Mert Yalniz – Conductor, Pianist, Composer

Conductor, pianist and composer, Mert Yalniz unites technical brilliance with artistic depth and an interdisciplinary curiosity.

Born in Germany of Turkish heritage, Yalniz currently studies as a Salonen Fellow in the Negaunee Conducting Program at the Colburn School, and as a pianist at the Hochschule für Musik in Hannover with Igor Levit. At a young age, he was admitted to the Hochschule’s renowned IFF programme for musically gifted children, studying with Prof. Dr. Elena Levit.

In January 2026, he conducted the premiere of Limit, his first composition for orchestra, with the Colburn Orchestra. The work was described by Richard S. Ginell in San Francisco Classical Voice as an “all-encompassing series of episodes with striking instrumental colours”.

Elsewhere in the 2025/6 season, he made his debut with the Orchestre de Paris in a schools’ concert, and with the Philharmonia Orchestra in a contemporary programme as part of their Composers’ Academy programme as well as in a concert for their ‘Orchestra Unwrapped’ series.

At the Ojai Festival in June 2026, Yalniz conducted Lutosławski’s Grave with cellist Jay Campbell and the Colburn Orchestra.

At the Colburn School, Yalniz works closely with Esa-Pekka Salonen, and in this role has assisted and cover-conducted the San Francisco Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Orchestre de Paris. In addition, he has conducted musicians of the San Francisco Symphony in performances for the SoundBox series, led multiple programmes with the Colburn Orchestra, and appeared with several orchestras in Germany. Outside of his studies with Esa-Pekka Salonen, he has benefited from coaching with Jorma Panula, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Joana Mallwitz and Prof. Martin Brauß.

As a pianist, Yalniz has performed at the Lucerne Piano Festival, the Heidelberger Frühling Festival, and with several German orchestras. His concerto repertoire includes Bach, Mozart, Grieg and Gershwin, and his repertoire as a recitalist covers a wide range of interests including his own compositions. A particular feature is the music of Frederic Rzewski, whose The People United Will Never Be Defeated! has featured on his recital programmes in recent years.

Yalniz is the holder of numerous awards, among them the NDR Culture Promotion Prize, the Eduard Söring Prize, and the Jury and Audience Prizes of the Pianale International Academy & Competition.