Kamuran Gündemir (1933 - February 4, 2006) was a Turkish pianist. Born in

Ayvalık Ayvalık (), formerly also known as Kydonies (), is a municipality and Districts of Turkey, district of Balıkesir Province, Turkey. Its area is 305 km2, and its population is 75,126 (2024). It is a seaside town on the northwestern Aegean Se ...

, he was influenced by his father, a tuba player in the local municipality band. At the age of three, he learned to read musical notes and began to play the accordion. Gündemir was discovered by

Adnan Saygun Ahmet Adnan Saygun (; 7 September 1907 – 6 January 1991) was a Turkish composer, musicologist and writer on music. One of a group of composers known as the Turkish Five who pioneered western classical music in Turkey, his works show a maste ...

, who advised him to attend a conservatory. He enrolled in the

Ankara State Conservatory The Hacettepe University Ankara State Conservatory (), the first conservatory to be founded in the Republic of Turkey, was established in 1936 by a directive of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. The conservatory is part of Hacettepe University. History ...

in 1949 and graduated in 1958. During his studies, he was a piano student of Ferhunde Erkin and studied composition under Necil Kazım Akses and

Ulvi Cemal Erkin Ulvi Cemal Erkin () (March 14, 1906 – September 15, 1972) was a member of the pioneer group of symphonic composers in Turkey, born in the period 1904–1910, who later came to be called The Turkish Five. These composers set out the direction o ...

. Following his graduation, he was sent to Paris to study under Lazare Lévy at the

Paris Conservatory The Conservatoire de Paris (), or the Paris Conservatory, is a college of music and dance founded in 1795. Officially known as the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (; CNSMDP), it is situated in the avenue Jean Ja ...

. Throughout his career, Gündemir taught several notable students, including Muhiddin Dürrüoğlu-Demiriz,

Fazıl Say Fazıl Say (; born 14 January 1970) is a Turkish pianist and composer who has worked internationally. Life and career Say was born in Ankara in 1970. His father, Ahmet Say, was an author and musicologist. His mother, Gürgün Say, was a pharm ...

, Emrecan Yavuz, Emre Elivar, and his last student, Mertol Demirelli. In recognition of his contributions to music, the Sevda-Cenap And Music Foundation awarded him an honorary gold medal in 2001.Sevda-Cenap And Müzik Vakfı Onur Ödülü Altın Madalyaları, ''And Müzik Vakfı web sitesi, Erişim tarihi:17.10.2014''
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References

Turkish classical pianists 1933 births 2006 deaths Ankara State Conservatory alumni {{classical-pianist-stub