Şirin Pancaroğlu
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Şirin Pancaroğlu feels committed to exploring new horizons for the harp. In performance, she is discerning in her musical choices, wishing to acquaint audiences with the boundless world of the harp. While embracing the traditional repertoire of her instrument, she is particularly interested in the music of today. She has widely performed new music and premiered pieces written for her by Gerardo Dirié, Franghiz Ali-Zadeh, Jeeyoung Kim, Ricardo Lorenz, Hasan Uçarsu and Meliha Doguduyal. In addition, she has been expanding her repertoire by transcribing for harp from an array of musical traditions. Over the years she has collaborated in chamber music with violinist Ignace Jang, violist Tatjana Masurenko, flutist Kornelia Brandkamp, harpist Tine Rehling and soprano Ayşe Sezerman, and recently with Israeli percussionist Yinon Muallem, creating an innovative repertoire and commissioning new music for these combinations.
Pancaroğlu’s concerts have taken her around the world, including such prestigious venues as the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., the Wolf Trap in Virginia, Sejong Cultural Arts Center in Seoul, Takemitsu Memorial Hall in Tokyo, the Atatürk Cultural Arts Center and the Cemal Reşit Rey Concert Hall in Istanbul. She performed at all the major international festivals in her homeland (Istanbul Music Festival, International Ankara Festival, Yapı Kredi Art Festival, International Eskişehir Festival, International Izmir Festival, International Mersin Music Festival), Imagine New Music Festival in USA, Belgrade Harp Festival in Serbia, Festival de la Cuidad de Mexico in Mexico City, the Berlioz Festival, the Chirens Chamber Music Festival, the Semaines Musicales de Villeveyrac and the Trièves Festival in France. In addition, Ms. Pancaroğlu was a concerto soloist with the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, the European Union Chamber Orchestra, the Memphis Symphony, Washington Chamber Symphony, the Hermitage Soloists Ensemble, the Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra, the Ancyra Chamber Orchestra, and the Akbank Chamber Orchestra.
Şirin Pancaroğlu was initiated to the harp in Istanbul where she took her first lessons. Growing up and living in Turkey, Switzerland, Indonesia, and the USA brought her close to a diverse range of musical traditions and prompted a sense for discovery in her musicianship. She studied harp at the Geneva Conservatory with Catherine Eisenhoffer and received her Diploma in 1988. She completed her formal education studying with Susann McDonald at the Indiana University School of Music where she received a Master of Music degree in 1992. Pancaroglu’s debut CD recording, Hasret Bağı (“A String of Longing”) was released in 1998 on the Kalan label in Turkey. Her second album entitled Kuyruklu Yıldız Altında (“Under the Shooting Star”) features night musics for harp and violin (Ignace Jang, violin) and was released in 2000 (Doublemoon), followed by another solo album, “Barokarp” in 2005 (Triolila).
Ms. Pancaroğlu returned to her homeland in 1999 and has been active as a soloist and teacher. She established the harp class at Yildiz Technical University’s Faculty of Art and Design and created the first ever non-pedal harp program for children in Turkey in 2004. Invited to teach masterclasses in Japan, Serbia, Slovania and in her native Turkey, Ms Pancaroğlu is a published writer on practice techniques for harpists, an area of interest she has also lectured upon at the 9th World Harp Congress in Dublin. She performs on two Lyon & Healy Concert Grand harps made in Chicago in 1960 and 1992.
