Biography

Selen Apaydın is a pianist whose performances reflect both technical command and a nuanced approach to sound manipulation, marked by a balance of musical clarity and expressive detail.

Her artistry is shaped by a decade of intensive soloist training under the guidance of the renowned Maestro Aquiles Delle Vigne, whose mentorship was pivotal in her artistic development.

The daughter of Mustafa Apaydın—one of Turkey’s most distinguished choir conductors and music educators—Selen was immersed in music from an early age. She graduated at the top of her class from Hacettepe University Ankara State Conservatory in 2002. At just 16, she was accepted into the class of Maestro Delle Vigne, prompting her move to Rotterdam, Netherlands.

Selen completed her Master of Music at Codarts with the highest distinction, “Cum Laude,” and further refined her artistry in Paris at La Schola Cantorum, an institution with a storied legacy of legendary professors such as Ravel, Messiaen, Albéniz, and Cortot. By the age of 24, she was invited to join the faculty at Codarts, Rotterdam Conservatory, as a guest pianist and teacher.

She has performed in respected venues and festivals such as the Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), Berliner Philharmonic Kamermuziek Hall (Berlin), De Doelen (Rotterdam), Salzburg International Summer Academy Festival, Leipzig International Music Festival, NJO Summer Festival, International Ankara Music Festival, Doelen Trance Music Festival, International Gümüşlük Classical Music Festival, Ton de Leeuw Concert Series, and the Orlando Festival.

Recognized as a cultural ambassador, Selen has represented Turkey at Codarts and participated in official delegations for both Turkish and Dutch governments, fostering collaborations between institutions such as Codarts and Bilkent University. Her performances and initiatives have been widely covered in both Dutch and Turkish media.

Driven by a passion for musical innovation, Selen explored contemporary and cross-cultural projects, including collaborations with world-renowned Indian musicians Hariprasad Chaurasia and Vijay Ghate—performing even for the Dutch Queen.

As a soloist and contemporary ensemble pianist, she has been frequently chosen by composers to premiere new works for over two decades. Among others, pieces by Mark Anthony Turnage, Evrim Demirel, and Dorothee Eberhardt have been written especially for the Apaydın Trio or premiered by them.

In addition to her performance career, Selen is an independent artistic researcher. Over the past six years, she has conducted doctoral-format research in piano pedagogy, resulting in multilingual publications that serve as critical guides for piano teachers and encourage reflective, innovative teaching methods.