THE sixteenth edition of the YoungEast Festival, which provides a platform for young and aspiring musicians to showcase their musical talents, took place at The Old Church, a historic venue with a 700-year history. The event, held on Monday, May 29th, featured performances by 40 young musicians.
Since 2006, the YoungEast Festival has been continuously striving to expand interest and education in music within our community through innovative initiatives. This year, for the first time, the festival welcomed the youngest piano student, 3.5-year-old Kuzey Deniz Girgin, who took the stage alongside rock bands composed of children aged 6-7 years, shaking the walls of the old church in Clissold Park.
Particularly noteworthy at the festival was the inclusion of performances at the highest levels of the globally recognized grading system, showcasing Grade 7 and Grade 8 pieces. This demonstrated a promising future for our students, with a strong participation of female students.
In the Piano Series of the festival, Kuzey Deniz Girgin, Janset Ercan, Sude Ercan, Denis Kazbek, Enes Ganidağlı, Eftelya Yeşilkaya, Eliz Uzun, Elif Yeşilkaya, Umut Ertürk, Ali Asil Temur, Ela Rosa Yıldırım, Esma Ganidağlı, Dora Ciba, Anıl Süral, Ayşe Çiçek, Ada Dilberoğlu, Şimal Uzun, Rüya Clara Lustgarten, Yaren Uyar, Roni Murdaymootoo, İsyan Deniz İçel, Yılmaz Gerçek, Derin Ciba, Su Demir, Mehmet Dilberoğlu, Beren Doğan, and Beren Yapıcı took the stage.
In the Classical Guitar Series, Sarp Ercosman, Beste Beyter, Alp Ercosman, Kuzey Ali Yıldız, and Enes Sevgili presented a selection of Turkish folk songs and classical favourites.
The GOLD BAND, consisting of Eftelya Yeşilkaya, Eliz Uzun, Elif Yeşilkaya, Umut Ertürk, Kuzey Ali Yıldız, and Anıl Süral, aged 7, performed “Last Resort” by American rock band Papa Roach and “Mosh” by Eminem.
The YoungEast Festival continues to nurture and support the musical journeys of young and talented musicians, providing them with an opportunity to showcase their skills and inspire audiences with their performances.
