Meral Guneyman

Meral Guneyman with Dick Hyman April 2012-Richard Stockton State College

2011-08-19T10:49:00.000-07:00

http://intraweb.stockton.edu/eyos/page.cfm?siteID=208&pageID=4

Sureyya Opera Recital-October 31, 2011

2011-08-19T08:05:00.000-07:00

Tales&Dreams-by Meral Guneyman, February 2012

2011-08-19T08:04:00.000-07:00

http://www.marshall.edu/cofa/music/?p=1297

Walden Steinway Concert

2011-08-19T06:34:00.000-07:00

Meral Guneyman, as a Steinway Artist, was invited to play a Special spotlight Performance on the Walden Steinway at St.Joseph Hall, Chestnut Hill College, Philadelphia Saturday, May 21, 2011.

The concert was a celebration of the Chestnut Hill College becoming an All-Steinway School and was a collaboration between Ron Losby, President of Steinway&Sons-Americas and Carol Jean Vale,SSJ, Ph.D., President of Chestnut Hill College.

The Walden Woods Steinway Model D Art Case Concert Grand Piano is a One-of-a Kind Instrument and Work of Art created for the non-profit Walden Woods Project by the venerable Steinway&Sons and world-renowned marquetry artist Silas Kopf.

AIMA-Ayvalik International Music Academy

2011-08-19T05:46:00.000-07:00

In the winter of 2011, I had the honor of being invited to the Ayvalik International Music Academy in the Western Coast of Turkey.
The invitation came from the founder of the Academy, Professor Filiz Ali.
In 'AIMA', world renowned Artists, Musicians and literary Masters come together every summer to teach Master Classes and workshops.
I was invited to give a workshop on "Improvisation" as well as play the annual fundraising concert on July 23 rd.

After months of preparing, I outlined my Curriculum which was going to concentrate on developing the ability and freedom for "Creative and Self Expressive Improvisation". It was no easy task! As a classical pianist, I improvised all my life. From my childhood on, I always liked jazz and popular music and I played anything I heard on the radio, in the movies, etc...As a jazz lover, I have been working on adapting my traditional education and skills to the 'ever so free but simultaneously complex' jazz idiom. I needed to combine it all in a way that speaks to the young and inexperienced student. It needed to be coherent and authentic. So with all the ideas, resources and papers at hand, I started, or better said, dived into unchartered waters. With interested and talented students, one's work is always cut in half. Enthusiasm is contagious! So the Program worked itself very smoothly. At times my student and I worked very methodically and other times we just improvised our way through the improvisations:) We improvised on Scarlatti, Bach, Corelli, Beethoven, the color green in E Major:) and others. We improvised with each hand accompanying harmonies, we flew with scales, modes, motives, triads, 7ths, 9ths, suspensions, arpeggios....It was something like, watching a baby learn how to walk, but something more. Success and big smiles guaranteed...
All the hours we had did not suffice to finish the entire Program that I prepared. Now, the curriculum is ready for any size of classroom and for more advanced levels. I thank Professor Ali, her assistant Mr. Ilke Boran, and the entire staff who made my stay so pleasant and comfortable. Filiz Ali invited me for another season again. I will happily oblige!

Review-London, U.K. November 2010

2011-02-22T12:12:00.000-08:00

TALENT UNLIMITED.

St. James’s Church, 197, Piccadilly, W1J 9LL. Thursday. 4th November at 7pm.
MERAL GUNEYMAN. The Great Turkish pianist, now resident in the USA.

Scriabin * Godowsky * Say * Ravel * Ellington * Gershwin.

I went along – without knowing exactly what to expect- at the invitation of Canan HYPERLINK "mailto:Maxton@hotmail.com" Maxton@hotmail.com her UK agent. She and Meral, by the way, are great friends with my favourite Turkish pianist Idil Biret. So, when Meral plays in Ankara, Idil with her husband Sefik Yuksel are there in the audience to hear her. So, Watch this Space!

