The Night of Virtuosos

Born on September 18, 1987, Muhammed Yıldırır began his violin studies at the age of seven under the guidance of his father, Ali Yıldırır. Performing in his father’s Turkish music orchestras, he soon attracted attention with his self-taught style and stage presence, earning the title of “Turkey’s Youngest Violin Virtuoso.” During his student years, he gave a series of concerts introducing Turkish music through solo and violin-piano arrangements. At the age of 25, he entered the Guinness World Records by performing Flight of the Bumblebee in 37 seconds, breaking David Garrett’s 66-second record and achieving the title of “World’s Fastest Violinist.”

Alongside his performance career, Yıldırır studied Composition at Istanbul Technical University, Sound Engineering at Yıldız Technical University, and Film Directing at Marmara University, though he attributes his artistic journey primarily to his autodidactic approach rather than academic training. Early in his career he became known for his international projects and concerts, later touring Turkey with the Russian Red Army Dance Ensemble in a production titled Muhammed Yıldırır Concerts, featuring a 150-member ensemble. He has since been invited as a soloist by numerous symphony orchestras in Europe and Turkey, where he presented programs combining Turkish music with Western classical repertoire, while also incorporating jazz, gypsy, and his own arrangements into a truly multicultural musical language.

As an artistic director and consultant, Yıldırır founded and conducted the Başakşehir and Beyoğlu Municipal Youth Orchestras, and later established the Hatay Philharmonic Orchestra and the Hatay Philharmonic Association, providing young musicians with international opportunities. In addition to his municipal roles, he continues to serve as a consultant to many private institutions and has organized numerous music competitions, panels, talks, and intercultural art projects throughout Turkey.

His discography includes “Çölde Serap” (Desert Mirage), released in 2007 and featuring his own compositions with Carnatic influences, and “The Carnival”, released in 2025, blending gypsy, classical, Turkish, tango, and klezmer traditions. He is also the creator and host of the TRT television program “Virtuosity with Muhammed Yıldırır.”

In recognition of his virtuosity and intercultural vision, Yıldırır was the only Turkish violinist invited by Dr. L. Subramaniam to perform at the 35th Lakshminarayana Global Music Festival, which over the past three decades has hosted legendary artists such as Roby Lakatos, Vadim Repin, Yehudi Menuhin, Mstislav Rostropovich, Jean-Pierre Rampal, Stephane Grappelli, Katia & Marielle Labèque, Herbie Hancock, Al Jarreau, George Duke, Ravi Shankar, Anoushka Shankar, Béla Fleck, and Billy Cobham.

He has represented Turkey at festivals in India, Italy, France, Romania, Germany, and many other European countries. In addition, together with Roby Lakatos and Dr. L. Subramaniam, he co-created the “Cross-Cultural Brotherhood Project”, presenting concerts and events in both Turkey and Europe.

Today, Muhammed Yıldırır continues his artistic journey actively, hosting world-renowned artists at festivals he both joins and organizes, while creating opportunities for young musicians. He performs on a historic Ferdinand Gagliano violin (1779)

Ilaria Costantino completed her musical studies at the Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi di Milano, where she studied piano under the guidance of Maestro F. Garilli. She later pursued advanced training at the II and IV International Advanced Courses in Piano Performance and Interpretation with E. Perrotta and C. Pastorelli; at the International Chamber Music Course of the Republic of San Marino with Maestro P. Masi and Prof. C. Butzberger; at the International Chamber Music Course of the Accademia della Romagna Toscana with Maestro D. Rossi; and at the International Academy of Imola “Incontri col Maestro.”

In 1998 she earned a diploma from the three-year professional training course for piano duo held by the duo C. Frosini – M. Baggio. In 1999 she graduated in harpsichord and early keyboards from the Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi di Milano. In 2010 she obtained a Second-Level Academic Diploma in Piano, and in 2013 a Second-Level Academic Diploma in Chamber Music, both from the same conservatory.

In 1997 she was awarded a scholarship for accompanist pianist offered by the Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi di Milano, where she worked as an accompanist for several years.

She performs mainly in piano duo, clarinet–viola–piano trio, and piano quartet ensembles, formations with which she has won several prizes at national and international competitions.

