Anjelika Akbar (born 1969) is a Turkish composer, pianist and writer.
Born Anjelika Timchenko to a Ukrainian (Father) and Russian (Mother) family . Her mother was a professional musician, and her father, Stanislav Konstantinovich Timchenko, was a philosopher who also directed an orchestra. Akbar could play the piano and read music before reaching the age of 3. Akbar began taking private piano lessons at age three. Her first master was V. Lipovetsky, one of the founders of the Chinese Harbin Conservatory and a teacher at the Moscow Conservatory.
At the age of four, she was discovered to possess absolute pitch, and admitted to Uspkensky State Music School, a Soviet school for child prodigies, drawing the interest of the Moscow State Conservatory musicians. She continued her education at the Tashkent division of the same school, where other child prodigies like Alexei Sultanov and Stanislav Ioudenitch studied as well.
She studied her 11-year-long piano and composition in the classes of Asst. Prof. V. Fadeyeva, Prof. A. Berlin and Prof. B. Zeydman of the St. Petersburg State Conservatory. Soon afterwards Akbar entered the Tashkent State Conservatory, where she studied composition, orchestration and piano for additional 5 years to complete her education.
Akbar completed her MasterâÂÂs Degree in composition and orchestral conductor at Hacettepe State Conservatory, Turkey where she arrived in 1990 to write the music score of a film on world ecology that her husband had written. Akbar and her husband decided to stay permanently, and acquired Turkish citizenship. She received the âÂÂDegree for Proficiency in Artâ in 1993 after submitting her thesis in the class of Ass. Prof. Turgay Erdener on the subject of Russian composer A. SkriabinâÂÂs âÂÂAnalysis of Selected Piano Works in Harmonic, Melodic, Rhythmic, Formal and Philosophical Aspectsâ and composing âÂÂSymphony No.1â in Hacettepe State Conservatory. (âÂÂProficiency in Artâ is the equivalent of Doctorate for composers.)
Akbar recorded her first album âÂÂSuâ (water), featuring her preludes in 1999.
She has been credited with releasing the first solo piano adaptation of Vivaldi's Four Seasons in the history of classical music, which was published by Sony Music International in 2002, making its way to the Sony Classical catalogue as the first ever Turkish Classical Music album in their catalogue. Again in 2002, Anjelika Akbar co-performed the âÂÂBir'den Bir'eâ album with Rana Erkan and Zara.
She has been working with Composer Ali Darmar since 2003. On the same year, she released her album âÂÂBach A L'Orientaleâ in 2003, where she fuses Bach works with Oriental instruments.
âÂÂBir Yudum Suâ (A Drop of Water), an album including the artist's compositions and arrangements, was released in November, 2005.
She performed the Piano Concerto No.1 titled âÂÂSevgi ÃÂemberiâ (Circle of Love) the world premiere during the introductory concert of 10th International CRR (Cemal Reà Âit Rey) Piano Festival. Her Symphonic Poem âÂÂKutsal ðmlerâ (Sacred Signs), composed for âÂÂIndian Instruments Group and Symphonic Orchestraâ was performed by the Symphonic Orchestra for the first time at the Atatürk Cultural Center, conducted by A. Pirolli. Her tribute composition for the first president of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, called âÂÂGüneà Âin DoÃÂduÃÂu Ufuk-Piyano ve Senfonik Orkestra için Rapsodiâ (Horizon where the Sun Rises - Rhapsody for Piano and The Symphonic Orchestra) was performed by the Symphonic Orchestra of Turkey, and conducted by Rengim Gökmen as a world premiere.
In total, Akbar has composed over 400 works for the chorus, piano and other instruments with Symphonic Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra, and has performed in countless concerts in Russia, France, Germany, the Baltic Countries, Central Asia, India, Qatar, Turkey and Northern Cyprus.
Akbar has been interviewed by two of Turkish Airlines' official monthly Skylifes journalists, Julide Karahan and Ihsan Uysal, and was featured in an article in the airline's magazine published in November 2009.
In March 2016, the digital exhibition âÂÂPicturesque IstanbulâÂÂ, containing famous paintings of Istanbul from about 200 years ago, was opened at the Istanbul Naval Museum. Akbar composed and directed the music used in the exhibition. At the end of the exhibition, she presented her concert "Oriental Rhapsody".
Anjelika Akbar is the holder of many awards, some of them are: Moscow âÂÂSobesednikâ Press Award; USSR Ethnic Music Award; âÂÂGolden Lenin Awardâ Uzbekistan âÂÂBest Young Composerâ Award; USSR Board of Composers âÂÂBest Young Composerâ Award; 4TH Nejat Eczacñbaà Âñ Composition Contest âÂÂThird Place PrizeâÂÂ.
The Russian Board of Composers has recognized her as the âÂÂBest Young ComposerâÂÂ. She has become a member of Ukraine Board of Composers in 2006. Affiliating with the Board facilitates the composer members publishing their works or performing in concerts, also meant for its members to merit the title of âÂÂHonorary Artistâ rewarded by the Ministry of Culture.
Akbar is married to Batu Tarman, a Turkish civil engineer and contractor, and is the mother of 2 children. Her son Yurek Akbar, from her first marriage, is a photographer.