Ataturk Society of America- ASA’s long time member and supporter, pianist Aysegul Durakoglu was elected to serve as a Director of Global NGO Executive Committee (GNEC) at the United Nations from 2021-2023, for a two-year term; representing ASA.
The Global NGO Executive Committee (GNEC) was founded to promote a closer working relationship between the UNDGC & vetted NGOs associated with the Department of Global Communications of the
United Nations (DPI).Dr. Durakoglu has been a concert soloist and chamber musician nationally and internationally. She was featured as soloist in the International Istanbul Music Festival with James Galway, 2014 International Ankara jazz Festival, Contemporary Music Festivals in Russia, Musical Intersections and International Niagara Chamber Music Festival in Canada, Borges Cultural Center in Buenos Aires, and recently participated in the World Piano Conference 2015 in Serbia.
She began her musical life in Istanbul and received her Bachelor of Music degree at the Istanbul State Conservatory. As a recipient of a scholarship, she came to the United States to pursue her graduate studies. She received her Master’s from the Juilliard School and a Ph.D. degree with notable distinction at the New York University where she also served on the piano faculty. As a member of the NYU Chamber Music Society she premiered numerous works at Merkin Hall and won the NYU’s Chamber Music Special Award.
Durakoglu has been the director of the Chamber Music Society, Musica Mundana and has presented chamber music programs in major venues like the Jazz at Lincoln Center in NY, Merkin Concert Hall, and Jumeirah Pera-Palas in Istanbul. Most recently, she has released an album titled “Dances through the Keyboard” featuring the piano works of Bach, Chopin, and Debussy. Dr. Durakoglu has been a faculty member in the Music and Technology Division of CAL, at the Stevens Institute of Technology.