Mehmet Can Özer
Composer

Born in 1981, Mehmet Can Özer is a multi-faceted composer whose music combines traditional musical elements with electroacoustic music. He studied composition and music technology in Ankara, Geneva, Zurich and Berlin under the tutelage of Bujor Hoinic, Michael Jarrell, Rainer Boesch and Gerald Bennett. Since 2007, Mr. Özer has been using the "Asure" software he developed himself in his concerts.
In addition to his artistic activities, Mehmet Can Özer is an active sound engineer whose productions focus on classical music and jazz.
Having lived in Europe and Turkey over the past decade, Mr. Özer has synthesized Western and Eastern sources into his own original musical language. His work has been published internationally in a series of six solo albums, including the first CD of Turkish electroacoustic music, "Siyah Kalem Dance (2009)", as well as other compilations such as "An Anthology of Turkish Experimental Music (2016)".
Mr. Özer has performed and toured extensively in Turkey and abroad. Özer has performed and conducted masterclasses at a number of renowned international festivals, including Bourges (France), Berlinale (Germany), AudioArt (Poland), Remusica (Kosovo), Busan Biennale (Korea), Pyramidale (Germany), Acousmania (Romania), SMC (Greece), Generator (Switzerland), Electro-Globe (Belgium), Create (USA), EMUfest (Italy), Ankara International Music Festival (Turkey), Granada Festival (Spain), Estoril Festival (Portugal), DeSonanz (Macedonia), Apparat (Denmark), Notam (Norway), Exposition of New Music (Czech Republic), Animafest (Belgium), Bimbache (Germany), Macedonian New Music Days (Macedonia), Kiev International Music Days (Ukraine) and Vox Electronica (Ukraine).
His instrumental compositions have been performed at MaerzMusik, Moritzburg, Hambacher Musikfest (Germany), Sigulda (Latvia), Goslar-Herz International Musik Festival and Izmir International New Music Days (Turkey).
Many of his works have been commissioned by prestigious institutions, personalities and international competitions. These include the Presidential Symphony Orchestra (Ankara), the Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary (Austria), the Goethe Institute (Germany), I. M. E. B. (France), Musiques&Recherches (Belgium). (France), Musiques&Recherches (Belgium), Visisonor Foundation (Netherlands), Duo Ums'n Jip (Switzerland), Aksanat (Turkey), Pauline Sachse (Germany), Arjang Omrani (Iran), Axel Buehter (Germany), Nina Janßen-Deinzer (Germany), the 1st International Double Bass Competition (Turkey), PortIzmir (Turkey), EMS (Sweden), Ensemble Mosaik (Germany), the Ernst Reuter Initiative (Germany) and the Humboldt Forum (Germany).
Mr. Özer has won prizes at the Halici-Midi composition competition (1998) and the Bourges international electroacoustic music competition (2003 and 2007). He has been awarded the Goethe Institute Artist Grant (2006 and 2018), the SWR Experimental Studio Grant (2008) and the Edgar Varése Prize (2022).
He is currently Professor in the Music Department of Yaşar University in Izmir (Turkey).

IEM
Graz Institute for Electronic Music and Acoustics (Austria)

Founded in 1965, the Institut de musique électronique et d'acoustique (IEM) is an interdisciplinary center where art, research and experimental development meet. It bridges the gap between science and art, and between new technologies and musical practice.
Research and development at the IEM focuses on artistic research, signal processing and acoustics, as well as computer-assisted music and its intermedia applications. The institute's unique infrastructure enables inter- and trans-disciplinary issues to be investigated experimentally. The IEM actively participates in the development of the arts, in particular by encouraging the creation of new works in electronic music, sound and media art.
The institute offers a wide range of courses such as the Bachelor's and Master's degrees in "Computer Music and Sound Art", "Electrical and Sound Engineering" in cooperation with Graz University of Technology, the Master's degree in "Sound Design" in cooperation with the FH Joanneum, as well as individual artistic and scientific courses in musicology in cooperation with Graz University. The IEM also plays an active role in the scientific and artistic doctoral programs of Graz University of Music and Performing Arts.
- www.kug.ac.at