Ecesu Sertesen

Ecesu Sertesen, born in 1987, began her clarinet education at the Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University State Conservatory in 1998. Her career took a significant turn in 2008 when she joined the Istanbul State Opera and Ballet Orchestra as a solo clarinetist. She gained acclaim in 2012 after performing Fazıl Say's "Hayyam" Op. 36 Clarinet Concerto with the Eskişehir Metropolitan Municipality Symphony Orchestra under Naci Özgüç. In 2013, she became the Turkish performing artist for Buffet Crampon, a prominent clarinet brand, and in 2014, she premiered Hasan Niyazi Tura's Clarinet Concerto with the Eskişehir Symphony Orchestra. Her international recognition grew when she performed with the Hong Kong Festival Wind Orchestra in 2015, where she also conducted masterclasses.

Sertesen's presence on the global stage expanded as she became a jury member for the 2016 Buffet Crampon Clarinet Competition in Taiwan, coupled with recital and masterclass appearances. In 2017, she showcased her artistry at a recital in the Buffet Crampon Show Room in New York. The following year, she recorded Max Bruch's Op. 88 Double Concerto for Clarinet and Viola with the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, featuring violist Kyoungmin Park under Howard Griffiths. This album, released worldwide by SONY Classical in 2019, received support from the Orpheum Foundation.

In 2020, Sertesen was selected as a pre-selection jury member for the 5th International Jacques Lancelot Clarinet Competition and subsequently performed solo concerts and masterclasses in Czechia and Poland. She continued sharing her expertise in 2021 with masterclasses at the Buffet Crampon USA Virtual Summer Academy. In 2022, she headlined the opening of the 11th European Clarinet Congress and performed with the USAF Academy Band for the International Clarinet Association's 50th-anniversary celebrations, where she also conducted masterclasses for a large international audience.

Sertesen's recent achievements include serving as a jury member at the 2023 FINALIS International Wind Instruments Competition in Poland, followed by concerts and masterclasses at Koszecin Palace. In 2024, she participated in the Buffet Crampon Summer Academy in Florida, offering both performances and masterclasses. Alongside her active solo and chamber music career, Ecesu Sertesen continues as the principal solo clarinetist of the Istanbul State Opera and Ballet Orchestra and serves as a Brand Ambassador for Buffet Crampon.