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American pianist Evren Ozel has established himself as a musician of “refined restraint” (Third Coast Review), combining fluent virtuosity with probing, thoughtful interpretations. Having performed extensively in the United States and abroad, Evren is the recipient of a 2023 Avery Fisher Career Grant, 2022 Salon de Virtuosi Career Grant, and has been represented by Concert Artists Guild as an Ambassador Prize Winner of their 2021 Victor Elmaleh Competition. Most recently, in June 2025, he received the Bronze Medal and the Prize for Best Performance of a Mozart Concerto at the 17th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Fort Worth, Texas.

Since his debut with the Minnesota Orchestra at age 11, Ozel has been a featured soloist with the Cleveland Orchestra, Jacksonville Symphony, and The Orchestra Now at Bard College, with conductors Jahja Ling, Courtney Lewis, and Leon Botstein. His first album of Mozart Concertos with the ORF Radio Symphony of Vienna and conductor Howard Griffiths will be released on Alpha Classics I in July, 2025.

Ozel’s 2024-25 season highlights included solo recitals for La Jolla Music Society, Capital Region Classical, and Cal Performances. Previously, he has performed for the Harvard Musical Association, Schubert Club, Frederic Chopin Society in Minnesota, and The Gilmore. He carries a vast and varied recital repertoire that ranges from Bach and Rameau to Ligeti, as well as a program of Beethoven’s last three Piano Sonatas.

An esteemed chamber musician, Ozel performs alongside artists like David Finckel and Wu Han, Stella Chen, Zlatomir Fung, Paul Huang, and Peter Wiley. He spent four summers at the Marlboro Festival in Vermont and is currently a 2024-27 Bowers Program Artist for the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. His 2024-25 season includes a tour with Musicians from Marlboro, as well as CMS concerts at Alice Tully Hall.

Ozel recently received his Artist Diploma from New England Conservatory, following previous Bachelor and Master degrees also earned there, all under the tutelage of Wha Kyung Byun. Other important mentors include Jonathan Biss, Imogen Cooper, Richard Goode, Andras Schiff, and Mitsuko Uchida.

Previously, in 2021, Evren played an all Chopin recital co-sponsored by Schubert Club and the Frederic Chopin Society at the Ordway Center in Saint Paul.

“Ozel’s precise alignment of accents and phrase groupings in rapid passages created a ballet of the mind.” —Jed Distler, Gramophone

“The daring creativity and fierce passion Ozel channeled surpassed musicians twice or even three times his age.” —C���𱹱�����Ի�䳢��������������.���dz�

“[Ozel’s] entire performance brought forth that extra spark of spontaneity and inspiration that distinguishes an exceptionally gifted artist from a solid one.” —South Florida Classical Review

“…what a marvelous musician Ozel is, one with disarming confidence in his interpretations and a gift for smooth and engaging mood shifts.” —Minnesota Star Tribune

“Evren delivered a powerful yet intimate performance…the audience treasured every moment and once again experienced the magic of a live performance.” —Foundation for Chinese Performing Arts

PROGRAM
SCARLATTI
Sonata in G Major, K. 427
Sonata in C minor, K. 11
Sonata in C Major, K. 159

BEETHOVEN
Sonata in E Major, Op. 109

BARTOK
Out of Doors Suite, Sz. 81

FAURE
Nocturne No. 4 in E-flat Major, Op. 36

SCHUMANN
Carnaval, Op. 9