Avaz (Bilkent Symphony Orchestra)

Akın Kilis was born on June 13, 1998 in Adana. In 2016, he became a composition student at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University. Here, he worked with Özkan Manav, Hasan Uçarsu, Mehmet Nemutlu, and Ahmet Altınel, and graduated in 2020. In 2020, as part of the Erasmus+ program, he worked with Gordon Kampe at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg. At the same time, he also worked with names like Alexander Schubert, Sebastian Sprenger, Roberta Vidic, and Catarina Fourcassie. In the same year, he started his master's degree education at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University Istanbul State Conservatory as a student of Özkan Manav. In the academic year 2022-2023, he worked with Klaus Lang at Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Graz as part of the Erasmus+ program, and had the opportunity to work with names such as Beat Furrer, Franck Bedrossian, and Clemens Gadenstätter multiple times. In the academic year 2023-2024, he will continue his second master's degree education at the same school with Clemens Gadenstätter.
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Some ensembles performed his works and some performed pieces: Ensemble Multilaterale (France) "C Major Trauma", Quatuor Diotima (France) "Bounded Mobility", Ensemble Oerknal (Netherlands) "Parodies of a Ballade", Appasionato Ensemble (Italy) "If We Had Not Get Divided...", Gilgamesh Ensemble (USA) "Epope", Klaipėda Chamber Orchestra (Lithuania) "Brancusi", Klasik Keyifler (Turkey) "Konçerto Pera", Diskant Ensemble (Turkey) "Stepwise to the Tenebrous Aura", Anadolu Wind Quintet (Turkey) "Insomnia".
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Some awards he received in competitions: 2nd Prize at the 9th Mersin International Music Festival Composition Competition (2017), 3rd Prize at the 11th Mersin International Music Festival Composition Competition (2019), Audience Special Award and Honorable Mention at the Süleymanpaşa Municipality Bisanthe Gülsin Onay Piano Composition Competition (2019), Honorable Mention at the IV. International Composition Competition 2020 "Appasionato Ensemble" (2022), 3rd Prize at the 2nd International Balsys Composition Competition 2021, 3rd Prize at the Gilgamesh Composition Competition (2022), 6th Prize at the 2nd International contest of choral composition UAH 2022, 1st Prize at the 4th International Composition Competition New Music Generation, Jury Special Award at the Aima 25th Anniversary Composition Award (2023).
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Names he has worked with so far: Onur Türkmen, Mahir Cetiz, Yiğit Aydın, Michael Ellison, Ülkemin Akbaş, Pieter Snapper, Shih-Hui Chen, Hideki Kozakura, Michael Edward Edgerton, Samir Todeh-Tamimi, Kamran İnce, Gordon Kampe, Klaus Lang, Beat Furrer, Franck Bedrossian, Yann Robin, Francesco Filidei, Clemens Gadenstätter, Klaus Lang, Jean-luc Herve, Pierluigi Billone, Marco Stroppa, Martin Matalon, Mark Andre.
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Festivals he has attended: 10th, 11th, and 13th Journey of Sound: Young Composers Festival (2017, 2018, 2021), The Second Everlasting Hope: Gustav Mahler & Terezin Composers Festival (2018), Bilkent Composition Academy (2017-2019), Istanbul Bilgi University Bilgi New Music Festival (2021), Barcelona Modern Academy, Impuls Composition Academy (2023).
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Seminars he attended: Onur Türkmen, Tolga Yayalar, Mahir Cetiz, Pieter Snapper, Hanna Eimermacher, Noel Zahler, Eivind Buene, Stefan Lienenkamper, Ken Ueno, Michael Edward Edgerton, Hideki Kozakura, Helena Tulve, Kamran İnce, Tolga Tüzün, Leopold Hurt, Moritz Eggert, Franck Bedrossian, Yann Robin, Francesco Filidei, Clemens Gadenstätter, Klaus Lang, Marton Illes, Annesley Black, Min Tzao, Jean-luc Herve, Pierluigi Billone, Clara Iannotta, Bernard Lang, Marco Stroppa, Martin Matalon, Mark Andre.
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A significant portion of his experience in composition has been gained through his relationship with the Istanbul Composers Collective. He considers them as his most valuable school and companions on this journey, especially Mithatcan Öcal, Emre Dündar, Mehmetali Uzunselvi, and Uğurcan Öztekin. The composer expresses gratitude to his dear friends Emircan Pehlivan and Mithatcan Öcal for their music discussions and collaborations.

Avaz (Bilkent Symphony Orchestra)

Akin Kilis