About us

New Manhattan Sinfonietta (NMS) is a New York City based orchestra founded by world renowned Turkish maestro Mr. Gürer Aykal. NMS will proudly perform concerts at a caliber that will match the taste and sophistication of the audiences in and out of New York. Mr. Aykal has enthusiastically established the New Manhattan Sinfonietta as his final orchestra project. NMS was originally conceived in 2017 by Gurer Aykal in collaboration with Turkish American Arts Society of New York (TAASNY). NMS will seek to promote Turkish culture through the performance of Turkish inspired compositions by Turkish musicians. Although not exclusive to Turks, the orchestra is intended to give a home to Turkish musicians who wish to perform regularly in the United States.

NMS made its world premiere on November 29th, 2018 at the prestigious Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium. “A Call for World Peace” concert was conducted by Mr. Seiji Mukaiyama, a Japanese composer and conductor, and honored the exemplary friendship between Turkey and Japan.

On February 8th, 2020 NMS is making its debut with Gurer Aykal in Carnegie Hall. At “Anatolian Inspirations” concert, Maestro Gurer Aykal will be conducting his orchestra for the first time with a repertoire that includes “Esintiler” (Inspirations) by a highly regarded Turkish composer, Ferit Tuzun, along with Mozart and Beethoven.

NMS has the vision to continue to perform multiple concerts every year that includes the works of Turkish composers; thereby introducing them to the audiences around the world. Adopting the motto “diversity is the ultimate wealth in arts”, NMS aims at bringing exceptionally talented musicians and composers around the world on stage.

Gurer Aykal,

Founder and Principal Conductor

At our conservatory, we provide comprehensive music education that caters to every level. Our curriculum is designed to be engaging and effective, ensuring that students gain the skills they need to succeed in their musical endeavors.

Start with the student – find out what they want and help them achieve it.

Ibrahim Yazici,

President, TAASNY

Co-Founder, New Manhattan Sinfonietta

As President of the Turkish American Arts Society of New York (TAASNY) and co-founder of the New Manhattan Sinfonietta alongside Maestro Gürer Aykal, Ibrahim Yazici is dedicated to building a cultural bridge between Türkiye and the United States. Under his leadership, TAASNY and NMS present concerts and projects that bring together world-class artists, Turkish and international repertoire, and diverse audiences across New York and beyond.

His work focuses on creating platforms where emerging and established musicians can meet, collaborate, and share their artistry with the wider community. By combining artistic vision with careful organizational planning, he helps ensure that each project is not only musically compelling but also meaningful for the broader cultural life of the Turkish-American diaspora and the international arts scene.

Contact

We are a team of dedicated
musicians with years of experience

Meet our Soloist

Bengisu Gokce
Concert master

Bengisu Gokce is a versatile violinist, vocalist, and educator who blends Turkish musical traditions with jazz, folk, and contemporary improvisation. She is the new concertmaster of the New Manhattan Sinfonietta, bringing expressive musicianship and stylistic fluency to the ensemble’s sound.

She has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and major international festivals, collaborating with artists such as Mark O’Connor and Tigran Hamasyan. Known for her dynamic stage presence and cross-genre flexibility, she navigates classical, folk, and improvisational worlds with ease.

As a faculty member at Berklee College of Music, she teaches microtonal theory, global performance practices, and ensemble collaboration. Her teaching emphasizes cultural awareness, creative exploration, and developing a personal artistic voice grounded in both tradition and innovation.

Can Cakmur

Turkish pianist

Can Çakmur is an internationally acclaimed Turkish pianist and one of the most distinctive artists of his generation. He is the First Prize winner of the 2018 Hamamatsu International Piano Competition and the First Prize winner of the 2017 Scottish International Piano Competition, achievements that brought him global recognition. Çakmur has performed in major concert halls, including Wigmore Hall, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Tonhalle Düsseldorf, and leading venues across Japan, such as Act City Hamamatsu.

He has appeared at festivals including the Verbier Festival Academy, Mentor & Prodigies Festival, and the Istanbul Music Festival, where he was named Young Musician of the Year in 2018. As a recording artist for BIS Records, he is engaged in the long-term project of recording the complete Schubert piano works, which have received exceptional international praise for their clarity, poetic interpretation, and structural insight.

Meet the People of the Sinfonietta

Gurer Aykal, Conductor

Musicians of the Sinfonietta with

Bengisu Gokce, Concertmaster

Yiğit Karataş, Principal Second Violin

Yangzi Wang, Principal Viola

Emirhan Tunca, Principal Cello

Can Cakmur, piano

Sinfonietta Staff

Gurer Aykal, Founder, Artistic Director, (Music Director – TAASNY)

Ibrahim Yazici, Founder, Executive Director, (President – TAASNY)

Aysen Darcan, Ph.D., Founder, Executive Director, (Vice President – TAASNY