commenced her studies with Prof. Erika Waardenburg at the Amsterdam Conservatory and received her Master’s Degree. She returned to the Mozarteum and completed her Postgraduate Degree. She held scholarships from the Modern Education Foundation (Çev Sanat), Yehudi Menuhin Live Music Now Foundation and Eczacıbaşı Foundation.

During her studies in Europe she won awards in various international competitions, including the first prize in “2010 International Harp Competition of Szeged” in Hungary, the first prize in “2011 Petar Konjovic International Harp Competition” in Serbia, the first prize in “2012 Citta di Cagliari International Harp Competition” in Italy and the first prize in the “2015 Monaco World Harp Festival Competition”. After receiving an award at the “Franz Josef Reinl International Harp Competition” in Vienna, she performed as a soloist with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra in Canada upon the invitation of the World Harp Congress.

Focused on baroque repertoire with lute player Hans Brüderl in Salzburg, Merve has been granted scholarships and participated in masterclasses with distinguished harpists such as Isabelle Moretti, Marisa Robles, Elisabeth Fontan-Binoche, Elinor Bennett, Fabrice Pierre, Susann McDonald, Alice Giles, Isabelle Perrin, Skaila Kanga and Marie-Pierre Langlamet at international music academies.

Following her solo debut at the age of 17, playing Mozart’s Concerto for Flute and Harp, she performed with Antalya State Symphony Orchestra, Bursa State Symphony Orchestra, Mersin Academic Orchestra, Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra and Cukurova State Symphony Orchestra as a soloist. She has been featured as a soloist in the concert series accompanied by the Salzburger Mozart Consort and Mozart Kammerorchester. She worked as the principal harpist of Symphony Orchestra Academy of the Pacific of Canada, Santa Catarina Music Festival Orchestra of Brazil, Salzburg Oper im Berg Orchestra, International Symphony Orchestra of Lviv, Fazıl Say Festival Orchestra and has regularly been invited to play with Salzburg Philharmonic Orchestra.

She performed in Europe, Asia and Americas. In 2011, Merve Kocabeyler was chosen to perform at the World Harp Congress in Vancouver and later performed as a “Young Star” at the Belgrade International Harp Festival. She gave masterclasses and recitals in prestigious festivals such as Dutch Harp Festival, Istanbul International Music Festival, Tsinandali Festival, Glowing Harp Festival and Grachten Festival.

In 2015 she joined Teatro alla Scala Orchestra Academy in Milano where she worked amongst world class musicians which include Placido Domingo, Pietro Mianiti, Grace Bumbry, Lucero Tena and Gianandrea Noseda to name a few.

Merve Kocabeyler values her involvement in education and orchestral participations as much as her career in solo performances. She is the founder and the director of the educational program called “Artistic Rediscovery Program.” Merve Kocabeyler also regularly conducts masterclasses abroad. Following her masterclass in Ukraine, she was invited to serve as a jury member for the International Glowing Harp Competition and Music & Stars Awards. She is a member of esteemed institutions such as Recording Academmy Grammy Awards and and American Harp Society.

Merve Kocabeyler performs on a Lyon & Healy Style 23 in Bronze harp which is a gift of Aydın Doğan Foundation and Fazıl Say.