Büşra Kayıkçı

Neoclassical concert.

She is considered one of the most exciting pianists of our time. Born and raised in Istanbul, Büşra Kayıkçı came into contact with art at an early age, particularly ballet, painting and piano music. After completing her studies in interior architecture and environmental design, she began to incorporate more and more musical elements into her design concepts.

As an interdisciplinary artist, Büşra Kayıkçı strives to create a unique voice at the intersection of music, space and image. Since her debut recording "Eskizler" (2019), she has consistently sought to expand her sonic palette, further developing her sound in the album "Places" (2024) and most recently in the EP project "Weaving" (2025).

"Weaving" is a very personal and conceptual album inspired by the ancient weaving traditions of Anatolia, where her family roots lie. With this music, she draws a parallel between traditional looms and her piano, both instruments with imposing silhouettes and complex inner workings, to explore storytelling through both music and craftsmanship.

"In Anatolia, weaving was never just a craft - it was a form of expression. Women wove their life stories into each pattern, thread by thread, enshrining their joys, sorrows, hopes and dreams in intricate designs. Maybe they couldn't always put their feelings into words, but they could weave them into something lasting. I believe that composing music has the same effect on me. Even though our art forms are different, we do the same thing - we translate our inner world into something tangible." Says the artist about her new work.

Each track on this album revolves around a symbolic motif often found in the patterns of Anatolian carpets - from the dragon, symbolizing power or perhaps the enemy, to the bird, representing news, love or happiness. These symbols are more than just ornaments, they have a deep cultural and emotional meaning and speak a language of their own, conveying feelings that cannot always be expressed in words alone.

To further emphasize the essence of this tradition in a modern soundscape, Büşra Kayıkçı has combined her complex piano melodies with the sounds of real looms: The album's introduction is based on recordings from a workshop, capturing the authentic, rhythmic pulse of the craft itself, synchronized with her own hands on the keys.

"I don't know if this is just a recording project or something deeper - maybe an attempt to find my own thread in this long tradition," she reflects. "But I know that, just like these rugs, it contains something personal, something unspoken, something waiting to be woven into sound."

Büşra Kayıkçı has presented her music on renowned international stages, including the Berlin Funkhaus, the Ruhr Piano Festival, the Piano Era Festival in Tokyo and an ARTE "Piano Day" concert in France. She has also collaborated with the video platform La Blogothèque and the New York Theatre Ballet with Melissa Toogood. Notably, a reworking of her composition "The Middle of Nowhere" by Nicolas Jaar was featured in the Givenchy show at Paris Fashion Week 2025; "Qarib" was included in Nils Frahm's LEITER Verlag Piano Day compilation; and she wrote the piece "Kuledibi No. 1" specifically for a collaboration with an Istanbul fashion brand to celebrate cultural diversity.

Büşra Kayıkçı continues to explore new creative territories and connect with audiences worldwide.

"In a way, as a composer, I design a place and the audience moves within it and within its architecture. I believe that when we listen to a song, we travel from space to space and from time to time. When a melody touches you deeply, you can experience a place with your mind and soul."

Current EP:
"Weaving" (2025), Warner Classics / Parlophone Records Ltd.