Yeşim Alkaya Yener’s musical talent was discovered at an early age while she studied piano at the State Conservatory of Ankara and she won the right to continue her education on the status for “Specially Talented and Gifted Children.”  She received her Bachelor Degree at the age of 18, after which she went to U.S. for advanced studies in Piano. 

She was admitted to Rochester University, Eastman School of Music, which is one of the top music schools in USA, as a student of Prof. Rebecca Penneys, where she received her “Master of Music Degree in Piano Performance` at the age of twenty, as the youngest graduate ever.  Prof. Penneys written about her that “In music, one does not meet too many Yeşims.”

Then, she studied advanced piano performance and music pedagogy at prestigious music schools in Russia (Gnesinih Music Instittue) and Italy (Santa Cecilia Music Institute).  In Moscow, she studied with Prof. T. Davidovich Gutman and Svetlana Bogino, and in Italy with Prof. Konstantin Bogino.

Between 1991-1995, Yeşim continued her studies with Mrs. Vivian Weilerstein at The Cleveland Institute of Music where she had opportunity to study with such very famous teachers and artists as, Ms. Anne Epperson, Vronsky Babin Mme, Claude Franke and Paul Schenly.

Her first orchestral concert was with N.Y. Chautauqua Orchestra, Anthony Milograno as the conductor. Later, she worked with conductors such as Daniel Barenboim, Louise Lane, Wayne Jeffrey and Carl Topilow. While in USA, she received the “Prize Winner” award from the International Murray Dranoff Duo Piano Competition and won the First Prize at Omta Grave Piano Competition.

Yeşim Alkaya Yener’s International concert career includes many Solo and Duo Piano concerts; concerts with Chamber Groups; concerts with orchestras and soloist at music festivals in countries like Turkey, USA (Washington DC, College Park MA, Cleveland OH, Oakpark OH, Rochester NY, Bloomington IN, Elettsville IN, Chicago IL, Oakbrook IL, Miami FL, New York N.Y), Russia, Poland, England, Germany, Italy, Ukraine, Bosnia, Moldavia,  Jordan and Bulgaria, Hungary (Budapest, Krakow, Szeget . She made many Radio and TV appearances and recordings in these countries.

She was appointed as the pianist of Chicago Civic Orchestra. She performed the world premiere of some compositions of composers such as William Bolcom, İlhan Baran, S. Zimmerman, P. Michelucci.   

She was the Jury Member for the Interstate piano competition in Chicago and served, regularly, on the Jury for the Chicago CPS Music Competitions.

After returning to Turkey in 2004, she joined the piano faculty, as full-time instructor, at Hacettepe University Ankara State Conservatory, the oldest and most prestigious music institution in Turkey. She was a jury and board member for the International Pera International Piano Festival in Istanbul for several years. She conducted many Master-Classes in Turkey and USA. She has several published articles and a book.

After returning to Turkey, she also performed at the 8th Bosnia International Music Festival, Szeget University Festival in Hungary and 5th and 6th International Pera Piano Festival.

She served as Head of the Organizing and Artistic Committees for the International Chopin Symposium that was held in 2010 on the occasion of the Composer’s 200th birthday.

She also served as the head of the Organizing Committee and as the Artistic Director for the International Liszt Music Festival, held in 2011, celebrating the composer’s bicentennial in Turkey.

She was appointed as Associate Professor in 2006 and became a full Professor in 2012 at Hacettepe University, State Conservatory of Ankara where she continues to work as a Head Of the Music Department and full-time piano faculty. She continues to perform variety of concerts in Turkey and abroad. She is married and has two children.