GH

 

Biography

​

Described by music authorities as "one of the great talents of today's harp world with a deep musical intelligence", Güneş Hızlılar was born in Istanbul in 1995. She started her music education at Istanbul University State Conservatory in 2006 as a harp student of Asst. Prof. Ümit Tunak. She continued her undergraduate education at the Mozarteum University of Salzburg under the harp class of Prof. Stephen Fitzpatrick from 2015 on. She won many awards in international competitions, the main ones being first prize in Marcel Tournier International Harp Competition, first prize in Assia Cunego IHC in Bremen, third prize in Josef-Reinl IHC in Vienna, third prize in Martin Geliot IHC in Paris.

 

In 2015, after his first concert as a soloist with the Istanbul University Symphony Orchestra conducted by Ramiz Melik Aslanov, she was successful in the concerto competition organized by the Pacific Philharmonic Orchestra in Vancouver, Canada, within the scope of the Pacific Region International Music Academy, and gave concerts as a soloist with this orchestra under the baton of Arthur Arnold, playing C. Debussy's Danse Sacrée et Profane.

 

In 2018, she was selected as the "Female Star of Tomorrow" by Istanbul Culture & Art Foundation and gave a concert with the guest of honour, pianist İdil Biret at Boğaziçi University Albert Long Hall as part of the 46th Istanbul Music Festival. In the same year, she gave a solo recital as part of the Shining Stars series at İş-Sanat and won the Meriç Soylu honourable mention award. 

 

In addition to her solo and chamber music appearances, she toured Europe and South America with the Junge Deutsche Philharmonie orchestra. She played in halls such as Berlin Philharmonic, Frankfurt Alte Oper, Sala Sao Paulo. She performed the world premiere of numerous new compositions with the Austrian Modern Music Ensemble (Österreichisches Ensemble für Neue Musik). She played as guest harpist in orchestras such as Deutsche Oper Berlin, Norddeutsche Philharmonie Rostock, Anhaltisches Theater Dessau, Ensemble Mini in Berlin, and Salzburg Chamber Soloists.

 

She attended the Harp Masters Academy in Switzerland as a scholarship and actively participated in Isabelle Perrin, Irina Zinng, Karen Vaughan harp masterclasses. She studied with artists such as Isabelle Moretti, Xavier de Maistre, Jana Bouskova, Alice Giles. She studied 18th century harp music with Masumi Nagasawa, baroque harp and early music with Mara Galassi, Margret Köll and Hans Brüderl, and contemporary music with Simone Fontanelli. 

 

In 2019, she completed her bachelor's degree at the Mozarteum University of Salzburg with the highest grade and immediately afterwards she won the orchestra academy of the Staatskapelle Berlin under the baton of the general music director of Daniel Barenboim. She worked with conductors and soloists such as Zubin Mehta, Martha Argerich, Pinchas Zuckermann, Alain Altinoglu, Andres Orozco Estrada and took part in opera, symphony and chamber music concerts, as well as intensive harp lessons with her mentors and principale harpists of the orchestra,  Prof. Stephen Fitzpatrick and Alexandra Clemenz. In July 2022, after completing the academy, she received an invitation from the Niedersächsische Staatsorchester Hannover and started to work as co-principal harpist there during the 2023/2023 season.

 

Güneş, who was supported by the Rotary Club, Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts, Yehudi Menuhin Foundation and Contemporary Education Foundation Young Talents project throughout her education, is currently the co-principal harpist of the Hannover State Opera orchestra and continues her master's degree at Mozarteum University.

 

November, 2022