Elif Naz Ertuğrul — Turkish Classical Pianist

Born in Istanbul in 2013, Elif Naz Ertuğrul began her piano studies at the age of six. She pursued her early training at the Istanbul University State Conservatory under Prof. Eser Bilgeman. In 2025, she was accepted into the Pre-College program at the Mozarteum University Salzburg and concurrently enrolled at the Salzburg Mozart Musikgymnasium. She currently studies under Prof. Andreas Weber, head of the Mozarteum University Pre-College and Young Excellence program, and Prof. Ji Hye Jung.

Selected for the Composition Academy by leading Turkish contemporary composers Hasan Uçarsu, Turgay Erdener, and Armağan Durdağ, she received professional training in classical music composition. Her composition was premiered by professional musicians at the Cemal Reşit Rey Concert Hall in Istanbul on April 25, 2023. Elif Naz Ertuğrul has given numerous solo and orchestral performances. On April 10, 2025, she appeared as a guest soloist with the Aromsa Chamber Orchestra under conductor Cihat Aşkın at the Süreyya Opera House. On October 16, 2025, she performed her orchestral debut at the same venue with Haydn’s Piano Concerto in D Major. On December 26, 2025, she performed works by Mozart, Beethoven, and Chopin at the “In the Footsteps of Mozart” concert at Zorlu PSM. On April 24, 2026, she performed all three movements of Haydn’s Piano Concerto in D Major with the Çukurova State Symphony Orchestra. Her solo recitals include performances at the Austrian Consulate Cultural Office in Istanbul (March 2024, February 2026), the Enka Art Gala Concert (April 2026), and a Prokofiev recital at the Mozarteum University Kleines Studio in Salzburg. On December 5, 2025, she was a featured speaker at a TEDx event at Trabzon University as part of the “Inspiring Young Talents” project. Her debut album, comprising ten works, was released in September 2025 on all major digital music platforms.

She has won over 24 prizes — including Grand Prix, first, second, and third place awards — at international competitions such as the Franz Liszt Piano Competition, Orbetello Piano Competition, Beethoven Young Musician Competition, Vivaldi Piano Competition, Danubia Talents MusicCompetition, Clara Schumann Piano Competition, Carles and Sofia Piano Competition, and Paul Badura Piano Competition with the Academy of Classical Music Vienna. Elif Naz Ertuğrul regularly participates in masterclasses with internationally renowned artists including State Artist Gülsin Onay, Prof. Andreas Weber, Prof. Gereon Kleiner, Prof. Georg Steinschaden, Prof. Lei Meng, Prof. Gerhard Hofer, Prof. Giuliano Adorno, Prof. Denise Lutgens, Prof. Julianna Kiss, Prof. Gülnara Aziz, and Prof. Hande Dalkılıç.