Concert for Cello and Piano

The Cultural Events Committee presents a concert by Cag Ercag (cello) and Zina Asfour (piano).

Cag Ercag entered the Hacettepe University State Conservatoire in 1986 and studied under Jozsef Gyorffy and Dogan Cangal, finishing the school with honors. Ercag performs with famous artists such as Fazil Say, Robert Cohen, Aleksander Rudin and Daniel Grosgurin. He was appointed solo cellist of the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra (BIPO) in 2003. He is also a member of the cello ensemble Cellistanbul and the Borusan Quartet. The quartet was named Chamber Ensemble of the Year at Andante magazine's Classical Music Awards, and in 2010 won the gold medal at the 2010 International Chamber Music Ensemble Competition (USA) from among 88 other ensembles. Ercag performs worldwide with the Borusan Quartet .

Jordanian pianist Zina Asfour studied musicology at the Sorbonne and piano at the Ecole Normale Alfred Cortot in Paris and at Trinity College of Music, London, with the head of the keyboard department, the famous pianist Philip Fowke. She has also studied with the renowned teacher Ruth Nuy (Claudio Arrau's student), Raymond Banning, Thi Anh Enguyen, Eric Vidonne and Colette Fernier. Asfour currently teaches and performs in Europe and the Middle East. Throughout her musical career, she has worked with several renowned musicians, such as Stephan Moeller, Pierrick Boisseau, Cag Ercag, the Khoury trio, Elena Laborenz, Dima Bawab and Tala Tutunji. In 2008, Asfour founded Ateek, an institution that encourages new contemporary composers and musicians from all over the world. The Ateek Ensemble is also a part of this project, introducing classical chamber music with an Oriental flavor. 

Program

Shostakovitch       Sonata for cello and piano
Dia Succari            Sonata for cello and piano
Dia Succari            Album d'Apres le Folklore for Piano and Cello
Tarek Younis         Arabesque for piano solo
Cag Ercag             Black Sea for cello solo
Saint Saens          Appassionata
Faure                    Elegy
Piazzolla               Libertango 

For more information, please contact [email protected].