Pinar Celik-Warsi

Pinar Celik-Warsi (previously Pinar Celik) began playing the piano at the late age of 15 but quickly became one of Istanbul’s leading pianists. In "Andante music" magazine the critic Kemal Kucuk stated that “…she has proved herself to be one of Turkey’s leading pianists of her generation…”

Her studies started at Istanbul Anatolian Fine Arts High School. In 1994 she was accepted to Turkey’s most prestigious conservatory, Istanbul University State Conservatory. She studied with the conservatory’s head of keyboard studies and now the Principal, the renowned Professor Meral Yapali, Turkey’s most distinguished teacher. Pinar obtained her B.Mus. with honours in 2000.

She continued her P.G. Diploma in performance at Royal Northern College of Music with Renna Kellaway in the UK. From 2001 to 2006 she worked at the Istanbul University State Conservatory as an accompanist and teaching students of varying ages and levels.

The highlights of her many solo and chamber music recitals in Turkey and abroad include the Istanbul International Music Festival and the International Interfest Bitola Music Festival (with her trio, Trio Academia). Pinar has played in Istanbul’s most important venues such as Cemal Resid Rey Concert Hall, Is Sanat Concert Hall, Ataturk Cultural Centre and Austrian Cultural Centre. She played with Istanbul and Adana state symphony orchestras. As well as in Turkey, Pinar has performed in Germany and Macedonia.

She has participated in master classes with Professor Sergei Dorensky, Irina Zaritskaya, Hüseyin Sermet, Barry Synder, Andrey Diev, Leontina Margulis and Dianne Andersson.

She has successfully participated in international competitions. She won the second prize in 3rd Interfest Bitola International Piano Competition and the third prize in 7th Shabhyt-Inspiration International Chamber Music Competition in Astana.

Pinar is currently studying at the Royal Academy of Music with the eminent pedagogue Tanya Sarkissova, where she has also formed a Trio.