Violinist Burcu Göker, a native of Istanbul, Turkey, started her musical education at the age of eight at the University of Istanbul State Conservatory, where she graduated the high school division at the age of 14. Upon graduation she went on to study with Sylvie Gazeau at the Paris Paul Dukas Conservatory, being admitted at the Superior level in 1996. After earning a First Prize in Chamber Music and Music Theory, she was awarded the Premier Prix avec Felicitation du Jury for violin performance. Ms. Göker’s violin performances further garnered numerous prizes in competitions, including first prize distinctions in the 1997 and 1998 Paris UFAM Violin Competition, the 1997 Nerini Competition, and the 1998 Etienne Vatelot Competition.

In 2000 and 2001, Ms. Göker was admitted to the Orchestre Français des Jeunes de Radio France, which earned her the opportunity to tour Europe and also resulted in her being chosen to represent France in Ireland, playing in the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland as an assistant concertmaster.

In 2003, Ms. Göker continued her violin studies under violinist Stephane Tran-Ngoc at Lawrence University, where she graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Music degree in violin performance. Ms. Göker was the winner of the 2004 Concord Chamber Orchestra Concerto Competition, and also the Elizabeth Black Miller String Scholarship for violin performance at Lawrence University in 2005 and 2006.

Ms. Göker holds a Master of Music Degree in violin performance from the University of Calgary, where she graduated in 2009, having studied with Edmond Agopian. In addition to her duties as a graduate assistant, she was an active member of the University of Calgary Faculty String Quartet. In 2007, Ms. Göker was a winner of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra Concerto Competition.

Since 2009, Ms. Göker is currently pursuing a Doctor of Music degree in violin performance at Florida State University, studying with Corrine Stillwell, and is working as an assistant, teacher, and chamber music coach for the string department at Florida State University. She is also an active member of the resident Eppes String Quartet.

Pianist Eric Jenkins is a native of Portage, Wisconsin. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance from Lawrence University, where he studied with pianist Michael Kim, graduating magna cum laude in 2007. Mr. Jenkins was awarded the 2005 Theodore Rehl Chamber Music Prize and the 2006 and 2007 Marjorie Irvin Prize in Piano Performance.

In 2007, Mr. Jenkins pursued graduate piano studies at the University of Calgary, Canada, studying under Marilyn Engle and working as a graduate assistant in the departments of performance and musicology. Mr. Jenkins was a winner of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra Concerto Competition, which resulted in a performance of Benjamin Britten’s Piano Concerto with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra in their 2007-2008 concert season.

Since 2009, Mr. Jenkins is pursuing a Master of Music degree in Accompanying at Florida State University, studying with Timothy Hoekman. He is currently working as an assistant, coach, and pianist for the Florida State University Opera. In the summer of 2010 Mr. Jenkins was a répétiteur and staff pianist for the American Institute of Musical Studies, as a part of their six-week summer program in Graz, Austria.

The Goker-Jenkins Duo have regularly given chamber music concerts and recitals throughout the United States, Canada, France, and Turkey. As a duo, Ms. Göker and Mr. Jenkins have participated in numerous masterclasses and festivals associated with Lawrence University, the University of Calgary, the Academie Musicale Internationale, in Vaison-la-Romaine, France, and Florida State University.

The duo has received many performance invitations from universities and concert halls throughout Turkey, including engagements at Halis Kurtca Cultural Center, Kocaeli University, Kadir Has University, Koc University, Baskent University, Duzce University, Selçuk University, Inönü Üniversity, Pamukkale University, and the Caddebostan Performing Arts Center. In addition to these performances, the duo was selected to perform in 2005 at the memorial service for Ismet Inönü, the second president of Turkey, and in 2006 for a performance at the Austrian Embassy in Istanbul, for a special recital program to commemorate the 250th birthday of Mozart.

In May 2011 Ms. Göker and Mr. Jenkins will embark on a month-long concert tour throughout Turkey and Cyprus, and plan on producing a studio recording of violin-piano works over the summer, and also will performed at New York Carnegie Hall on May 2, 2011.


- For Turkish