Ülkem Özsezen

He is the grandson of Zahit Özsezen, former Flute Group Chief of the Presidential Symphony Orchestra, Flute Artist of the Ankara State Opera and Ballet, flute teacher of the Ankara State Conservatory; and the nephew of Edip Özsezen, his older brother, Cello Artist of the Riyaset-i Cumhur Philharmonic Orchestra, teacher of the Musıkî Muallim Mektebi, cello teacher of İsmet İnönü.
He studied jazz piano and harmony with Ali Perret. In 1997, he took workshops with Greg Hopkins and John Scofield at Berklee Umbria Jazz Clinics in Italy. He took part in pianist Joanne Brackeen’s Master Class at Berklee College of Music in Boston, U.S.A. and studied with Ray Santisi and Ken Pullig. In 2000, he won first place at the Boston Music Expo with his composition “Lost in it” and represented Berklee College of Music in front of record labels at the Hynes Convention Center. In 2002, he graduated from Berklee College of Music.
He completed his military service as a protocol musician in the Turkish Armed Forces Harmoni Harmonica.He played piano in the album “Coincidence” by double bass player Ozan Musluoğlu and produced the album. He co-produced Önder Focan’s album “36 mm. Biometric”. Within the scope of the Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture program, he worked as “Project Coordinator” in the concert project “A City Story, Konstantiniyye-Istanbul” with Dr. Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol as music director, and as “Producer” and “Executive Producer” in the project album recorded in Boston. The album of the project “A City Story, Constantinople – Istanbul” was included in the Grammy Ballot for the 2012 Grammy Award nomination.In 2011, he released his album Ghost’s Note. The album featured works composed entirely of his own compositions. Important reviews were published on the album. Sedat Ergin, the respected columnist of Hürriyet Newspaper, praised Ülkem Özsezen on CNN and described Ghost’s Note as an “original and brilliantly crafted” album. He was accompanied by Engin Recepoğulları on saxophone, Ozan Musluoğlu on bass and Ferit Odman on drums.