Ates Kirkan

Bassoonist Ates Kirkan has established himself as one of Ireland’s most exciting pedagogues.

He studied at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester and the Faculty of Music and Performing Arts, Ankara, Turkey.

He started his bassoon studies at the age of 12 with Selim Aykal and later Ali Irfan. In Manchester he learned with David Chatwin and Meyrick Alexander. During his studies he received master classes from Klaus Thunemann and Stefano Canutti. 

Here and abroad Ates has performed with many orchestras including the BBC Philharmonic, Bilkent Symphony Orchestra and the Orchestra of St.Cecilia. He has played with conductors such as, Zubin Mehta, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Yan Pascal Tortelier, and Sir Neville Mariner.

In Ireland Ates enjoys a busy freelance career and he regularly plays with the RTE National Symphony Orchestra, the RTE Concert Orchestra, and the Ulster Orchestra. He has been principal bassoonist for the Wexford Festival Opera several times.

Ates is passionate about bassoon. He enjoys all the variety of teaching and tutoring young people. He is a popular tutor with the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland.

In the RIAM Ates has proven to be an enthusiastic teacher. His lessons are energetic and passionate. Ates’s teaching methods have helped students to develop their own musical talents, steering them through the different stages of their musical education and helping them to prepare for their professional lives.