Derya Celik
Violin
Born in Prizren, Kosovo, she began her music education at the Lorenc Antoni Music High School before entering the Violin Department at the Istanbul University State Conservatory in 2014. She completed her bachelor’s degree in 2019 and her master’s degree in 2023. She is currently pursuing her Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) at the same institution.
Throughout her artistic career, she has performed as a violinist in numerous symphony orchestras, chamber ensembles, festivals, and stage productions across Turkey, Kosovo, and several European cities. She performed with the Kosovo–Italy Sister School High School Orchestra in Forlì, Italy (2013), and was a member of the Istanbul University State Conservatory Symphony Orchestra (2014–2018), participating in two opera productions at the Süreyya Opera House. In 2017, she performed with the Trakya Chamber Orchestra in Edirne and toured Athens, Rhodes, and Crete with the Turkish–Greek Youth Orchestra.
Her theatrical performance credits include playing in a string quartet for Talimhane Theatre (2016–2017) and performing the incidental music for the play Amadeus with the Sillage Ensemble (2020–2022). Additionally, she has collaborated with numerous prominent ensembles, including the Kosovo State Opera and Ballet, Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra, Istanbul Chamber Orchestra, CRR Jazz Orchestra, CRR Youth Chamber Orchestra, NEF Philharmonic Orchestra, Monster Game Music Orchestra, IBB City Theatres Orchestra, Aromsa Chamber Orchestra, Pandemic Symphony Orchestra, Toisad Women's Symphony Orchestra, Hanımefendiler Symphony Orchestra, and the Zambaku i Prizrenit Festival Orchestra.
To advance her artistic and academic development, she has participated in masterclasses led by distinguished musicians such as Alexander Sitkovetsky, Marko Josifoski, Ahmet Hamdi Zafer, Spiros Gikontis, Itzhak Rashkovsky, Ani Schnarch, Şenol Aydın, Sevil Ulucan, Cihat Aşkın, Bahar Büyükgönenç, Ümit İşgörür, Hagai Shaham, Pelin Halkacı Akın, and Galina Koycheva.
She currently continues her artistic activities with the Istanbul Concertante Symphony Orchestra, Sillage Ensemble, Aşkın Ensemble, Monster Game Music Orchestra, IBB City Theatres Orchestra, Aromsa Chamber Orchestra, and the Kosovo State Opera and Ballet.