On the concert platform he has worked with orchestras such as the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Tonkunstler Orchestra, Tokyo Philharmonic, RSO Vienna, WDR Symphony Orchestra, Antwerp Symphony Orchestra, Orchester des Champs-Élysées, Orchester National de Lyon, Danish Chamber Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra Basel and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under conductors such as Mariss Jansons, Ivor Bolton, Phillipe Jordan, Marin Alsop, Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla, Philippe Herreweghe, Marie Jaquot, Laurence Equilbey, Riccardo Minasi, Mikhail Pletnev, Lars Vogt, Masato Suzuki, Maxim Emelyanychev, Ádám Fischer and Matthias Janz .
Future engagements will take Ilker back to Opera Vlaanderen in 2025, where he will give his debut as Max in Der Freischütz. Further he will give his Italy Debut in Milano with Orchestra Sinfonica di Milan in Messiah. Under the baton of Philippe Herreweghe and the Orchestre des Champs-Élysées, he will go on a European tour with Beethoven's 9th Symphony performing at the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, Bozar Brussels, Hamburg Elbphilharmonie among many other venues.
Ilker has been a member of the studio Zurich Opera, a member of the ensemble at Stadttheater Klagenfurt and the Nuremberg State Theater, performing various roles such as Tamino (The Magic Flute), Idomeneo, Ferrando (Così fan tutte), Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni) and Rodolfo (La Bohemian). He also made guest appearances at the Teatro Real de Madrid, the Munich Opera Festival, the Salzburg Festival, the Vienna Volksoper and the Graz Opera House.
He made his US opera debut as Nadir in Les Pêcheurs de Perles at Santa Fe Opera and in 2022 sang as Ariel and Father Ecstaticus in Schumann's Scenes from Goethe's Faust at Opera Vlaanderen. As Tamino, he enjoyed success on stages around the world at the Canadian Opera Company Toronto, in 2023 at the International Edinburgh Festival and most recently in 2024 at Bunkamura Tokyo with the Bach Collegium Japan.
Alongside his commitments to symphonic and operatic repertoire, Ilker is a passionate exponent of Lied. He has an ongoing collaboration with pianists such as Simon Lepper, Malcolm Martineau, Ammiel Bushakevitz, Daniel Heide, Hartmut Höll and Wolfram Rieger and has given recitals at the Edinburgh International Festival, the Frankfurt Opera House, the Schubertiade Schwarzenberg/Hohenems, London's Wigmore Hall, and the Schubertiada Vilabertran, deSingel Antwerp, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Life Victoria Barcelona, at the Innsbruck Festival, the Hugo Wolf Academy in Stuttgart and his US recital debut at the Park Avenue Armory in New York and in San Francisco.
Artist. Opera Singer. Born in Istanbul and raised in Vienna.
Tenor Ilker Arcayürek has emerged as one of the most exciting and versatile vocal artists in recent years – hailed by the press for his “golden tenor” (Opera Now Magazine) and quickly establishing himself “in a class of his own” (The Guardian). He is a winner of the International Art Song Competition of Germany’s Hugo Wolf Academy, a finalist of the 2015 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World and was a BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist.
He was also selected to perform at Ronaldo Vilazon’s “Stars of Tomorrow” for ARTE. In 2017 Champs Hill Records released his first solo album “Der Einsame”, featuring Schubert songs accompanied by Simon Lepper, to great critical acclaim. His latest recording with Simon titled “Path of Life” for Prospero Classical has recently been nominated for 2 OPUS KLASSIK Awards.
İlker
Arcayürek
Opera/Lied/Concert
Press
"Fritz-wunderlichhaft, unmittelbar interpretiert von Ilker Arcayürek"
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung , Heidelberger Frühling
Of the “straight” characters, perhaps the most effective was Ilker Arcayürek's Tamino. He is a very stylish singer. His “Dies Bildnis” was lovely and throughout he maintained a pleasing blend of beautiful tone and expressiveness coupled with convincing acting.
Bachtrack - The Magic Flute - Canadian Opera Company Toronto
"Turkish-born Austrian tenor Ilker Arcayürek displayed an affinity with the French technique of leggiero singing, with a superb performance of Nadir’s hauntingly beautiful aria «Je crois entendre encore»."
Opera Warhorses, Santa Fe Opera
“In a class on his own: Ilker Arcayürek has the kind of airy, easily ringing tenor that puts across words beautifully, with power in reserve yet a hint of vulnerability too.”
The Guardian - Der Einsame CD Review
★★★★★
"Tenor Ilker Arcayürek überzeugt in der Rolle des Rodolfo durch sensibles Spiel, edle Bühnenerscheinung und sichere Stimmkultur."
BR-Klassik - La Boheme - Staatstheater Nürnberg
"Through this journey through the songs of Schubert, Ilker Arcayürek brought an abundance of emotion, making for a wonderful showcase of his vocal artistry."
Opera Wire, Park Armory New York
"Tenor Ilker Arcayürek possesses the elements necessary to make Schubert’s worlds come to life. His modesty and sincerity allow the music to speak for itself [...] His handsome voice, flawlessly produced [...] Mr Arcayürek is a superlative artist ..."
Classical Voice, Park Armory New York
"... die Titelpartie singt Ilker Arcayürek. Der ist ein wirklich toller Sängerdarsteller, ..."
Süddeutsche Zeitung, Idomeneo Staatstheater Nürnberg
"Am eindrücklichsten ist Ilker Arcayürek in der Titelrolle [...] importiert sein Charakterporträt eines echten jugendlichen, wiewohl gebrochenen Kerls, dem die breite, gedeckte, zuweilen fahlfarbige Klanglichkeit gut steht."
Opernwelt - Idomeneo - Staatstheater Nürnberg
"This BBC New Generation Artist sings with such freshness and sincerity that even his melancholy is sweetly compelling [...] There is immense potential from this tenor, who has clearly worked hard to get inside these songs, yet doesn’t overburden the poetry with too many artful effects. Schubert, who saw his songs performed casually in living rooms among friends, would love this wonderfully intimate recording."
The Times, Der Einsame CD Review
★★★★★
Der Tenor Ilker Arcayürek sorgt als Ariel inmitten der überwältigenden Sonnenaufgangsmusik für selige Momente des Schwebens.
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung - Schumann's Faustszenen - Vlaamse Opera Antwerp
"Tenor Ilker Arcayürek, qui semble avoir capturé le soleil dans sa gorge ..."
La Croix, Heidelberger Frühling
"A golden and natural lyric tenor, even throughout the range and sensitive to text, with the benefit of solid top notes."
Opera Now - List of Top 10 rising stars
