Mert Yalniz

German-Turkish musician Mert Yalniz is active as a conductor, pianist, and composer, uniting technical brilliance with artistic depth and an interdisciplinary perspective. With this versatility, he is increasingly establishing himself on the international classical music stage. 

He began his piano studies at an early age with Elena Levit before joining the class of Igor Levit, with whom he continues his studies at the Hanover University of Music, Drama, and Media. Further mentorship came from Matti Raekallio, Eva Kupiec, and Gülsin Onay in piano; Martin Brauss in conducting; and Marcus Aydintan in composition. Yalniz was also admitted at an early stage to the Institute for the Early Promotion of Musically Gifted Students (IFF), which had a lasting impact on his artistic development. 

He gained international attention as a Salonen Fellow in the Negaunee Conducting Program at the Colburn School in Los Angeles. In this role, he works closely with Esa-Pekka Salonen and collaborates with leading orchestras including the San Francisco Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Orchestre de Paris.

Yalniz’s performances have taken him to renowned festivals such as the Lucerne Piano Festival and Heidelberger Frühling. In 2025, he made his United States debut in the San Francisco Symphony’s acclaimed SoundBox series. As a pianist, Yalniz has appeared with major orchestras across Germany and developed a repertoire ranging from Bach and Mozart to Gershwin and contemporary composers. In 2022, he presented his large-scale work People-Fantasy, and he is also particularly dedicated to the music of Frederic Rzewski, performing his monumental cycle The People United Will Never Be Defeated!

As a conductor, Yalniz has collaborated with ensembles including Theater für Niedersachsen, the Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra Wernigerode, the Pori Sinfonietta in Finland, and the Colburn Orchestra in Los Angeles. His artistic growth has been shaped by work with distinguished conductors such as Jorma Panula, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, and Joana Mallwitz.

Yalniz is a prizewinner of numerous awards, among them the Eduard Söring Prize, the NDR Culture Promotion Prize, and both the Jury and Audience Prizes of the Pianale International Academy & Competition.