Conversations with Emir Isilay

Today we’d like to introduce you to Emir Isilay.

Hi Emir, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself. 
I started taking classical piano lessons in Turkey when I was six, which continued until I moved to the U.S. when I was 18. I come from an artistic family, and as I continued to study music, I was inspired by my grandfather, Sadi Isilay, who was a renowned Turkish music composer and violinist. In our household, my mother was an artist, and my father has always been involved in the music scene. I loved listening to his extensive jazz album collection. Around the age of ten, my father used some music from the movie “Promised Land” by one of my favorite composers, James Newton Howard, in a home video. I was amazed by the power of the music and how it elevated the visuals and the story. That soundtrack inspired me to become a film composer. As I look back, I remember that being the moment when I started telling everyone that was what I wanted to do when I grew up. 

Throughout high school, I studied with my mentor, internationally celebrated Turkish jazz musician Aydin Esen, and was accepted to Berklee College of Music. I graduated in 2002 with Bachelor’s Degree in Jazz Composition and Film Scoring. During my time there, I received the student award for Best Jazz Composition and Best Film Scoring and was also selected by the faculty and featured in concert as one of the four best pianists at Berklee. 

After graduating, I was connected through the Berklee Alumni program with Los Angeles-based Film and TV composer Philip Giffin. I started working with him in 2002 on various Film and TV projects as a pianist, arranger, orchestrator, and engineer, and I also wrote additional music on a wide variety of projects, including FOX’s K-Ville, WB’s Summerland, NBC’s Boomtown, ABC’s Eyes, and the MGM feature Soul Plane. 

At the same time, I worked at the Media Ventures (currently Remote-Control Productions), which is the home of composer Hans Zimmer. There I worked and performed extensively with renowned composer and guitarist Heitor Pereira on feature films like Curious George, Ask The Dust, Haven, Two Weeks and Dirty Dancing 2 Havana Nights. 

Both of these positions were the beginning of my professional film-music career. In addition to film music, my group, Beyond Orange, an electronica/chillout outfit with Andrew Campbell, was signed to Water Music Records. Cuts from our album have appeared on several compilations alongside music from other top electronica artists, such as Thievery Corporation and Stardelay. 

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
In many professions, including music, there are distinct challenges. As a film composer, the landscape is particularly competitive. The past decade has seen a surge in productions and platforms seeking composers, amplifying the demand. However, this has also led to a rise in aspiring film scorers, intensifying the competition. Consequently, the industry requires constant hustle to keep pace with its rapid evolution. This dynamic affects all of us, necessitating relentless self-promotion to forge connections and secure opportunities. Perseverance, resilience, and learning from setbacks are crucial in navigating this demanding field. 

Entering the music business entails acknowledging its inherent risks and obstacles. Despite this awareness, we are drawn to it by our passion for creating music and the fulfillment it brings. The joy of artistic expression outweighs the challenges, motivating us to press on towards success. 

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I believe one of the main things that set me apart from others is that not only I’m a composer but also a performer with an extensive background in various genres, which has helped me become versatile in film composition by not being limited to classical music based orchestral compositions but being able to write and perform in different genres such as jazz, rock, and pop. 

In more than the last 20 years, some of the projects I’m really proud of are composing the score for the feature films, Until We Meet Again, featuring Jackson Rathbone (Twilight) and Janel Parrish (Pretty Little Liars), Uncharitable, directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal, featuring Edward Norton, the 9-episode digital series, Dead Women Walking (featured at the Tribeca Film Festival) as well as writing additional music for Pinar Toprak’s scores such as Epic Games’ videogame Fortnite, Ubisoft’s Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, Paramount Pictures’ The Lost City and PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie, Lionsgate’s Shotgun Wedding, SyFy Channel Original TV Series Krypton, Netflix Originals Family Switch and The Angel and working on Marvel Studios’ Captain Marvel and Netflix’s Slumberland as an arranger. 

We love surprises, fun facts, and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Probably the fact that I used to have long hair and early in my career I toured with rock bands and played in arenas in front of big audiences. I’m sure somewhere on the internet there is a dated video of me whipping my hair around, trying to look cool! 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.emirisilay.net
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emirisilay/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emirisilaymusic/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/emirisilay

Image Credits
Christina Gandolfo