CEREN TÜRKMENOĞLU
Violinist | Composer | Multi-instrumentalist
A violinist, multi-instrumentalist, and composer, Ceren Türkmenoğlu blends classical music with cultural roots and global influences. Passionate about connecting traditions through music, she shares her works with audiences on international stages.
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LATEST NEWS
Seminar
I will be presenting my paper, “IGIL - Sound, Nature, and Tradition in Tuvan Music” at Bilkent University’s Department of Composition.
The presentation examines Tuvan music and its ties to nomadic life and nature. I will Tuvan throat singing and traditional instruments, then focus on the igil, exploring its history, construction, and performance practice.
My research is based on fieldwork, music sessions, and interviews with musicians, composers, instrument makers, musicologists, and shamans in Tuva.
String Quartet premiered in Istanbul
My composition for string quartet, "Circle" was premiered at the Istanbul Süreyya Opera House on June 21st, 2025, as part of İKSV's 53rd Istanbul Music Festival.
The piece was commissioned in honor of the 75th anniversary of the Turkish Industrial Development Bank (TSKB) and was performed by young female musicians participating in the "Women Stars of Tomorrow" project, by IKSV and TSKB.
The music was accompanied by a visual performance by artist Hilal Can.
Circle explores themes of destruction, transformation, and healing. The work draws inspiration from ancient traditions—particularly shamanic practices—that regarded healing as an integrated part of life.
In these traditions, well-being was understood as a state of balance between the individual, the community, and the natural world. Music and ritual played a central role in restoring harmony during times of distress. In contrast, the relentless pace of modern life often leaves no space to process the destructive events we experience or witness in the world each day—both individually and collectively.
Photo credit: Onur Çağlar Çakın
Solstice performed in Frankfurt
My composition Solstice, for rebab and chamber orchestra was performed by the Bridges Kammerorchester at the hr-Sendesaal in Frankfurt. The work draws inspiration from Turkish traditional music, reimagining its motifs within a contemporary orchestral language.
Now streaming on ➔ ARTE Concert
Watch it on ➔ YouTube
Photo credit: Bridges Kammerorchester