Fazil Say and Avi Avital

Fazil Say is a Turkish classical composer and concert pianist. He grew up as a prodigy: he was able to do basic math with 4 digit numbers and play recognizable tunes on a makeshift flute at the age of two with no prior training. He started piano lessons at three years old and went on to write his first piano sonata at age 14. Even from this young age, his personal style was evident in his compositions: variable and dance-like rhythms typically formed through syncopation; a continuous pulse and an abundance of melodies (often based on themes from Turkish folk music); and a rhapsodic, fantasia-like structure that forms the piece.

As his career developed, Say frequently used large orchestral formats for his compositions. He also used many traditional instruments from Turkey, like the ney reed flute and the kudüm and darbuka drums. Say’s first symphony, the Istanbul Symphony premiered in 2010 at the end of his five-year residency at the Konzerthaus Dortmund. The symphony, like many of his other works, is a poetic tribute to the city (and the people) for which it was written. He draws from centuries-old poetry, from history, and from the folk music of Turkey and its neighbors to inspire his writing.

Fazil Say’s Mandolin Concerto is a commissioned work that premiered in July 2025 at the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival. It was composed in close collaboration with Avi Avital, the mandolin virtuoso who performed the world premiere. This piece is a major contribution to the classical repertoire for mandolin. Classical compositions for this particular instrument are somewhat scarce, but the repertoire also includes works from iconic composers like Vivaldi and Bach. Avi Avital will perform the U.S. premiere of Say’s Mandolin Concerto at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa, California with Pacific Symphony on May 7th-9th, 2026.

Avi Avital is the first mandolin soloist to be nominated for a classical Grammy. The New York Times describes his live performances as passionate and “explosively charismatic.” He has commissioned and performed over 100 works for mandolin around the world. His collaborations span across many genres and geographical regions. He created his “Between Worlds Ensemble” with a three-part residency at the Boulez Saal in Berlin focused on exploring different genres, cultures, and musical worlds with its first year featuring traditional, classical, and folk music from the Iberian Peninsula, Black Sea, and Italy.  

Avi Avital and Fazil Say both emphasize cultural exploration and connection through their music. It is clear to see why their collaboration on the Mandolin Concerto produced such a beautiful and complex piece of music.

See Avi Avital perform the U.S. premiere of Say’s Mandolin Concerto at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa, California with Pacific Symphony on May 7th-9th, 2026. Get tickets.