The Church is full of dignatories....Meral’s programme is a demanding one, so expect no compromises. She is there to display her many sided gifts and virtues, and I sit in the front row with a special view of her commanding, powerful and sensitive figure as she seats herself on her stool, facing the Faziola Grand. Her evening dress is interesting: not exactly one reminiscent of the ‘coat of many colours’, but mostly those of Autumn Brands – leaves, icons, effigies, and so on, in yellows, browns, golden hues – seemingly skin tight across the lower shoulders down to her feet, the sleeves like a see-through reflection – all closely fitting to the body but seemingly skin tight, yet flexible, so that the upper part is free for the arms, hands and the fingers to stroke the keyboard. Like all fine artistes, her high heels are in touch with the pedals constantly, yet the right leg and foot is the magic touch that conjures up the lovely sounds and splendid fortissimos from the sustaining pedal starting from the neck muscles, down the shoulders, into the wrists, and then those slim hands and fingers, resulting in the desired sounds and phrases so perfectly suited to the composers and their musical masterworks. Her hair is also long, graceful and tantalizising to control. Parted down the centre, it meets the V-cut at the top of her off,the-shoulder dress. But I am dreaming, It’s not the same as the photo, but some new creation that makes male heads spin around in crazy fashion.

Scriabin Sonata 2 is for openers. Early Alexander Scriabin, the Russian composer who was a Chopin music lover before he started experimenting in colour spectrums both stationary and moving – give him another 30 years he would have been working with Cecil B. de Mille. Her touch was heavenly, spell-binding, meltingly beautiful – one whole chord followed by two quicker replies lower down.. About three minutes in, the instrument suddenly took off. Something like Horowitz and Rubinstein combined – in a surging display of cadenza like runs, figurations high up, across keyboard, then down to the bass clef and lowest stretches, with the left hand providing all those chordal harmonies while the player without warning changes the key, introducing a new subject. The work, in one continuous movement is all highly motivated, yet suggestive in its complexity at the same time, unraveling the intrigue from the angst to produce those lovely colours that build up towards the grand climax. A Prelude for the Left Hand only followed. Here we had this rare object in phraseology with a time span that sorts out the long from the shorter notes in conjunction with the music’s singing tones. People have to realize that correct rhythm and touch using just the one hand is sometimes far more problematic than using both. Phrases must be even in pace and nuance to convey poetic meaning. Chopin-Godowsky, on the other hand, is an almost exact replica - equivalent of an original Chopin Etude (Study) – No.6 in E minor, Opus 10, with an Andante marking the legato line. Control, expression, song like with a sadness shining through each key change, rise and fall in line, and just a glimmer of the major key prior to the close. The audience appeared mesmerised. In similar vein, Fazil Say, himself a Turk, is the author of Three Poetic Impressions: In Bursa’s Prison. ‘Your lover is a communist.. a prisoner for ten years’ (1947); From Whence we Came, to Where are we Going?: ‘The Beginning’ – ‘The Call’ (1962); Little Girl.’I come and stand at every door’(1956). Meral has transcribed them for the piano. To end Part 1, she played Ravel’s La Valse. The version for solo pianoforte which is far more difficult and problematic than the composer’s full orchestral transcription. I remember turning the pages for the late Polish pianist Jan Smeterlin. Just before Smety died he had been persuaded to learn then play it for inclusion in a future recital. I found it very difficult to sight read... and it kept falling off the piano stand, so he finally threw the score into a corner of his room! Meral, complete with gliassandi up and down the piano, did marvellously well>

Part 2 consisted of Jazz transcriptions by Duke Ellington and George Gershwin. Using ‘Solitude’ as the main offspring, Edward Duke Ellington’s famous hits
congregated over the years to form his Signature Tune for all his Big Band and Small Group appearances, jn London typically at the Hammersmith Palais, and this format became the subject of Meral’s brilliant potpouri. The Gershwin Song Book, on the other hand, was the stunning arrangement of the late American Concert Pianist, Earl Wild who died, not so long back, in his 90s: Embraceable You, Fascinating Rhythm,
Oh, Lady be Good!, The Man I Love, Liza (All the Clouds roll away), Somebody Loves Me, I Got Rhythm.

Incidentally, these titles are also the same compilation of Meral’s CD with Jazz pianist and amanuensis Dick Hyman, where the former plays the Etudes and the latter provides the Improvisations. Also featured here is Indiana Variations (Back Home in Indiana, Ready or Not, Escape from the Woodjies, Big Finish). Django, and
Three Raps for Two Pianos: Moderato, Andante, Allegro. The overall title is ‘Playful Virtuosity’, the CD record number RCD 10913 and the label RYKO. Meral records exclusively for RYKODISC.

