BURAK BESIR BIOGRAPHY

Today's Best, Tomorrow's Brightest Stars…" Representing Berklee, this is how Burak Besir and the 5th Conservatory Project musicians were presented to the audience and press at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Born in Lefkosa, Cyprus, Burak graduated from Ankara State Conservatory in Turkey with distinction. Following his graduation from the conservatory he completed his masters degree in performance at the Royal Scottish Academy and studied with David Nicholson.

After receiving the UK Young Concert Artist Award in 2003, Burak toured Europe extensively. Burak has studied flute with Sir James Galway over the years.  In 2007 Burak received "The Best Performer 2nd Prize" from Sir James Galway. Burak has held Principal and Second positions with the Istanbul State Opera and Ballet and with the Istanbul Borusan Philharmony Orchestra from 2003 to 2008.  Receiving a ‘world scholarship’ from Berklee College and his interest in composing, arrangement and production Mr. Besir moved to Boston in 2008. He received a Contemporary Writing and Production degree from Berklee where he also received a number of awards and scholarships including The Arif Mardin Award and The Berklee Concerto Performance Competition Award.

Burak has a rich and diverse style of writing from orchestral to contemporary coverin all genres. His flute choir arrangements Mouquet's "La Flute de Pan Op15", and Smetana's "Moldau" were performed at Sir James Galway's International Flute Masterclass and Convention concerts in Weggis, Switzerland. He composed and dedicated his composition for two flutes and piano  "Sound From Anatolia" to Sir James Galway and Lady Jeanne Galway.  The premiere of this work was performed at the 2010 Sir James Galway Masterclass & Convention in Switzerland.  

The Istanbul Symphony Orchestra has performed Mr. Besir’s orchestral arrangement of the Turkish Diva Singer, Sezen Aksu’s “Istanbul Istanbul Olali” where Burak performed with Sezen Aksu for the 2009 concert in Istanbul.

In 2011 Burak and Prof. Wendy Rolfe from Berklee College, founded World Flute Ensemble, a Boston based flute group. The group performed Burak’s compositions and arrangements at the National Flute Association Convention 2011 in North Carolina, USA.

Burak shared the stage and gave concerts with the most distinguished Flute Soloists such as Jim Walker, Andrea Griminelli, Claudio Barile and Nicola Mazzanti. 

In addition to his solo concerts, arrangements and production projects, Burak plays in the Video Game Orchestra in Boston as flute section leader.