WCIPC winner Korkmaz Can Sağlam returns for recital Nov. 16
Pianist Korkmaz Can Sağlam, who captured first place at the 2026 Weatherford College International Piano Competition, returns to WC for a performance at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 16, in the Alkek Fine Arts Center. Admission is free.
The recital will feature music by Gabriel Fauré, Franz Schubert, Franz Liszt and Sergei Rachmaninoff, including Rachmaninoff's Piano Sonata No. 1, a work Sağlam began performing during the competition's first round.
“The program features some of my favorite music,” Sağlam said. “I'm naturally drawn to the Romantic repertoire and feel a particularly strong connection to these composers."
Since winning the competition, Sağlam has continued building an international career. Last summer, he collaborated with the acclaimed Italian contemporary dance company Aterballetto during the Istanbul Music Festival and later won first prize at the Samson François International Piano Competition in France.
Originally from Turkey, he recently relocated to Berlin, where he is studying with renowned pianist and educator Kirill Gerstein at Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler.
Reflecting on his Weatherford experience, Sağlam recalled performing Fauré's Piano Quartet with the WC Ensemble after only 30 minutes of rehearsal.
“I was amazed that we were able to bring such a complex work together in such a short time,” Sağlam said. “I'm very grateful to every member of the ensemble for their collaboration and musicianship.”
WCIPC Director Dr. Hyeyoung Song said Sağlam distinguished himself throughout the competition's newly introduced solo and chamber music final rounds.
“At the 2026 WCIPC, we introduced the solo and chamber music final rounds for the first time, and Can gave outstanding performances in both, demonstrating exceptional artistry, musical maturity and versatility,” Song said. “He is a remarkable young pianist, and I look forward to seeing his career continue to flourish on the international stage.”
Song also highlighted the role of host families in creating lasting relationships with competitors from around the world.
Sağlam added that the relationships he developed in Weatherford have remained one of the most meaningful parts of the competition experience. He specifically thanked his host family, Jamie and Michael Brinkley, for helping make Weatherford feel like home and for maintaining a friendship long after the competition concluded.
“These lasting connections are an important part of what makes WCIPC so special,” Song said.
Sağlam, who first gained international recognition as the Grand Prize winner of the Vendome Prize for Piano, has performed in major venues across Europe, North America, Asia and Australia, including Carnegie Hall's Zankel Hall in New York, Kioi Hall in Tokyo and the Melbourne Recital Centre. He released his debut album, Solace, in 2024 and has performed with orchestras in the United States, Japan and Turkey.