Gonca Huff

Gonca is a native of Ankara, Turkey. She began her music studies on several instruments at age 10, concentrating on piano. At age eleven, She was selected to join the Ankara State Conservatory of Music. From this point on she dedicated her life to the cello and piano. Studying and practicing 6 to 8 hours a day, cello and music was her life. From there, She received her bachelors degree in cello performance from Hacettepe University, parent of the Ankara State Conservatory.

Right after college, she relocated to Adana to assume the principal cellist role with the Cukurova Symphony at age 21. During her eight years in Adana, she taught cello at Adana State Conservatory, started the New Adana Chamber Quartet, and performed with many other ensembles and chamber groups. In addition to her teaching and performing with various orchestras and chamber ensembles, Ms. Huff was also a active soloist with performances throughout the region. During her years in Adana, she also wrote the music news column for the area gazette. She was selected as one of the Turkey’s Junior Chamber International Ten Outstanding Young Persons of Cultural Achievement.

Gonca came to the US after she was awarded a graduate scholarship to work toward a masters degree in cello performance at Western Michigan University. She studied cello with Professor Bruce Uchimura and Irene Sharp of Palo Alto CA.. She also studied the Suzuki cello teaching method with Grace Field and Rick Mooney. While pursuing her studies, she remained active performing with various chamber groups and orchestras.

Her primary teacher in Turkey was Ali Dogan ( a disciple of Andre Navarra and Pierre Fournier and their French sytles). She also studied with Andre Navarra himself and other famous cellists, including Roman Jablonski. She perfected her techniques in the French and European traditions in these formative years. In America, she studied American techniques and methods with Irene Sharp, Rick Mooney, and Carlton McCreery. She also learned teaching with the Suzuki method. She has certificates for Cello books 1-5. She is especially interested in teaching children and has studied Music Together and Brain Gym courses aimed at early childhood education. She has 2 Cello CDs available.

Teaching
Private Suzuki Cello / Piano teacher
Professor of Cello, Cukurova University in Adana Turkey
Cello Instructor, A&M University
Suzuki Cello Instructor, Smith String Studio
Cello Instructor, Oakwood Elementary School
Cello Instructor, Valley Conservatory
Cello Instructor, Brought Music Center
Suzuki Cello Instructor, St Joseph High School, Michigan

Orchestral Engagements
Cukurova State Symphony Orchestra—Principal Cellist
Shoals Symphony at UNA—Principal Cellist
Istanbul State Symphony
Japanese Tour—Adana State Symphony
Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra
Battle Creek Symphony Orchestra
Huntsville Symphony Orchestra
Tupelo Symphony Orchestra
Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra
University of Alabama Birmingham Opera
Huntsville Opera Theater
Chattanooga Symphony Orchestra
Gadsden Symphony Orchestra

Chamber Music Ensembles
Blue Sky String Quartet
Valley Conservatory String Quartet
New Adana Chamber Ensemble Quartet
Felicity String Quartet
Mediterranean String Quartet