Cem Tolunay Gürakar

  Cem Gürakar (born Cem Tolunay Gürakar in 1996 in Mersin, Turkey) began playing various instruments, including the piano, at the age of five. At thirteen, he started studying the double bass with Timur Bayramoğlu and later continued his education at Mersin University State Conservatory with Irmak Sabuncu, where he also completed his undergraduate studies.

  In 2022, he was accepted into the class of Denton Roberts at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz, where he also studied with Ernst Weissensteiner and Timothy Dunin. He is the recipient of several international awards, including first prize at the New York International Classical Music Competition (USA) and second prize at the Agimus Padova International Music Competition (Italy).

  Cem has performed as a member of the double bass section in orchestras such as the Bregenz Festival Vienna Symphony Orchestra Academy and the Orchestre National des Jeunes du Luxembourg. In addition to these, he has also taken part in various concerts and festivals under the direction of leading ensembles such as Klangforum Wien and Ensemble Modern. Beside all, he has participated to many festivals such as Salzburg Music Festival, Bregenz Music Festival, Ljubljana Music Festival, Wien Modern and Impuls Festival for Contemporary Music.  

  He has participated in many masterclasses and workshops with acclaimed double bassists such as Dorin Marc, Božo Paradžik, Renaud Garcia-Fons, Ödön Rácz, Fora Baltacigil, Paul Cannon, among many others.

Cem Gürakar is currently pursuing his studies in the PPCM (Performance Practice in Contemporary Music) program at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz, under the artistic guidance of Klangforum Wien.

 

  At the same time, he is a member of the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra in Ljubljana.