Ferhunde Erkin

Who was Ferhunde Erkin?

Ferhunde Erkin was a Turkish pianist born in Istanbul. Ferhunde Remzi started her first lessons in Bandırma with her father Ali Remzi Yiğitgüden's guidance when her brother Necdet Remzi Atak started violin lessons.

Ferhunde and Necdet later took lessons from several teachers in Istanbul, but mostly from Karl Berger. They gave their first recital in Galatasaray High School on March 20, 1920 when Istanbul was under occupation after the end of World War I.

With the advice of a music teacher, Von Kleibiner, Ferhunde and Necdet applied and received the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation scholarship and went to Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Leipzig. They finished the three year school in two years and graduated in 1930.

Upon their return to Turkey both started as teachers at Musiki Muallim Mektebi on April 7, 1931. Ferhunde Remzi met Ulvi Cemal Erkin on that same day. Ferhunde Remzi and Ulvi Cemal Erkin married on September 29, 1932.

She played in Berlin at wartime in 1943 with Berlin City Orchestra conducted by Fritz Zaun.

She played with Suna Kan from 1961 till 1967 on several local and international concerts.