Ada Yalın Yücel

Turkish violinist Ada Yalın Yücel is widely regarded as one of the most promising young talents of his generation. Born in Mersin, he combines refined musical sensitivity with remarkable virtuosity and a distinctive artistic personality. In a short time, he has established himself internationally as both a soloist and chamber musician.

From 2012 to 2023, Yücel studied at the State Conservatory of Mersin University with Lily Tchumburidze. He then continued his artistic development at the prestigious Stauffer Academy in Cremona (Italy), where he worked from 2022 to 2023 under the guidance of legendary violinist Salvatore Accardo. He is currently pursuing advanced studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts Mannheim in the class of Prof. Dora Bratchkova.

Throughout his education, Ada Yalın Yücel has been invited to numerous masterclasses and academies and has worked with internationally renowned artists such as Viktoria Mullova, Boris Kuschnir, Nora Chastain, Svetlin Roussev, Fedor Rudin, Igor Pikayzen, Mikhail Gotsdiner, Ildiko Moog, Marcin Baranowski, Krzysztof Wegrzyn, Niklas Walentin, Mischa Maisky, and Michael Barenboim.

Yücel has received multiple first prizes at major international competitions. In 2019, he won 1st Prize and the Best Artistic Performance Award at the IX International Harmony Music Competition. In 2020, he was awarded 1st Prize at the Silk Way International Music Competition (Georgia), and in 2021 he continued his success with 1st Prize at the II Brussels Music Competition. His achievement in Brussels also earned him a scholarship to the Marktoberdorf Young Soloists Summer Academy, where outstanding emerging artists from across Europe come together for intensive training and performances.

Ada Yalın Yücel has appeared at numerous prominent festivals across Europe, further strengthening his presence on the international stage. Invitations include the Feldkirch Music Festival (2021), the Terni Music Festival in Italy and the Møn Summer Festival in Denmark (2022). In 2023, he performed chamber music concerts at the Historiske Dage Festival in Copenhagen. In 2024, he was invited by violinist Niklas Walentin to present solo recitals at the Soundscape Festival (Denmark), where he also collaborated in chamber music projects with internationally renowned artists.

In 2022, Yücel received the Nevid Kodallı Young Talent Award at the Mersin International Music Festival. A special artistic milestone followed in 2023, when he had the honor of performing in concert with Viktoria Mullova, playing one of the world’s rarest instruments — a 1734 Guarneri del Gesù, made possible through the Violin Museum in Cremona.

As a soloist, Ada Yalın Yücel has performed with several distinguished orchestras. He made his orchestral debut in 2019 with the Eskişehir State Symphony Orchestra, followed by appearances with the Mersin University Academic Chamber Orchestra. In 2023, he was invited to perform with the Mersin State Opera and Ballet Orchestra. In 2024, he served as both soloist and concertmaster of the Turkish National Youth Symphony Orchestra, performing in some of Europe’s most prestigious venues, including the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, the Konzerthaus Berlin, and the Scuola Grande di San Rocco in Venice.

In 2024, Yücel was named “Rising Star 2024” after winning the İş Sanat Rising Stars audition, where he also received the Meriç Soylu First Prize and gave a recital on the main stage of İş Sanat. That same year, he was awarded the highly prestigious Lale Tara Art Scholarship — one of Turkey’s most important cultural awards — granted annually by ENKA Sanat to outstanding students studying abroad. The jury included eminent artists such as Fazıl Say, Gökhan Aybulus, Bülent Evcil, and Dilbağ Tokay.

Highlights of the 2025/26 season include the world premiere of a new violin concerto by Ege Gür with the Gedik Philharmonic Orchestra, recital appearances with pianist Mert Yeşilmenderes in Hamburg and Istanbul, as well as upcoming performances of major violin concertos by Wieniawski, Mendelsohn, Tchaikovsky, and Prokofiev with leading Turkish philharmonic orchestras.