Suna Kan (21 October 1936 – 11 June 2023) was a Turkish violinist who studied in France and appeared internationally. She was a soloist and concert master of the Presidential Symphony Orchestra for 44 years. She was professor of violin at the Music and Performing Arts Department of Bilkent University in Ankara.
Life and career
Early life and education
Kan was born in Adana on 21 October 1936. She won the Paganini Competition of Genova in 1954, second prize at the Viotti International Music Competition in 1955, the ARD International Music Competition in 1956, and the Prize of the City of Paris at the Marguerite Long–Jacques Thibaud Competition in 1957.
Career
Upon returning to Turkey in 1957, Kan became a soloist and concert master of the Presidential Symphony Orchestra, After Uğurata's death, she formed a duo with the pianist Cana Gürmen.
Her concert tours covered most parts of the world, including the UK, France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, Italy, Russia, Canada, the US, South America, China and Japan.
Kan was a pioneer in interpreting the works of Turkish compositions for violin and orchestra by composers such as Necil Kazım Akses, Ahmed Adnan Saygun, and Ulvi Cemal Erkin. She was also awarded "Chevalier dans l'ordre national du Mérite" by the Government of France. In 1996 she received the Sevda Cenap And Foundation Golden Medal, a prize offered to the distinctive performers and artists of classical music in Turkey. One of her most popular recordings was with pianist Corrado Galzio performing music by Brahms, Grieg, Debussy, Bartók, and Dvorak. She recorded Cemal Reşit Rey's Andante and Allegro for violin and string orchestra with the Northern Sinfonia of England conducted by Howard Griffiths.
With the Ankara Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Gürer Aykal, she recorded all violin concertos by Mozart, his Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola and Orchestra and some duos with violist Ruşen Güneş. One day later, she was buried at Karşıyaka Cemetery in Ankara.
Legacy
The conservatoire of Ankara has held a violin competition in her name, with the second event in 2022.