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Check Out Yağmur Soydemir’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Yağmur Soydemir.

Hi Yağmur, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Residing in Boston, USA, I am a flutist, composer, and arranger from Ankara, Turkey, who celebrates and honors every moment and experience life offers. With the joy and blessing of living in my heart, I cherish sharing my experiences and moments with my loved ones, as well as meeting new people and discovering their unique perspectives. Since obtaining my Bachelor’s Degree in Flute Performance from Nice Conservatory in France, I have been awarded in solo flute and chamber music competitions throughout Europe. Over the course of 17 years of music education, in addition to performing in solo flute, chamber music, and in numberless symphony orchestra concerts, I have also arranged music, which were performed in several cities in Turkey and these years in Boston, USA. Due to a full-tuition scholarship awarded to me by Berklee College of Music in Boston, USA. I moved to Boston and have been living and making music there ever since. Whether it’s live flute performances, studio recordings, original music or arrangement projects, I am eager to collaborate with musicians and music lovers!

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The experience of living abroad and being a foreigner should never be easy for anyone. In fact, I composed a piece illustrating the difficulties foreigners confront every day. Three years in France, one year in Switzerland, and two years in the United States, the main difficulties I had to face were not being treated equally or not being offered the same opportunities with their citizens and being so far away from my family, friends, and the delicious Turkish food! Haha!

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
In recent years, the absence of female composers, composer/performers or Turkish musicians on world stages has been a subject of discussion. From my perspective, there is a serious need for many more of them in the art world. As a performer, composer, and arranger from Turkey, I naturally bring distinct and exotic tastes to the world’s art table, just like artists from any other countries. Obviously audible, I incorporate stories from my hometown and from my past into my compositions or orchestral arrangements. As music has a therapeutic effect, I consider doing good with my skills a responsibility, which can be outreach performances, making or teaching free music for communities in need, or everyone may always have their own unique method. Finally, I do not wish to spoil my upcoming releases of original music or orchestral works. However, it will not be long before my new exciting productions meet you!

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
Listed below are very unique and special names that have mentored me and contributed to my personality, creativity, and artistry in the last years. Sibel Pensel, Felix Renggli, Tiger Okoshi, Kenny Werner, Marco Pignataro, Danilo Perez, Sarpay Ozcagatay, Kemal Oksal, Mehmet Ali Sanlikol, Sheldon Mirowitz.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Fikret Özkaplan

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