About Me
Ahmet Sonmezler is the "First Turkish Cypriot" ever to earn a Degree from the prestigious Peabody Conservatory of Music who was shown as ''the international classical guitar virtuoso of the future'' by the Cyprus Newspaper in October 2005. Mr.Sonmezler is also the first graduate from the Eastern Mediterranean University to receive acceptance into the Doctoral program of Musical Arts. Mr.Sonmezler is from Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, who was born in 1983. He became acquainted with the classical music at the age of five and began to play classical guitar professionally at the age of seventeen. Mr.Sonmezler was invited to participate at the Kammermusik Festival and Summer Academy in Stift Rein, Austria by the Festial Director and Cellist, Erich Oskar Huetter and was also invited to participate at the Cortona Contemporary Music Festival in Camucia/Cortona, Italy by the Artistic Director and Pianist, Nathanael May. Mr.Sonmezler was commissioned from the Full-Bright Commission U.S.A to constitute a ''Cyprus Violin and Guitar Duo'' with the Cypriot violinist Paris Hadjipanayi where they have given concerts throughout the Cyprus, most notably in the capital Lefkosa and Limasol. Mr.Sonmezler has given the world premiers of the compositions of such composers including Mark Zanter "Character Pieces for Guitar", Luca Vanneschi "Quattro Piccolli Pezzi Blu", and David S. Lefkowitz "(Sur-)Real (Cine-) Music I: The Chase Through Escher's Metamorphosen." Mr.Sonmezler has performed to such renowned Classical Guitar artists and Teachers including, Matt Gould, Dimitris Reggonis, Armin Egger, Robert Bekkers, Massimo delle Cese, Philipe Villa, Ray Chester, Julian Gray, Mark Delpriora, Oran Fader, Bruce Holzman, Thomas Patterson, Nicholas Goluses, Paul Galbraith, David Russell and Manuel Barrueco. His teachers included Acar Akalin, Dr.Matt Gould, Armin Egger and Ray Chester. Mr.Sonmezler is the recepient of worthy scholarships and awards including, the Eastern Mediterranean University success scholarship granted throughout the degree program, Diploma for successful chamber music and solo performances at the Kammermusik Festival, full scholarship at the Kammermusik Festival, a plaquette and a certificate in the result of achieving the highest CGPA in the class of 2005 at EMU, Peabody Merit-Based scholarship, success scholarship and doctorate scholarship from the Ministry of Education and Culture in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and a Graduate Teaching Assistantship at the University of Arizona School of Music. Mr.Sonmezler has performed with such important musicians on stage including Wilken Ranck (violin), Dr.Matt Gould (guitar, member of DUO 46), Beth Schneider (violin, member of DUO 46), Dr.Lisa Cella (flute), Benedikt Binewald (violin) next to many others. Ahmet Sonmezler has earned his Bachelor of Music Degree from the Eastern Mediterranean University in Guitar performance in the first place with High-Honors and a Master of Music Degree in Guitar performance from the Peabody Conservatory of The Johns Hopkins University. Currently, he is a member of the Mu Phi Epsilon Fraternity, Phi Gamma Chapter, Peabody Conservatory and the Peabody Alumni Association. Mr.Ahmet Sonmezler is performing on the 2006 Model Jeroen Hilhorst Concert Classical Guitar and currently, he is pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Guitar performance at the University of Arizona School of Music under the tutelage of Thomas Patterson.
