We were lucky to catch up with Sefika Kutluer recently and have shared our conversation below.

Sefika, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?

I was able to start studying at the conservatory at a very early age after they discovered my talent in music.
Music and playing the flute became a great passion for me, but they also presented several challenges in my later professional life, which I could handle. My parents had to cope with my busy schedule even during the vacations.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Sefika Kutluer has studied at Ankara State Conservatory for 10 years, advancing 4 grades, and graduated with honors and awards in 1979. She achieved her solo career in Vienna and Rome.
She taught at the Ankara Conservatory for several years.
Receiving many international awards, she won the 1st prize in the “International Flute Contest“ in Vienna.
After winning several international competitions and launching her truly international career as a soloist, she was awarded the presidential Medal in Turkey, in 1985, the highest honor that country bestows on an individual, and in 1998 she became a “State Artist”.
She is known as the “Magic Flute” after the headline written by the New York Times’ critics.
Şefika Kutluer is the Flute Soloist at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
She received the “Golden Bravo Award”, as the “Best Classical Performer, in Russia at the Bolshoi Theatre. And she performed with the Bolshoi Theatre Symphony Orchestra on April the 25th, 2023.
She has been decorated with;
State Golden Medal – by the President of Italy,
“Austrian Gold Medal of Merit” by the President of Austria,
the “Cultural Medal” of the Republic of Kazakhstan and
Slovak Republic’s special award – the “Golden Medal of Honour”.
She received the 2000 Inter-Lyra prize from the ‘Hungarian Foundation for
Performing Arts’
She has been appointed as the “Goodwill Ambassador of Unicef”.
She received the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality’s “Adding Value to Ankara” award, and the “Strategic Vision Award” from “Turkish Asian Center for Strategic Studies (TASAM)”.
Şefika Kutluer received the award titled: “The Women of the Republic Who Left Their Mark in Performing Arts”
35th Ankara Film Festival presented Kutluer the “Art Treasure (Monument of Art)” Award.
She has performed several concerts in innumerable countries on five continents at famous concert halls, such as Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center in the USA, Bolshoi Theater, Tchaikovsky Hall, St. Petersburg Phil. Hall in Russia, Suntory Hall in Japan, and Rudolfinum in Prague. She has also participated in International Music Festivals and received very favorable reviews.
She participated in radio-television programs and held “Master Classes”.
Also, Şefika Kutluer prepares and presents a weekly program called “Music of Emotions” on TRT Radio 3 Classical Music channel.

In 2018, when the government of Israel invited her to represent Turkey, she joined the Mashav’s 30th International Women Leaders Conference of “Leading Women Making a Difference” in Israel. Gave a concert and delivered a speech with women leaders (vice presidents, ministers, parliament and supreme council members) joining the conference from 45 different countries worldwide.
She has performed concerts at the Palais des Nations in Geneva on the occasion of the 60th Anniversary of the United Nations Organization, at the Palace of Spain in the presence of the King and the Queen, and in Tokyo in the presence of Prince Mikasa.
Joined the 4th World Conference on Women, representing Turkey, in 1995 in Beijing, China, and gave a concert.
Kutluer represented Turkey at the Asian Symphony Orchestra, formed by artists from 40 different Asian Countries. In 2019, she performed the opening concert of The Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations in Beijing, China, in front of President Xi Jinping and to an audience of 80,000. Then, she continued her concert tour in China.

Ian Anderson composed a piece titled “Sefika’s Tango” especially for her, and she also performed it on a concert tour with Jethro Tull.
Arif Melikov, Turgay Erdener, Jose Elizondo, Rene Giessen, and Çetin Işıközlü have composed special music for her.
She made concerts with Claude Bolling that were dedicated to Jean-Pierre Rampal.

She has started an international festival in Ankara, which continues every year during the same period. “The first 15 International Şefika Kutluer Festivals – East Meets West” (www.sefikakutluerfest.com ) were organized annually from 2010 to 2024.
The International Şefika Kutluer Festival was chosen as the 1st in the “Best Festival” category at the Ace of MICE Awards 2020, which is accepted as the Oscars of the ”meetings and events industry”.

Sefika Kutluer has released 17 albums, including recordings with the Berlin Philharmonic and the British Royal Philharmonic orchestras. Her CDs are distributed worldwide, and her discography receives great appraisal from reviewers and music lovers.
Sony has awarded her Carmen Fantasy CD, with a “GOLDEN CD PRIZE”.
The American Record Guide reviewers have chosen her “Bach Sonatas” CD as one of the best CDs of the year.
She also received “GALLO GOLDEN CD COLLECTION” award from Gallo International, based in Switzerland, and her 17 CDs are published with this label.
Recently, she released a solo CD that included a composition she wrote for her beloved mother.
She is a Gallo International Management Artist.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Being a woman playing a breathing instrument like the flute requires a very high physical and mental condition. To preserve this strong condition, you need to face all challenges. And in a world where you can not receive the financial return you deserve on your work, you need to be very resilient.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I want to help society in all types of different and changing circumstances, like helping children for all their rights, as I am a UNICEF Goodwill ambassador. I also want to create high-quality music, as I am aware of the lack of culture in society. I want to use the power of music to unite people and also use the healing power of music.
Being in love with nature, I always try to awaken people to its beauties and feeding capabilities.
In my music, I always try to express the power of love and the bridges that love can create.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sefikakutluer.com
• Instagram: sefika.kutluer
• Facebook: Şefika Kutluer
• Linkedin: sefika.kutluer
• Twitter: @SefikaKutluer
• Youtube: Şefika Kutluer
• Other: www.sefikakutluerfest.com
  email: [email protected]