Gûrer Aykal, conductor

A native of Turkey, Maestro Aykal entered the Ankara State Conservatory at the age of eleven. After graduating in 1969, with degrees in Violin and Composition, he was awarded a State Scholarship for further studies at London's Guildhall School of Music and the Royal Academy of Music. During his two years in London, he studied under a number of prominent conductors including Andre Previn and George Hurst.

In 1973, he returned to Turkey and was appointed Permanent Conductor of the Presidential Symphony Orchestra of Turkey. In 1988, he was appointed Music Director and Conductor of the Orchestra. Maestro Aykal lead the Presidential Symphony Orchestra on a tour of the United States in January of 1997, making stops at New York City's Lincoln Center and Washington D. C.'s J.F.K. Center.

Maestro Aykal's invitations have seen him on the podium with prominent orchestras throughout the world, including those in England, Ireland, Italy, France, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Yugoslavia, Finland, Norway, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, Hungary, Russia and Singapore. He toured Russia in 1984, as Conductor of the Moscow State Symphony. In USA he has worked as conductor in Texas and latest as conductor and Music Director of the El Paso Symphony Orchestra.
Maestro Aykal brought extensive musical training and experience to the El Paso Symphony gained throughout Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the United States. Also, in March of 1995, Maestro Aykal led the El Paso Symphony on its own European tour, which included performances in some of Germany's finest Concert Halls.

Maestro Aykal has toured South America and the Caribbean Islands as conductor of the English Chamber Orchestra; conducted the Istanbul Symphony Orchestra on its historic tour through Greece as the first Turkish orchestra to perform in that country; and toured Japan as the conductor of the Japanese Choir and the Presidential Symphony of Turkey. In 1994, he took the podium as guest conductor of the Washington Square Music Festival in New York City; the Nuremberg and Hannover Symphonies in Germany; the Caracas Symphony in Venezuela; the Oslo Radio Symphony in Norway; and the Indiana University Festival Orchestra in Bloomington. He returns annually to Indiana University to teach conducting.

Today Gürer Aykal works as General Music Director and Principal Conductor of Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra in Turkey and performs as questing conductor of many orchestras abroad.