Tuncay Yildiz was born in Sakarya, Turkey in 1981. His piano education started at the age of fifteen in Eskishehir Music High School. He attended the piano class of the famous Azerbaijani pianist and state artist Prof. Dr Zohrab Adiguzelzade, who was a pupil of Pavel Serebriakov. He received his bachelor’s degree in Music Pedagogy in “Uludag University”, Bursa, where he studied piano with Russian pianist and composer Alexander Mekaev (the pupil of Stanislav Neuhaus). In 2009, he obtained his master degree in Piano Performance in the Academy of music, dance and fine arts in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. There he attended the piano classes of Prof. Georgy Kanev and Prof. Roxana Bogdanova. For his internship, Tuncay practised piano pedagogy at “Dobrin Petkov” Music school in Plovdiv. In 2012 Tuncay started his PhD in the same Academy under the supervision of Prof. Roxana Bogdanova. In 2017 he finalised his PhD studies. Tuncay Yıldız performed in several concerts as a soloist, chamber music soloist and as an accompanist in Sofia, Plovdiv, Prizren, Edirne, İstanbul and Bursa. Among these, Tuncay’s recital performance with Plovdiv Opera Soloist Valeria Mircheva (Laurate of Tchaikovsky Competition) was significant. He was a soloist of many orchestras such as “Academic Symphony Orchestra” at the Trakya Univerity, “Nilufer Chamber orchestra”, “Uludag University youth orchestra” in Turkey and “Pazardzhik Philarmonic Orchestra” in Bulgaria. Tuncay performed in the “J.S.Bach Festival” in Plovdiv, 2008. The same year, he was invited by the “Union of Bulgarian Compositors” as a guest-performer on Bulgarian contemporary music in Sofia. He also had the opportunity to perform at the gala concert of “36th International Music Festival, in Pazardjik, Bulgaria in 2011. Between years 2012 and 2015 Tuncay worked at The Trakya University, Edirne, Turkey as a lecturer in piano.

For the past two years, Tuncay is working as a piano teacher in international School Music Hobart and Rosny College Hobart – Australia.

GERGANA YILDIZ

Gergana Yildiz began piano lessons at the age of seven in the piano class of Kina Okoliiska. She obtained a Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree in Piano Performance under the guidance of Prof. Albena Dimova at the Academy of Music, dance and fine arts in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. In 2009, she was an exchange student at the Academy of music and theatre in Vilnius, under the prominent Lithuanian pianist Prof. Zbignevas Ibelhauptas. Gergana was awarded for the outstanding performance in the Academy of music, dance and fine arts in Plovdiv in 2010.

The same year, she received an annual award from the Round table club in Plovdiv for her activities and achievements. As a chamber musician in “Aurora” Music Festival in Vanersborg, Sweden (2012) and “Festival of Contemporary Lithuanian music” in Vilius, Lithuania (2009). Gergana has performed in various concerts focusing on the twentieth century piano repertoire and premiered works by contemporary Bulgarian and Australian composers.

Between years 2011 and 2015 Gergana worked at The Trakya University, Edirne, Turkey as a lecturer in piano.

Currently, she is undertaking a PhD at UTAS Conservatorium of music in Hobart, Australia.