Artists

Tolga Alpay

He started his musical education at the Dokuz Eylul University State Conservatory in the class of Sahap Ruhselman, in 1983. He won the Third Prize at the "7th National Music Competition" in İstanbul (1987).

After his graduation, he became the member of the State Symphony Orchestra of Izmir, in 1989. He studied bassoon with Prof. Karl Otto Hartmann, and chamber music with Prof. Heinz Holliger and Prof Dieter Klöcker at Freiburg Music Hochschule (Germany), during his "aufbaustudium" (master-graduate) in 1992-1995.He played in Basel Sinfonietta, Schleswig-Holstein Festival Philharmonic Orchestra and Cologne Symphony Orchestra. In 1994, he returned back to State Symphony Orchestra of Izmir.

He gave lectures at the Dokuz Eylul University State Conservatory, in Chamber Music and bassoon classes and trained a lot of bassoon players for the Symphony Orchestras in Turkey and abroad (1994-2007).

He played with many Symphony Orchestras as soloist .He is also an active chamber musician who played with the names like Hans Jörg Schellenberger, Maurice Bourgue, Radovan Vlatkovich, Michel Lethiec, Anton Martynov, Martti Rousi, Michela Martin, Frans Helmerson, Hariolf Schlichtig, Artis Ensemble and many others. He was invited to 6th Internatioanal Cyclades Music Festival in Syros-Greece in 2010.

In 2003, he gaved "reed making" master classes in Leipzig Felix-Mendelssohn Music Academy, in 2006 “bassoon” master class and Recital at Manchester Royal College of Music, in 2008 master class at Stuttgart Music Academy in 2009 at Lübeck Music Academy, in 2010 Karlsruhe Music Academy, In 2009 October he joined the tour of Chamber Orchestra of Europe in Toulouse and Basel under conducting Jannick-Nezet Segeuin. He played at Bamberg Symphony Orchestra in 2011 under conducting of Robin Ticciati.

Tolga Alpay is the member of Izmir Bassoon Quartet, Izmir Woodwind Quintet, Bellapais Trio and also the Principal Bassoonist of Izmir State Symphony Orchestra.