Biography

Turkish conductor Atay Bağcı obtained his Master’s degree in Orchestral Conducting from Bilkent University studying with Assoc. Prof. Işın Metin in 2025.

During his conducting studies he led the Bilkent Youth Symphony orchestra in four concerts. He was invited to guest conduct the Bursa State Symphony Orchestra in April 2025 and the Muğla Municipality Orchestra in July 2025. In August 2025, as a participant of the Pehlivanian Professional Opera Academy, he conducted parts of “Don Giovanni” in nine different locations in Slovenia, including an appearance at the internationally prestigious Ljubljana Festival. He is a regular guest conductor in Bilkent University Composition Department’s contemporary music concerts. He was a semifinalist in the 2026 International “Gürer Aykal” Conducting Competition in Eskişehir, Turkey.

Between 2011-2017 he acted as assistant conductor to Orhun Orhon in the Ankara Youth Symphony Orchestra, and from 2019 to 2021 he was assistant conductor under Daniel Geiss in the EUphony Orchestra, Bundesschulmusikorchester and the “Brixen Classics” Festival Orchestra. He participated in masterclasses of distinguished conductors such as George Pehlivanian, Marc Piollet, Martin Akerwall and Artun Hoinic.

Originally trained as a hornist, Bağcı obtained his Bachelor and Master’s degrees as a Hornist from Kunstuniversität Graz. He was a part of orchestras like Graz State Opera, Concentus Musicus Wien, Mediterranean Youth Orchestra, Wiener Jeunesse, Junge Sinfonie Berlin, Turkish-Greek Youth Orchestra and Ankara Youth Symphony Orchestra. Bağcı now aims to carry his experience from these ensembles to the conductor’s podium.

In addition to his employment in the Presidential Symphony Orchestra Ankara as a hornist since 2021; he is also in the process of building a career in conducting.