Celil Refik Kaya-Guitar

BIOGRAPHY

Turkish-American guitarist Celil Refik Kaya has been a celebrated figure in the classical guitar world since making his concert debut at the age of six. Throughout his career, Kaya has garnered numerous accolades and recognition for his exceptional artistry. At just 20 years old, he became the youngest guitarist ever to win First Prize in the 2012 JoAnn Falletta International Guitar Concerto Competition with the Buffalo Philharmonic. He is also a prizewinner of several prestigious international guitar competitions, including those held in Sofia (Bulgaria), Naxos (Greece), Vienna (Austria), Istanbul (Türkiye), and across the United States. His achievements include top awards from the Guitar Foundation of America (GFA), the Indiana International Guitar Competition, the Boston Guitar Competition, the Texas International Guitar Competition, the Schadt String Competition, and the Philadelphia Guitar Competition. In 2017, he was honored with the Rising Young Musician of the Year award by the Donizetti Classical Music Awards in Istanbul.

Kaya’s debut recording, Jorge Morel Guitar Music, has been widely praised by critics. The American Record Guide describes his performance as “perfect, revealing the true heart in the pieces without over-embellishing.” His extensive discography also includes works by Carlo Domeniconi, Agustín Barrios Mangoré, Joaquín Rodrigo, as well as his own compositions, recorded for Naxos Records. His contributions to this label have garnered attention for future collaborations.

As an internationally renowned soloist, Kaya has performed extensively across the United States and Europe. He has collaborated with world-class orchestras including the Buffalo Philharmonic, Virginia Symphony, Presidential Symphony Orchestra in Türkiye, Istanbul State Symphony, Hilton Head Symphony, Brevard Festival Orchestra, Lake Placid Sinfonietta, and the Bilkent Symphony. His mastery of the guitar has earned him acclaim on the international stage, and he has led masterclasses at major music festivals and universities in both the U.S. and Europe.

Kaya has premiered numerous guitar concertos, including works by Roberto Sierra (Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra), Derwyn Holder (New Jersey Baroque Orchestra), Leonard Handler, and Suleyman Alnitemiz (Istanbul State Symphony). His collaborations with prominent contemporary composers like Lowell Liebermann, Jorge Morel, and Roberto Sierra further showcase his commitment to advancing the repertoire for classical guitar.

Kaya has graced some of the world’s most prestigious concert halls and festivals, performing solo recitals, concertos, and masterclasses. His performances have been featured in series such as the D'Addario Performance Series at Carnegie Hall, Masters of the Guitar Series at the Concertgebouw, and the Frick Collection Museum’s Summer Artists Series in NYC. He has also performed at the New York Guitar Seminar Festival at Mannes College, Round Top Festival in Texas, Brevard Music Festival, Raritan River Music Festival, and the Ankara International Music Festival. His work has been broadcast on numerous radio stations across the United States and Europe.

Born in Istanbul, Türkiye, Kaya began studying classical guitar at the age of six with his father, Mehmet Refik Kaya. His early teachers included influential educators such as Yusuf Doğan Büyüköğüt, Raffi Arslanyan, and Soner Egesel. At 19,  Kaya graduated with Highest Honors from Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University State Conservatory in Istanbul, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Music. He also received the prestigious Excellence Scholarship from the Turkish Educational Foundation. During his undergraduate years, he studied composition with the distinguished Turkish composer Mehmet Nemutlu.

Kaya's international reputation grew as he pursued his Master’s degree in Music at Mannes School of Music in New York City. A full-scholarship recipient, he was awarded the Excellence in Performance Award from Mannes College. He studied under the tutelage of Michael Newman and privately with Grammy Award-winning guitarist Sharon Isbin. He also studied composition with Frederic Hand and Donald Grantham.

As a composer, Kaya is highly regarded, having composed over 100 works for various ensembles including orchestra, solo guitar, violin, piano, and string trio. His compositions have been performed in the United States, Türkiye, South Korea, and the Sydney Opera House. Many of his selected works have been published by Les Productions d’Oz in Canada, Hal Leonard and FDPublications in the United States.

Kaya has been awarded prestigious fellowships, including the Dumbarton Oaks Early-Career Musician Fellowship at Harvard and the Harrington Fellowship at the University of Texas at Austin, where he completed his Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) degree in 2019 under the mentorship of renowned guitarist Adam Holzman.

Currently, Dr. Kaya serves as the Coordinator of Guitar Studies at both Kean University Music Conservatory and New Jersey City University