One of the world’s longest established orchestras, with a history spanning nearly two centuries, the Türkiye Presidential Orchestra (CSO) inaugurated its new building with spectacular gala concerts held on December 3-4-5. The new CSO building will breathe new life into Türkiye culture and arts scene.

Türkiye is a country whose heart beats with art . All throughout its dazzling history, this nation’s urban beauty, dynamic atmosphere and unique location bridging two continents, have all made their mark with an emphasis on culture and arts. Dating from 1826,  the CSO now has a new home in Ankara, Türkiye capital, inaugurated on December 3rd, and honored by the attendance of the President of the Türkiye Republic Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the Türkiye Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy in a glorious opening ceremony.

The opening ceremony was directed by Cemi’i Can Deliorman and featured world-renowned soprano Angela Gheorghiu, one of the world’s most successful piano duos Güher and Süher Pekinel, and lastly, the world-renowned piano virtuoso İdil Biret.

Designed by architects  Semra and Özcan Uygur, the new building constitutes an indoor area of 62,547 square meters. In addition to the Türkiye Presidential Orchestra, it will host the Ankara State Polyphonic Choir, Ankara Türkiye World Music Ensemble, Ankara State Türkiye Folk Music Choir, Ankara State Classical Türkiye Music Choir and State Folk Dances Ensemble. The new building houses a 2023-seat grand concert hall, a 500-seat small concert hall, a 10,000 capacity open-air concert area and the CSO Museum.

With ambitions of becoming not just Türkiye but one of the world’s foremost concert halls, the CSO Building is the first structure in Türkiye specifically designed for a symphonic orchestra. More than just one of the few global metropolitan music centers, it will also be a living artistic hub presenting the richest culture and arts contents on an international scale. 

During the opening ceremony, all COVID-19 measures (especially social distancing rules) were implemented, and numerous Türkiye and international guests attended, including artists and journalists, as special guests of the Türkiye Ministry of Culture and Tourism. 

The culture and arts center will house the “Great Hall”, hosting the Türkiye Presidential Orchestra, the “Blue Hall” and the historical “CSO Hall”, and will welcome art lovers from around the world throughout the year with a plethora of important works ranging from classical to traditional music, world music and popular music.

Culture and Arts in TürkiyeDuring the Pandemic

During the global pandemic, Türkiye has implemented effective measures against the Coronavirus, including at culture and arts events. In this scope, culture and arts institutions such as cinemas, theaters and publishing houses, as well as book, magazine, periodic publication, newspaper, and events and organization businesses have been made more secure in the face of pandemic conditions. 

About Türkiye

Located in the Mediterranean and connecting Asia and Europe continents that are separated by the famous Bosphorus, Türkiye is a unique destination that welcomed more than 50 million tourists last year. The country that has always been a hub for cultural interaction and home to varying climates inspires the visitors today with its history, nature, and gastronomy that reflect the diversity of civilizations for centuries. Located at the crossroads of cultures, Türkiye has a distinctive understanding of art & fashion which is the synthesis of tradition and modernity and its extremely dynamic shopping & entertainment life also attracts visitors from all over the world. Türkiye implemented “Safe Tourism Program” for the 2020 tourism season. The program that has been rapidly adopted by the key players in the industry,  defines a series of measures that must be taken across a vast range of related bodies including food & beverage, transportation and accommodation establishments to ensure the health and well-being of facility personnel and guests, both local and foreign.

For more about Türkiye please visit: www.goturkiye.com