Ayla Erduran was a virtuoso violinist and artist. She was a former concertmaster of the Presidential Symphony Orchestra (CSO). She had a distinguished national and international career both as a performer and educator. She passed away in Istanbul on 7 January 2025.

_{Ayla Erduran with her violin in Aliye Berger’s workshop at Narmanlı Han, 1964 – Salt Research}

Ayla Erduran was born in Istanbul on 22 April 1934. With the support of her mother Kadriye Erduran, she began violin studies at the age of three. At four years old she became a student of Karl Berger. At ten she gave her first recital at the Cinema of the Ministry of National Education accompanied by Ferdi Ştatzer. From this period onward, music became the center of her life. In 1946 she was admitted to the Ankara State Conservatory and graduated in 1951 after studying with Benedetti and Benvenuti.

Between 1951 and 1955 she worked with Ivan Galamian and Zino Francescatti in the United States. She gave her first concert in America in New York under the baton of Thomas Schermann. During this period she gained significant momentum toward an international career.

Erduran launched her concert career in 1956 with a performance of Glazunov’s Violin Concerto accompanied by the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra. Between 1957 and 1958 she studied with David Oistrakh at the Moscow Conservatory, further refining her technical and artistic abilities. During the same period she achieved major success at the Wieniawski Competition, placing among the top six out of 120 violinists.

In 1958 she gave the first performance of Ulvi Cemal Erkin’s Violin Concerto in Brussels. This performance received widespread acclaim, including attendance by Queen Elizabeth of Belgium. During the 1960s she expanded her career with tours in France, Germany and the United Kingdom. Her performance of Brahms’s Violin Concerto at London’s Royal Albert Hall was broadcast live by the BBC.

In 1970 she won the Beethoven Prize and in 1971 was awarded the title of State Artist of the Republic of Türkiye. Her wide musical repertoire, artistic mastery and international success drew considerable attention.

Ayla Erduran’s repertoire included major works by composers such as Brahms, Franck, Debussy and Grieg. She notably gave the first performance in Türkiye of Edward Elgar’s Violin Concerto, introducing this piece to Turkish audiences. In her performances she used two historic instruments: an Antonio Stradivarius violin made in 1710, known as “Nelson-ex, The Roderer,” and a Pierre Guarnerius violin made in 1720. Her recorded works were published in many countries.

From 1973 to 1990 Erduran taught in Switzerland, leading master classes at the Lausanne Conservatory. Throughout her teaching career she passed on her technical and artistic knowledge to young violinists.

Ayla Erduran died on 7 January 2025 at the age of 90 in a hospital in Istanbul due to health complications related to old age.