ADRA`FEST
ADRA`FEST

AHMET HAMDİ ZAFER

VIOLIN, CONDUCTOR

Ahmet Hamdi Zafer, born in Edirne, began his violin education in 1991 at the State Conservatory of Trakya University with Prof. Nuri İyicil. He later continued his studies with Prof. Dr. Erol Tarkum, Prof. Arif Manaflı, Prof. Çiğdem İyicil, Prof. Cihat Aşkın, and Associate Professor Zuhra Mansurova.

Zafer’s first recital took place in 1995 at the Türkan Sabancı Cultural Center, and in 1996, he was selected to perform solo at the Nedilka Simyonova Violin Festival in Bulgaria. The same year, after a successful performance at the Akbank Art and Cultural Center, he participated in the VI. International Panço Vladigerov Violin Competition. In 2001, he graduated with honors from the undergraduate program and was accepted into the Master’s Program under Associate Professor Zuhra Mansurova. During this time, he began working as an orchestra musician with the Istanbul Cemal Reşit Rey Symphony Orchestra and participated in various masterclasses, performing for world-renowned musicians such as Prof. Sergei Kravcenko, Maxim Vangerov, and Angel Stankov.

In 2003, Zafer performed a solo recital with opera singer Linn Thomas Çağlar at the Istanbul Baroque Festival. He was invited again as a soloist to the same festival in 2004 and performed as a guest artist with the Bursa Regional State Symphony Orchestra and the Adana Çukurova State Symphony Orchestra. Throughout his orchestral career, Zafer collaborated with internationally acclaimed soloists and conductors, including Emre Aracı, Rengim Gökmen, Cem Mansur, Hakan Şensoy, Tadeusz Strugala, Alexander Rahbari, Park Sung-Wan, James Galway, John Axelrod, Shlomo Mintz, Rossen Gergov, Alan Broadbent, Sarah Brightman, Gheorghe Zamfir, and Ionescu Galati.

In 2005, he successfully completed the Master’s Program and was accepted into the Proficiency in Art Program. That same year, he performed a successful recital at Istanbul Dolmabahçe Palace with American Viola Da Gamba performer Gary Berlind. Zafer also worked with young talents through the CAKA project organized by Prof. Cihat Aşkın and graduated successfully from the Proficiency in Art Program in 2007.

Appointed as a Lecturer at the State Conservatory of Trakya University, Zafer earned the title of Associate Professor in 2013. Between 2013 and 2018, he gave numerous important recitals with renowned Greek violinist Prof. Spyrous Gikontis. In 2016, he was appointed as the Director of his institution, and in 2017, he was promoted to the rank of Professor.

During this period, Zafer founded the Trakya Ensemble, performing successful events with internationally recognized artists such as Cihat Aşkın, Şefika Kutluer, Spyros Gikontis, Jiannis Toulis, Ümit İşgörür, Gökhan Aybulus, Roberto Issoglio, Sevil Ulucan Weinstein, Beste Tıknaz Modiri, Laçin Modiri, Bülent Evcil, and Gülnara Aziz.

In 2019, Zafer was promoted to Vice-Rector of Trakya University. He continues to serve as the Conductor and General Artistic Director of the Balkan Symphony Orchestra while performing solo and chamber music concerts both domestically and internationally.