BILL NEWMAN
Music&Vision, London, UK

upcoming events

2011-02-22T07:26:00.000-08:00

May 2, Jacob's Music, Lawrenceville

South Jersey Music Teacher's Association presents Meral Guneyman in an "Informance/Making good music"

May 23, Recital/ Chestnut Hill College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

July 18-24 Master Class and Featured Guest Soloist-Concert /Ayvalik Music Festival, Ayvalik, Turkey

2010-2011 Season opens with...

2010-04-16T19:30:00.000-07:00

October 27 2010, Royal Conservatory Brussels/Belgium

November 4 2010, St, James- Piccadilly, London, United Kingdom

November 8, 2010 Kadikoy Belediyesi, Sureyya Operasi, Istanbul Turkey

February 20 2011 Steinway Society of the Greater Princeton, New Jersey

to be continued....

Australian Debut, Melbourne

2010-04-16T19:27:00.000-07:00

May 23, 2010-Meral Guneyman and the Melbourne Players, Mozart Concerto K 488, no 23. in A major
University of Melbourne

2010-04-16T19:16:00.000-07:00

On February 6, 2010, I broke my right wrist. The immediate pain I felt and the looks of it shortly after made me wonder, perhaps for the first time in my life, ( I had taken injuries before) made me question my future ability to ever play the piano again with my right hand.
I stayed in a cast for 6 weeks, all the while learning left hand repertoire; Chopin-Godowsky Etude op 10, no 6, Bach Chaconne, Scriabin's Nocturne, Fred Hersch's, Nocturne, beautiful material that kept me inspired and hopeful and happy. I kept my performance date at Jacob's Music in Lawrenceville, NJ on March 5 to once again introduce the Special Edition of the Boston Steinway Grand. I was honored to do this for a group of 30 to 40 teachers who came from the Princeton area, and other regions of Mercer County.
For the last 3 weeks I have been in therapy and my hand is almost one hundred percent. I am preparing to go to Australia in May for a very exciting concert with the Melbourne Players. I thank all my friends for their best wishes and support throughout this ordeal.

February 12/2010"Living Music"-Princeton University

2010-01-30T18:12:00.000-08:00

Meral will be meeting with the students of the Princeton University for an hour long Discussion/Workshop-Jones Hall, on February 12 at 12 noon.
This will be her second appointment with the "Lunchbag Series" of this Department. The Workshop, also titled "Muzigi Yasamak" in turkish, her native language, will be open to the Students who are studying turkish, as well as Faculty members of the Near Eastern Studies Department.

DANZAS TROPICALES featured among iTunes "New&Notable"

2010-01-21T09:13:00.002-08:00

JANUARY 21 2010,

For the second week of it's release date, January 12, 2010, "DANZAS TROPICALES" is an editorial choice in the New&Notable of iTunes new releases.

Meral Guneyman&Dick Hyman on Rykodisc "DANZAS TROPICALES" ........PIAZZOLA.......ZIEGLER........NAZARETH.......CHOPIN.......JOBIM.........HYMAN.........GUNEYMAN........DANZAS TROPICALES......

Happy New Year

2010-01-04T09:37:00.000-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Did you live well this past year?
Did you feel happy for your good health?
did you wake with the sunshine?
how many times did you witness the sunrise?
for how many people did you buy gifts for no reason?
How many mornings did you pet a stray cat that on the street?
Did a newborn grasp your finger ever so tightly?
or did you smell a newborn?
did you wonder at the abundance of the many stars
in summer nights?
how many toys did you buy for yourself this past year?
how many times did you laugh until tears flowed down your cheeks?
have you hugged an old tree in the past year?
did you happen to lay flat once on the grass?
Have you sung a song from your childhood?
Have you made a rock skip on the surface of the water?
How many times did you feed the birds?
Have you smelled a flower on it's branch?
How many times have you witnessed a rainbow this past year?
or the light in the eyes of a child who has just received a gift?
How many times did you receive an actual letter?
did you call an old friend?
did you make peace with anyone?
How many times did you realize that you were really happy?
Have you thought that a good year means a lot of these little things
let's think them in the next year.
***************************************

PREVERT
May we all have the ability to think them in 2010.

