Firdevs Eke is a talented and classically trained pianist and composer, born in Istanbul who grew up in Seville, Spain.
She has developed a distinctive style combining her Eastern roots with classical music, jazz and flamenco, elements that she has incorporated into her musical language together with the Turkish and jazzy airs that have captivated her from her early years. Firdevs started performing her compositions and arrangements of Turkish traditional music as a solo pianist in Spain and, later on, in Belgium, Holland, Portugal, and the UK with the Buhara Ensemble, a flexible format that she founded in 2005 and has moved with her as she has worked her way around Europe.
A strong body of work includes many pieces for piano and for other solo instruments, chamber music, orchestral and vocal pieces, as well as arrangements of well-known pieces from the Turkish traditional music repertoire. Some of her most outstanding works are: Loopy Grooves (2007) for piano solo, premiered by the Belgian pianist Marc Masson; Intermezzo (2008) for Symphony Orchestra, premiered by the Orchestra of the Conservatory of Ghent conducted by Mr. Michel Tilkin; A Long Journey (2008) for bass and mixed ensemble, based on the text of ‘The Tibetan Book of The Dead’; Beyond The Notes (2009), a suite for violin solo, premiered by the Venezuelan violinist Juan Gabriel Rojas; and Concerto Grosso (2010) for flute, piano, percussion and string chamber orchestra premiered by Arcanes Chamber Orchestra. *
Ms Eke also wrote two operas for children, namely Le Petit Chaperon Rouge (2011) and Hansel & Gretel (2011), being commissioned by Ars Lyrica, a Brussels-based company that promotes lyric art and musical comedies. Recently, has collaborated with Norca & Sistema in Norwich and the circus Lost in Translation in the creation of the incidental music Circus 250 Suite.
A native of Istanbul, Firdevs Eke began her music studies in Seville (Spain) where she obtained her Professional Diploma in Piano at the Conservatorio Profesional de Musica ‘Francisco Guerrero’ studying with Ignacio Rodriguez Tuñas and received her Master in Arts (Composition) graduating with honours from the Conservatory of Ghent (Belgium), where she studied with Frank Nuyts, Leon Lhoëst and Dirk Brossé.
Since 2017, Firdevs resides in Norwich where she teaches piano and composition privately and as part of Sistema in Norwich team and continues writing for different instrumental settings and performing her compositions.
* Complete list of works available on request
A clip recorded by Steve Appleton from a performance at Camouflage Norwich - music Buhara Ensemble, art by Laure Van Minden