Draft:Mürsel Yavuz

Mursel Yavuz is a Turkish-American conductor and composer. Born in Turkey, Yavuz has contributed to various communities.

Early Life and Education

Yavuz began his musical education at a young age, learning percussion, cello, bağlama, piano, and voice. His interest in composition led him to study at Dokuz Eylul University State Conservatory under Professor Istemihan Taviloglu.. .

In 2007, Yavuz pursued a master’s degree in orchestral conducting at the Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University State Conservatory in Istanbul, mentored by Professor Gürer Aykal. During this time, he served as the music director for the conservatory’s Youth Orchestras and Choir and worked as assistant conductor to Gürer Aykal with the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra

Career and Achievements

Yavuz's passion for music has taken him across the globe, participating in master classes with esteemed conductors such as Gustav Meier, Murry Sidlin, Martyn Brabbins, David Effron, Arthur Fagen, Mark Stringer, Harold Farberman, and Johannes Schlaefli. He traveled extensively to countries including the United States, Italy, Russia, Bulgaria, Germany, and Scotland, honing his conducting skills.

In 2006, Yavuz received a full scholarship to study conducting at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana, followed by another full scholarship from the Borusan Center for Culture and Arts to study at Indiana University in Bloomington in 2010. He earned a Professional Performance Certificate and a second master’s degree in orchestral conducting from Penn State University in 2013, where he also served as the Music Director and Conductor of the Campus Orchestra and as an Assistant Conductor to Gerardo Edelstein for the Penn State Philharmonic and Chamber Orchestras.

Yavuz dedicated time to studying Italian operas in Milan, Italy, under Daniele Agiman and Vittorio Parisi at the Conservatorio Musica di Giuseppe Verdi. In 2017, he served as the Music Director and Conductor for Handel’s Serse opera in Arezzo, Italy, collaborating with various musicians, artists, and singers

Yavuz has conducted orchestras worldwide, including the North Czech Philharmonic Teplice, Symphonic Orchestra of State Opera-Rousse in Bulgaria, St. Petersburg Chamber Philharmonic, Concerto Barocco Chamber Orchestra of Izmir, Bursa State Symphony Orchestra, Samsun State Opera and Ballet, and the Penn State University Philharmonic Orchestra.

Notable Career Highlights

A significant milestone in Yavuz's career was his participation in the Orkney Conducting Masterclass with the BBC Symphony Orchestra. He currently serves as a professional conductor at the Samsun State Opera and Ballet in Turkey, a position he has held since 2020. Additionally, Yavuz is pursuing his doctoral studies in orchestral conducting at the University of Houston, Moores School of Music under the guidance of Professor Franz Krager.