Pianist Meral Güneyman made her orchestral debut in the United States under the baton of Michael Tilson Thomas as first prize winner of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra's Young Artist's Competition. She was promptly reengaged by Tilson Thomas to play the Schumann Concerto with the Pittsburgh Symphony. Her Carnegie Hall debut was as winner of the East & West Artists' International Competition. After winning the prestigious William Kapell International Competition at the University of Maryland she performed with Leon Fleischer and the Baltimore Symphony. Her accolades further include being winner of the Juilliard School's Chopin Concerto Competition and Naumburg Competition finalist, which, once again, brought her to Carnegie Hall.

Meral is a Turkish born American citizen and holds the title of "State Artist", representing the Ministry of Culture of the Turkish Republic, worldwide. Her appearances have taken her to the Cervantes and Monterrey Festivals in Mexico; the International Istanbul Festival; the American Music Festival at the National Gallery in Washington; the Frederick Chopin Festival; the Presidential Symphony in Turkey; the Sarajevo Philharmonic; the Ljubliana Festival in Slovenia; and to Germany, Canada, France, Austria, Serbia (including a performance for the Serbian Royal Family), Croatia, Bosnia, Belgium, Italy, England and Japan, as well to many major cities in the U.S. In her role as academic and pedagogue she has appeared and concertised at Harvard University, M.I.T., Purchase and Georgetown University, New York University, the Bosphorus University (Istanbul) and many other institutions. She is a two-time winner of the Laura Conover Pedagogy Award.

Meral is dedicated to the advancement of contemporary music. She has premiered works by such diverse composers as Dick Hyman, Ilhan Mimaroglu, and Justin Dello Joio. Her ability to move instantaneously and convincingly between the classical and jazz genres is a rarity. Her recordings, regardless of the genre, have been received with universal acclaim. Her recording of the Frank Bridge sonata was heralded as among the five best of the year by Fanfare Magazine. She is listed in "Who's Who of American Women," and was singled out by David Dubal in "the Art of the Piano" for her recording of the Bridge Sonata.

In her capacity as performer and educator, throughout her life, Meral has worked to raise money for many charity organizations, among them: Save the Children Fund, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, UNA-NY, UNA-USA HERO (Help Educate at Risk Orphans) campaign, combating HIV/AIDS pandemics, and Americans for Cures and others for her most passionate and current cause, stem cell research.

Meral lives in New Jersey, U.S.A. with her family.

Official site: http://www.meralguneyman.com/

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