YPHIL - International Philharmonic Orchestra at Peter Norton Symphony Space

New York, NY (August 18, 2015) - YPHIL - International Philharmonic Orchestra kicks off Seven Epic Concerts with the Play for Peace Concert at Peter Norton Symphony Space on September 10, 2015 at 7pm. The program for this very first concert of YPHIL’s will include the World Premiere of Faruk Kanca’s Ornament Overture, orchestra participant Yigit Karatas performing Édouard Lalo’s Symphonie Espagnole, Op. 21, and famous cellist Gjilberta Luca soloing in the American Première of Nimrod Borenstein’s Concerto for Violoncello and String Orchestra, Op. 56B. The evening will be conducted by Peter Breiner and will include blended Western and Eastern music traditions, adding ethnic instruments to symphony orchestra. Unique traditional instruments from Tunisia, South Africa, Korea, Turkey, Columbia, Nicaragua, and many more, will be heard along with violins, drums and piano. For tickets and more information visit: www.symphonyspace.org/event/8987/Music/ypo-young-soloists-concert.

Violin prodigy Yigit Karatas (soloist) was born in Mersin, Turkey in 1994. At the age of 11 he began his music studies at Mersin State Conservatory and gained the attention of many prominent musicians and professors. By the age of 12 he became a part of Symphony Orchestra, and by the age of 14 he passed the entrance examinations for the Istanbul University State Conservatory beginning his high school studies with Veniamin Varshavsky. That same year, he was awarded with the First Prize of the 4th National Gulden Turali Violin Competition, participated in the Keshet Eilon Violin Festival in Israel with famous soloists, and was invited to the Eilat Festival in Israel. Karatas studied with well-known soloists such as İvry Gitlis, Maxim Vengerov Cihat Askin, Shlomo Mintz, Hagai Shaham, Chloë Hanslip, Haim Taub, Albert Markov, and Itzhak Rashkovsky. He participated in masterclasses with Ida Haendel, Leonid Kavakos Rudolf Koelman, and Vadim Gluzman. He studied with Professor Muriel Cantoreggi at Freiburg Hochschule. He performed with the children’s orchestra CAKA (Cihat Aşkın and his Little Friends) at Mersin Culture Center, Bilkent Concert Center in Ankara, Bursa Cultural Center and the Presidential Concert Hall as a soloist. Yigit, at 17 years old, performed Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto with the Presidential Symphony Orchestra under Maestro Burak Tuzun in 2011. In the same year, he played Mendelssohn’s E Minor Violin Concerto three times at the International Belfort Music Festival. In 2011, he took part at the New Virtuosi Violin Mastercourse in Duino, Italy. From this mastercourse, he proceeded to give concerts in Croatia and Slovenia. He has traveled to represent his country and give concerts with “One young world” in Johannesbourg, Africa. He was awarded 2nd prize at International Marsyas violin competition. At the age of 19, Yigit performed as a concertmaster of the World Peace Orchestra at Avery Fischer Hall, Lincoln Center where acclaimed Hollywood actor Kevin Spacey presented the concert. He has received a full scholarship and is continuing his education at Manhattan school of Music under the supervision of Albert Markov.