She has performed, among others, for: the Municipality of Milan and Savona; the Musical Association “Corelli” of Savona; the Società Umanitaria; the Società del Quartetto; the I.S.U.; the Mozart Italia Association of Milan; the Club Musicale of Parma; the Association “Arte Musica e Storia” of Rome; the Amici del Loggione of Teatro alla Scala in Milan; the Cantelli Foundation of Milan; the Teatro Mancinelli; the Amici della Musica of Argelato (Bologna); the Musical and Artistic Association of Malcesine; the “Concerti A. Buzzola” Association of Adria; the “I. Strawinsky” Association of Agrigento; Università Bocconi; the Il Coretto Association of Bari; the Amici della Musica of Casteggio and San Severo; the Chamber Orchestra Association of Messina; the Amici della Musica Association of Chieti; A.GI.MUS of Siracusa and Lucera; the Margola Musical Association of Brescia; the Bergen Festival in Norway; the International Chamber Music Festival in Macedonia; festivals in France and Spain (Escala Festival); and chamber music festivals in Vienna, Lugano, and Luxembourg.

She is currently a professor of piano practice at the Conservatorio Giacomo Puccini in La Spezia.

Cesare Chiacchiaretta, hailing from the vibrant city of Chieti, discovered his passion for the accordion at a remarkably young age. As time went on, he ventured into learning the bandoneon, further expanding his musical repertoire. His dedication and commitment to his craft led him to study under the tutelage of the esteemed Maestro Claudio Calista at the renowned Music Academy of Pescara. In 1995, Chiacchiaretta achieved distinction as a graduate of the prestigious "N. Piccinni" Conservatory of Bari.

Seeking to refine his skills even further, Chiacchiaretta sought guidance from eminent maestros such as Max and Christiane Bonnay, Vladimir Zubitsky, and Mogens Ellegaard. His exceptional talent did not go unnoticed, as he received accolades in numerous national and international competitions. Notably, he emerged as the winner of the esteemed PIF Castelfidardo Premio Category in 1993. Furthermore, his exceptional abilities secured him the honor of being the sole Italian performer at the Unesco World Cup in 1991. In 1993, Chiacchiaretta represented Italy at the 43rd Accordion World Trophy in Setubal, Portugal, an invitation that showcased his remarkable musical prowess.

With a captivating stage presence and unparalleled musicality, Chiacchiaretta has graced over 1,000 stages across 35 countries, delighting audiences worldwide. He has had the privilege of performing alongside esteemed orchestras such as the Italian Radio Switzerland Orchestra, Kaunas Chamber Orchestra (Lithuania), Bacau Symphony Orchestra (Romania), Queretaro Symphony Orchestra (Mexico), I Virtuosi di Moscow, Lugansk Philharmonie (Ukraine), Kiev Philharmonic, Baden Baden Philharmonie (Germany), Brazos Valley Orchestra (USA), Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra (Croatia), Abruzzese Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of Trento, East Western Orchestra (South Korea), Salzburg Soloists (Austria), and A. Scarlatti Orchestra (Naples, Italy). One of the most unforgettable moments of his career was performing under the esteemed direction of Maestro Riccardo Muti at the illustrious Teatro dell'Opera di Roma.

Chiacchiaretta's exceptional talent has also led to collaborations with luminaries such as Eddie Daniels, Amanda Sandrelli, Elio, Enzo Iacchetti, Giampaolo Bandini, Corrado Giuffredi, Trio di Parma, and Enrico Fagone. In 2008, he had the great privilege of showcasing his skills as a bandoneonist alongside Fernando Suarez Paz, the renowned violinist of Astor Piazzolla's orchestra. Together, they recorded a groundbreaking CD that garnered critical acclaim and won the prestigious Orpheus Award Critics Award. In fact, Chiacchiaretta has been honored with the esteemed Orpheus Award on three separate occasions. In 2011, he received the coveted Astor Piazzolla Award for his tireless efforts in promoting the compositions of the legendary Argentine master.

Chiacchiaretta's passion for sharing his vast knowledge and expertise extends beyond his own performances. He has served as an accordion teacher at the esteemed Conservatorio di Lecce and currently imparts his wisdom at the prestigious Conservatorio Statale di Musica - Istituto di Alta Formazione Musicale "Umberto Giordano" of Foggia. Additionally, he conducts masterclasses at esteemed institutions such as the Universities of Missoula (Montana, USA), St. Petersburg (Russia), Loyola University (Los Angeles, USA), and Beijing Central Conservatory (China), enriching the musical education of aspiring artists around the globe.

Notably, Chiacchiaretta's talents have been immortalized in recordings with renowned labels such as Decca, Naxos, Concerto, and Fonè. These recordings serve as a testament to his exceptional musicianship and his unwavering commitment to his art.