Mehmet Okonsar
Pianist
Turkish-Belgian musician whose prolific recording and performing career was praised throughout Europe.
He began studying at the National Conservatory of Ankara where he was taught by the respected Turkish musicians and teachers Nimet Karatekin and Necil Kazim Akses.
He was given the title State Artist of the Turkish Republic in 1992 by Turkey President Suleyman Demirel.
His family moved to Belgium for a time, but political upheaval in Turkey in 1977 required them to return to Ankara.
His expert interpretations of The Art of Fugue, the Goldberg Variations, and The Well-Tempered Clavier showed off his mastery of Johann Sebastian Bach's repertoire.