Prof. Şebnem ÜNAL

Biography

  Assoc. Prof. SEBNEM UNAL

Born in Istanbul, the artist first graduated from Galatasaray High School, then from "Opera and Concert Singing Section"of Mimar Sinan University State Conservatory. She studied singing lessons with  Prof. Yildiz Dagdelen throughout her education. She participated singing courses of Margarete Sparber, Kurt Moll and Eugene Rabine. In 1983 she won the first prize at Ren Gelenbevi singing contest and in 1988 she won the second prize at  “Folk Song Solo Contest of Cleveland International Eistedfood  Festival” in England. She completed her higher graduate studies in MSU State Conservatory and wrote the thesis named "Diction and Phonetics in the Contex of the Connection Between Language and Music" with the consultancy of Prof.Guzin Gurel. In 2001 she completed the doctorate program, in Istanbul University with the consultancy of  Muveddet Gunbay and presented the thesis named "The Comparison of Ottoman and Europe Vocal Musics in Baroque Period of Time".

          The artist took part as actress and musician in Istanbul State Theatre and in many other private theaters, besides sang in various chorous  as chorist and soloist. For example she sang the soprano solo parts in Haendel's “Messiah", Fauré's "Requiem”, Bach's "Matthaus Passion", Mozart’s “Requiem” and  Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana".

         She made many solo performances both in her native land and in foreign countries in the operas, staged by “Istanbul Baroque Ensemble”such as "Belinda” in Purcell's "Dido and Aeneas", "Venus " in André Campra's "L'Europe Galante" and finally "Nerea" in Haendel's "Deidamia". Istanbul Baroque Ensemble’s art director was a clavsenist named Leyla Pınar. In 2003 she performed as "Dido" in Purcells "Dido and Aeneas" opera which was staged by Isil Kasapoğlu in “Semaver Kumpanya” theater.

          As giving concerts with the accompany of  piano, harp and guitar, the artist is continuing her studies with pianist Renan Koen, the couple particullarly atract attention with their folk songs interpretations.

         In 2004 she had made various concerts in Switzerland and in Turkey with the group named "Melodicas Epicas" which she, Renan Koen and classical kemençe artist Nermin Kaygusuz has established.

         In 2014 she had made a concert in İstanbul and in 2015 in Italy, Trieste with Italian pianist Silvano Zabeo.

        Since 1998, the artist gives lessons of singing, history of opera and esthetics in Istanbul State Conservatory.