Evelina Yücel

Founder and School Director of SunArt Academy Art Center,

Founder and Competition Director of SunArt Istanbul International Piano Competition and Festival

Born in 1981 in Kyrgyzstan into a family of musicians, Evelina Yücel began her music education at an early age. Recognizing her talent for piano, she started her professional music career early on.

She continued her music education at the Simferopol Music High School in Crimea, studying both Piano and Ukrainian folk instrument Domra, completing these programs

with distinction. Later, she completed her Bachelor's degree in Piano at the P. I. Tchaikovsky Ukrainian State Conservatory (Kiev) from 2000 to 2005, graduating with honors.

During her university years, she won many awards in international competitions and festivals. In 2002, she won the Grand Prix at the "Fividzano Music Competition" held in Italy. To further enhance her expertise, she pursued Master’s degrees in "Music Art" and "Orchestral Conducting" between 2005 and 2008.

Evelina Yücel continued her musical development on the international stage, giving recitals in Italy, Hungary, Iran, and Ukraine. She also had the opportunity to work with renowned professors such as V. Sirenko, A. Dubina, and L. Matviychuk.

Since 2008, Evelina has been living and teaching in Turkey. In 2014, she received specialized training from Prof. T. Smirnova in Moscow, studying the "Free Piano" method, an accelerated piano education technique for children. This method allows her to tailor her teaching approach to suit each student’s individual learning pace, helping them develop

their musical skills more rapidly.

Evelina Yücel employs a disciplined and innovative approach to piano education, focusing not only on technical proficiency but also on developing students’ artistic

sensitivity and stage presence.

Her students have won numerous awards in both national and international piano competitions, achieving notable success.
Many of her students have received letters of appreciation in ABRSM (The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music) exams.

Evelina Yücel has been a pioneer in piano education in Turkey, creating programs that support the development of individual talents.

As the Founder and School Director of SunArt Academy Art Center, she provides her students with piano education that meets international standards.
As the Founder and Competition Director of SunArt Istanbul International Piano Competition and Festival, she plays a leading role in discovering young talents and bringing classical piano music to a wider audience.
By organizing artistic events, festivals, and concerts in Turkey, she ensures that young pianists gain valuable stage experience.