Everbest,,
MERAL<

December 10, 2009-Boston Performance Edition Introduction

2009-12-06T12:03:00.000-08:00

Meral performs at the Special Introduction of Boston Performance Edition to be held with representatives of Jacob's Music in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, - December 10, 2009.

January, 12 2010 -itunes/global CD RELEASE "DANZAS TROPICALES'

2009-12-06T10:48:00.000-08:00

November 21, 2009/Recital, "Paul Robeson Arts Center"- Princeton

2009-12-06T10:45:00.000-08:00

November 14, 2009, Meral performs at Rice University-Houston, Texas

2009-12-06T10:42:00.000-08:00

Meral played a recital at Duncan Music Hall-Rice University in Houston Texas, and the same morning, she gave a Master Class for the Piano Department of the Shepherd School of Music.

Meral is soloist for the Gala Concert 09-10 Series of the Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra/Belgium

2009-12-06T10:27:00.000-08:00

On October 30, 2009, Meral was soloist with the Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra in George Gershwin's Piano Concerto in F and Francois Glorieux' "Manhattan"; Roger Bausier Music Director and conductor. The Program titled "America" was dedicated to the "Daniel Pearl World Music Days". Meral is invited back to Brussels in the fall of 2010, this time to perform at the Royal Conservatory.

August 09"cazkolik" Interview

2009-12-06T10:23:00.000-08:00

Meral was interviewed by "cazkolik", a website introduced by Mr. Tuncel Gulsoy, journalist and music critic based in Istanbul, Turkey. The topic was her new album with Mr. Hyman.

www.cazkolik.com

April 2009, 'Danzas Tropicales' recorded at Nola Studios/New York

2009-12-06T10:18:00.001-08:00

On April 12, Meral Guneyman and Dick Hyman finished recording their new album"Danzas Tropicales" for Rykodisc.

The two pianists present in this album works by Antonio Carlos Jobim, Pablo Ziegler, Astor Piazzola, Ernesto Nazareth, Luis Bonfa and Dick Hyman.

March 7, 2009/Meral joins Dick Hyman and friends once again, at the 92nd Street Y with two Premieres

2009-12-06T10:12:00.001-08:00

"Four hands, Two Premieres"

Meral Guneyman and Dick Hyman premiered "Asphalto" by Pablo Ziegler and "Danzas Tropicales" by Hyman, (the title theme of their upcoming album), to a SOLD OUT audience.

Other performers on the program included Bill Charlap, Jay Leonhardt, Eddie Locke, Evan Christopher and Carol Woods.

Meral at Bargemusic

2009-12-06T10:05:00.000-08:00

On January 2009, Meral was invited to play a recital at Bargemusic-Brooklyn, New York, where she once again received a standing ovation. The Program was titled "Romantic Transcriptions". In spite of the record breakingly cold temperatures, the Barge was packed with Meral's fans and music lovers.

Piano Excursions-Princeton University

2009-12-06T09:43:00.000-08:00

In Spring of 2008, Meral played a recital at the Taplin Auditorium/Princeton University where she received a standing ovation. Her Program, titled "Piano Excursions". Her rich program of works stemming from European Expressionism to Russian Symbolism and from the German School to 20th Century American Music also included the American Premiere of the Piano Sonata by the turkish composer, Ali Darmar.

Meral Guneyman at Princeton University 'Lunchbag Series'

2009-12-06T09:38:00.000-08:00

In the fall of 2008, Meral participated in the "Lunchbag" Series at the Princeton University Middle Eastern Studies Department where she talked about her musical journey with the students.

Steinway&Sons

2008-09-06T18:34:00.000-07:00

I am happy to announce that as of July 31, 2008, I have become a Steinway Artist. I am proud to have joined the Steinway Family.

Danzas Tropicales

2008-09-06T18:29:00.000-07:00

I am very happy to announce that in the upcoming Season I will be recording my new album "Danzas Tropicales" with my friend Dick Hyman. More to come....soon...

