"In a class on his own: Ilker Arcayurek has the kind of airy, easily ringing tenor that puts across words beautifully, with power in reserve yet a hint of vulnerability too" (The Guardian). This fast-rising tenor performs an all-Schubert recital, keenly organizing a selection of the composer's songs to illustrate life's path, negotiating themes including love, longing, inner peace and salvation. "Simon Lepper, whose prowess as a pianist is fused with a real sensitivity to words and to the voice, is a rarity indeed" (The Times, London).
Born in Istanbul and raised in Vienna, tenor Ilker Arcayurek has emerged as one of the most exciting and versatile vocal artists in recent years-hailed by the press for his "golden tenor" (Opera Now Magazine) and quickly establishing himself "in a class of his own" (The Guardian). He is a winner of the International Art Song Competition of Germany's Hugo Wolf Academy, a finalist of the 2015 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World and was a BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist. He was also selected to perform at Ronaldo Vilazon's Starts of tomorrow for ARTE. In 2017 Champs Hill Records released his first solo album Der Einsame, featuring Schubert songs and accompanied by Simon Lepper, to great critical acclaim.
Simon Lepper read music at King's College, Cambridge before studying piano accompaniment with Michael Dussek at the Royal Academy of Music and later with Ruben Lifschitz at the Fondation Royaumont. He is a currently professor of collaborative piano and a vocal repertoire coach at the Royal College of Music, London where he also in charge of the collaborative piano course. Since 2003 he has been an official accompanist for the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition.