DOUBLE BASS ONUR ÖZKAYA.
Onur Özkaya is one of the most outstanding and versatile double bass players to emerge from Turkey.
In 2009, Özkaya played world premiere of the Swiss composer Martin Jaggi's Double Bass Concerto ‘Nunatak’ with Munich Chamber Orchestra in Prinzregententheater and Stadthalle in Aschaffenburg. He attracted attention with his concert critiques from Süddeutscher Zeitung, Münchener Merkur, Münchener TZ, Abendzeitung and Klassikinfo. He played Turkish premieres of Gyula Fekete, Eduard Tubin and Andre Previn Double Bass Concertos. In Baku and Moscow Özkaya played two premieres of Franghis Ali-Zadeh Double Bass Concerto ‘Deyishma’. In 2021 he made the project ‘G. Bottesini 200th anniversary’ with CRR Chamber Orchestra.
Among the orchestras he has played with as a soloist are Munich Chamber Orchestra, Presidential Symphony Orchestra Ankara, Azerbaijan State Chamber Orchestra, Sofia Academic Symphony Orchestra, Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of the Moscow Conservatory, CRR Chamber Orchestra, Çukurova State Symphony Orchestra Adana, Bursa Regional State Symphony Orchestra, Anadolu Symphony Orchestra. Some of the conductors he collaborated with as a soloist are James Judd, Alessandro Crudele, Fedor Beznosikov, Alexander Liebreich, Yalcin Adigezalov, Alexander Rudin, Can Okan, Ionescu Galati, Burak Tüzün.
Özkaya has taken it upon himself to develop the double bass repertoire and among the composers he has collaborated with are Özkan Manav, Fazıl Say, Mahir Çetiz, Bernhard Jestl, Martin Jaggi, Nejat Başeğmezler, Hasan Niyazi Tura and Mesruh Savaş.
He is performing as a soloist, chamber musician and holding various masterclasses in Turkey as well as internationally in Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, Poland, Czech Republic, Russia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Taiwan. In 2022 he formed ‘Özkaya-Simonovic Duo’ with Serbian pianist Senka Simonovic and they frequently give recitals.
Özkaya has won many competitions and awards: 1st Prize at Music Competition for Young Talents in 1996 (Kavaklıdere Rotary Club); 1st Prize at the 47th International European Youth Music Festival Chamber Music Competition (Belgium) in 1999; Jury Special Prize in International J. M. Sperger Double Bass Competition (Germany) in 2002; 1st Prize in International F. Gregory Double Bass Competition (Czech Republic) in 2002; 2nd Prize in the International Rovere D'oro Strings Competition (Italy) in 2003; European Culture Award with ‘Bassiona Amorosa Double Bass Quartet’ (Switzerland-Lucerne) in 2003; 3rd Prize in the International V. Bucchi Double Bass Competition (Italy) in 2005.
In 2017 he won the special award of the ‘Best performer of the Year’ in category for string instruments at the Donizetti Classical Music Awards.
From 2006-2014 he was a member of the Munich Chamber Orchestra in Germany. Since 2010 Özkaya has held the position of the Principal Double bass player at the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra. Among the orchestras he played with as a part of his orchestra career are the Lucerne Festival Orchestra under the conductor of Claudio Abbado, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Vienna Philharmonic, Munich Philharmonic, Bavarian Radio Orchestra, Bamberg Symphony Orchestra.