"Piano Players, the New York Mix"

2008-07-02T09:10:00.000-07:00

In spring, Meral was once again the Guest of Dick Hyman at the 92nd Street Y -Kaufman Concert Hall, in his Program "Piano Players, the New York Mix", produced by Hadassah Markson. Other pianists included Norman Simmons, Ted Rosenthal and Ray Kennedy. The pianists were joined by Eddie Locke on drums, Jay Leonhart on bass and Houston Person on saxophone. Meral performed Duke Ellington's "Come Sunday" and "The Clothed Woman", both arranged by Dick Hyman in the classical and contemporary classical styles, followed by her own transcription of Mr. Hyman's improvisation on "Solitude", and two arrangements of George Gershwin's "I Got Rhythm"; first one by Earl Wild, and second, by Dick Hyman, transcribed by Ms. Guneyman. The Y concerts are highlights of her musical life for Meral; the enjoyment and appreciation are apparently mutual.
As Dick states about Meral, in his latest interview in "All about jazz":
"She's a marvelous player, principally classical, with accomplished technique, and training and profound interest in jazz. ...she is a great partner.."

"A Tribute to Ilhan Mimaroglu" SOLD OUT

2008-07-02T08:31:00.000-07:00

On May 28, Meral performed for a sold out audience at Yamaha Hall in New York City.
This concert was dedicated to Turkish composer, author and music producer Ilhan Mimaroglu. Meral performed selections from her debut album, produced by Mr. Mimaroglu under his Finnadar label. A limited edition of Meral's debut Album, which was selected among the five best recordingis of its rlease year by Fanfare Magazine, "The Music of Frank Bridge, Anton Webern and Abel Decaux" was issued in CD format by the American Turkish Society and the Moon &Stars Project.
Her program also included music composed and produced by him, and compiled under the title:"Criminal Record"; "Three little Pieces for Piano" (recorded by Meral Guneyman), and his tone poem "These men, Dino" ,- inspired by famous turkish poet Nazim Hikmet and painter Abidin Dino (originally recorded by the Beaux Arts Trio and Janis Siegel of the Manhattan Transfer). In her arrangement of this piece, Meral was joined by her featured Guest Artist and Vocalist Janis Siegel, cellist Eric Eaton and violonist Sarah Eaton. From "The Most Popular Chopin" Album, Meral performed the Fantasy Impromptu and Two Etudes.
It was a "rare occasion" in the composer's own words, to hear such a program, and a very special occasion to celebrate the life and work of this extraordinary man, both for Ms. Guneyman and her audience that jumped to its feet.

State of Stem Cell Advocacy 2008

2008-04-02T19:45:00.000-07:00

Meral is proud to be among the sponsors of the State of Stem Cell Advocacy 2008 (SOSCA) on April 12-13, 2008. This conference will take place at the University of California, San Francisco at the Mission Bay Campus Community Center. Advocates will learn about recent progress towards cures in several disease areas, how key federal and state programs are funded, and what they can do to make their voices heard. This series of workshops will provide specific actions that patients and advocates can take to accelerate research and cures.
Kicking off the event is Robert Klein, who led the fight for Proposition 71. In November 2004 the successful passage of Proposition 71 created the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine, granting $3 billion in research funding to California institutions. The conference will also feature Michael J. Fox, actor and advocate, and Brock Reeve, Executive Director of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute and brother of Meral's Colleague from Juilliard, the late Christopher Reeve.

Playful Virtuosity / Richard Stockton State College, Pomona New Jersey, A wing Lecture Hall, April 23, 1 p.m.

2008-03-14T08:17:00.000-07:00

Concert/Workshop/

Playful Virtuosity&the American Songbook

Transcriptions&Improvisations

Embraceable You, The Clothed Woman, In my Solitude, Come Sunday I got Rhythm, and more ...........

"Piano Excursions"Taplin Auditorium, Princeton University, April 5 Saturday, 8 p.m.

2008-03-14T08:13:00.000-07:00

Piano Music from European Classical Contemporary works, Berg, Scriabin, Liszt to Jazz transcriptions by Meral Guneyman, Earl Wild, and Dick Hyman, inspired by Mr. Gershwin and Mr. Ellington, performed by Meral Guneyman. Also the US Premiere of Ali Darmar Piano Sonata

Meral Guneyman collaborates with Dick Hyman to create, "Playful Virtuosity"

2007-11-20T10:33:00.000-08:00

For her Ryko debut "Playful Virtuosity", the versatile pianist (and official Turkish State Soloist) Meral Guneyman teams up with legendary piano player, arranger and composer Dick Hyman to trade "playful" interpretations of a diverse group of works including Gershwin and a tribute to Django Reinhart. The album is a musical banter between two masterful artists who clearly delight in their craft and feed off of one another's unique creative spirit.