The information and program qualifications related to the Composition Bachelor of Arts Program, under the Department of Composition of the Turkish Music State Conservatory, are summarized below.
Information About The Program
Founded in 1986 by Demirhan Altuğ and Prof. Dr. Selahattin İçli, the Department of Composition continues its educational activities under the name Composition Department, with the aim of contributing to the development of our national music. The teaching staff consists of Assoc. Prof. Neşe Yeşim Altınel Çoban, Assoc. Prof. Oğuzhan Balcı, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Şirin Karadeniz, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eray Altınbüken, Asst. Prof. Recep Gül, Lecturer Mehmet Özkan, Research Assist. Dr. Ayhan Gunca, Research Assist. Gizem Alever Sancaktar, and Research Assist. Tayfun Demirbaş.
The Composition Department of the ITU Turkish Music State Conservatory offers a comprehensive and interdisciplinary educational program that integrates the traditions of Turkish music with contemporary compositional techniques. The primary aim of the department is to train composers who possess a strong command of both national and international music literature, who can apply classical and modern compositional techniques, and who have the capacity to develop an original musical language. Students acquire a solid theoretical foundation through courses such as makam theory, classical and modern harmony, counterpoint, fugue, musical forms, prosody, analysis, repertoire, contemporary composition, and Turkish music composition techniques. In addition, courses in choral and orchestral conducting, chamber music practices, and style analysis enable students to understand the relationship between performance and interpretation and to develop their compositional skills through practical work with various ensembles. The performance of student compositions within the institution further enriches the learning environment by allowing the compositional process to be integrated with interpretive practice. Overall, the program supports students in creating versatile works that align with both traditional and contemporary musical aesthetics.
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Program Profile
To train contemporary composers who possess a comprehensive command of both the national and international literature in the field of composition; who learn and apply classical and contemporary compositional techniques; and who, by developing an original musical language, can contribute new works to the national and international repertoire.
Registration Requirements
Program Learning Environments
The Composition Department of the ITU Turkish Music State Conservatory offers multifaceted program learning environments that enable students to develop an interdisciplinary, theoretical, and practice-based perspective in the field of composition. These environments encompass not only physical spaces but also the structure of the academic curriculum, artistic production processes, and the institutional infrastructure that facilitates international engagement. Guided by the department’s vision, to educate composers who possess a strong command of national and international literature, who can apply classical and contemporary techniques, and who are capable of creating original works, these learning environments are designed as an integrated whole that encourages creative production, strengthens student-faculty interaction, prioritizes research-based learning, and combines cultural context with new and contemporary skills.
MasterBee
English Proficiency
The teaching language method of this program is Turkish. English is not a requirement to start education.
Regulations and Guidelines
Academic Calendar
Course Plans, Prerequisites and Course Equivalence
Course Information
Course Schedules
Course Adjustment and Exemption Procedures
Program Educational Objectives
To train composers who can represent both our traditional and contemporary musical identities at national and international levels; to foster creative and inquisitive young musicians who can contribute to society’s musical culture by producing new works through original compositional techniques and by making these works available for artistic and scholarly use; to establish national and international connections that support the education and development of students, thereby enhancing the quality of instruction and creating an environment in which artists and scholars working in related fields can effectively utilize their potential for education, research, and consultancy; and to collaborate with universities abroad to develop joint programs and implement inter-university exchange initiatives.
Measurement and Evaluation
Student success is evaluated in consideration of Articles 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25 of the Istanbul Technical University Undergraduate Education and Training Regulation.
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Internship
There is no internship in this program.
Graduation Requirements
The Awarded Degree and Title
Degree : Bachelor of Arts Title : -
Program Employment Opportunities
Graduates of the Composition Department may pursue careers as faculty members in conservatories and university music programs, and they can also work professionally in areas such as composition, arranging, and choral or orchestral conducting. They have opportunities to serve in State Symphony Orchestras, State Opera and Ballet directorates, Classical Turkish Music and Folk Music choirs, music units within TRT, as well as various orchestras and chamber music ensembles abroad. In addition, they may participate in national and international competitions, music festivals, symposia, congresses, and panels, either as contributors or through performances of their works.
Number of Graduates
There are no graduates from 2024 or earlier. The 2025 graduate numbers have not yet been transferred to this page.
Program Outcomes
P.O.1 To raise graduates who can associate our national identity with global values in the field of composing, represent it at national and international level, constantly improve themselves, respect technology, the environment, society and ethical values, and have creative, entrepreneurial characteristics.
P.O.2 To train creative professionals with artistic and scientific personality and ensemble conducting skills needed in the field of composition
P.O.3 To contribute to music sciences by working in the field of composition in Turkish Music and to publish the materials and put them at the service of science and to ensure that new theories are produced.
P.O.4 To create an environment where artists and academicians working on related issues can effectively use their education, research and consultancy potential by establishing national and international connections for the continuous education and personal development of the students participating in the program; to create programs in cooperation with universities in different countries and making exchange programs are among the outputs of the program.
Quality and Accreditation Officer
Head of Department
Links