Newsletters
After winning second prize at an international festival in Vienna, an academic orchestra at Van Yuzuncu Yil University in Van, Türkiye, is now helping train the next generation of musicians at a music school on the university campus.
The university’s Academic Orchestra, founded in 2023 by academics, music teachers, and undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students from several departments, performed at the 11th World Orchestra Festival in Vienna on July 22-26, 2025.
Among distinguished orchestras from around the world, it was awarded second place by the Vienna Orchestra Committee.
The university then moved to pass the academics’ knowledge and experience on to children.
Last year, a Music Primary School and Middle School opened within the campus’s Zeve Primary and Middle School.
Admitted through a talent exam run by the provincial education directorate, 24 students entered first and fifth grades last year, and another 24 were accepted this year.
University Rector Prof. Hamdullah Sevli, who visited students at the faculty, said that a university’s success is measured not only by its scientific work but also by achievements in sports, music and the arts, and that Van Yuzuncu Yil University is ambitious in music.
Sevli said the university has strengthened the academic staff of its music and conservatory departments in recent years, invested significantly in the arts, and set up the academic orchestra.
He said the university had dreamed for five or six years of creating a music primary and middle school.
"At the Cocuk Van Kindergarten on our campus, we give children rhythm lessons from preschool age to spot talented kids with an interest in music," Sevli said.
"Our faculty also hold concerts to find gifted children. With the support of the Ministry of National Education and the governor, we created the Music Primary and Middle School at Zeve Primary and Middle School on our campus."
Classes began with first grade at the primary level and fifth grade at the middle school level. This year, those students moved up to second and sixth grades, so the school now has first and second graders in primary school and fifth and sixth graders in middle school.
Construction of separate eight-classroom buildings for the music primary school and the music middle school is nearly complete, and students will move into their new schools next term, Sevli said.
The university will admit students every year through a special talent exam.
Students receive both music classes and individual instrument instruction, he said.
"Our children are bright and very talented," Sevli said. "We have many students with musical ability. Our goal is for them to develop, receive a higher-quality academic education and succeed."
Prof. Serap Yuruk, head of the Fine Arts Education Department at the university’s Faculty of Education, recalled that the orchestra was founded three years ago with music teachers, academics and students.
She said the orchestra won second prize at the World Orchestra Festival in Vienna last year, and that since then the department has worked to make music education available from a young age.
"It was the result of a long journey from Van to Vienna and a great deal of effort," Yuruk said. "Now we are working hard to build on that foundation with the students of the Music Primary and Middle School, who will join us in the future. These efforts make us very happy."
"We currently have fifth and sixth graders. We admitted 24 students by exam this year. Interest and student numbers are growing every day. We plan to hold a concert with the children for Teachers’ Day on Nov. 24."
Fifth grader Sinda Aydin said her mother encouraged her to take the exam. She prepared for a month, passed, and was very happy to learn the result.
Aydin said she loves playing piano. "I love the teachers here. They teach very well," she said. "I previously had private piano lessons in Istanbul. Playing piano is a lot of fun. I think it’s a really different and beautiful pursuit. This is a wonderful place."
Asrin Arya Erors, 11, who started playing piano at 7, said he passed the Music Middle School’s talent exam and was admitted.
"I play piano and learn many songs here. I love music very much. My brother was inspired by me, too," Erors said. "I want to be a great musician."
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
1 min read
