J.S. Bach | Violin Concerto No.1 BWV1041 - Suna Kan

Violin: Suna KAN (1936-2023)
Conductor: Gürer AYKAL (1942- )
Ankara Chamber Orchestra
Ankara, 5-11 October 1993
0:00 i.Allegro
4:10 ii.Andante
12:16 iii.Allegro

SUNA KAN was born in Adana, Turkey. She started playing the violin at the age of five and gave her first public concerts when she was nine years old, performing Mozart's A major and Viotti's A minor Violin Concertos. She continued her studies in Ankara under Izzet Albayrak and Lico Amar. In 1949 she was sent to France, under a special law passed by the Turkish Grand National Assembly. She studied with Gabriel Bouillon at the Paris Conservatoire and graduated in 1952, winning the First Prize. Later on, she received the title “State Artist” from the Turkish Government. She was also awarded “Chevalier dans l’Ordre National du Merite" from the Government of France.
Suna Kan's extensive concert tours have so far covered most parts of the world, including England, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, Holland, Sweden, Norway, Russia, China, Japan, South American countries, Canada and the United States. She has performed with many international orchestras such as the London Symphony, Los Angeles Philarmonic, Bamberg Symphony, Residentie Orchestra (Holland), Moscow Symphony, French National Radio Symphony (ORTF) under great conductors like Istvan Kertesz, Arthur Fiedler, Walter Susskind, Hans Rosbaud, Gotthold Lessing, Louis Fremaux, Michel Plasson. She also collaborated with celebrated artists like Yehudi Menuhin, Igor Bezrodny, Pierre Fournier, Andre Navarra, Frederick Riddle in performing Double Concertos.
Beginning in 1986, in addition to her concerts, broadcasts and recording activities, she was professor of violin at the Music and Performing Arts Department of Bilkent University in Ankara.
Due to health issues, she retired from playing violin in 2017. She died on 11 June 2023, at age 86.