Bio
Ilkim Tongur is a Turkish-Canadian composer described as “the most interesting” “a composer already in possession of tremendous confidence and shows astute use of her instrumentation.” “created the perfect atmospheric dive into the two opposing currents, ably painting the mysterioso effect” “the perfect atmospheric dive into the two opposing currents, ably painting the mysterioso effect” “work presents an endless variety of beautiful images.” “Lovely piano tremolos fluoresce before our senses, the work dissolves, and a completely successful work comes to a close. Ms. Tongur has made a remarkable splash with this lovely work.” By Calgary Herald.Her works are performed in Turkey, Canada, the United States and Switzerland. Including by Land’s End Ensemble, WSO Wind Quintet, award winning Soprano Sarah Kirsch, Lacie Marchand and Jari Piper. She is commissioned by GroundSwell, Contemporary Showcase Edmonton, Sara Kirsch, Jari Juhani Piper, Lacie Marchand, Damla Tuncer. She composed solo, chamber and orchestral music. She also composed for combinations of chamber ensemble and electronics.Recent Projects include Sacred Voices of the Golden Horn for modified Pierrot ensemble and soundfiles performed by Land’s End Ensemble on February 2017; The Owl for saxophone, bass clarinet and dancer commissioned by Lacie Marchand and performed on February 2017; Wine Coloured Smokes for oboe, ney and organ commissioned by Damla Tuncer and performed in November 2017.Tongur holds a Ph.D. in composition from the University of Calgary, a Master of music in composition from the University of Manitoba, another a Master of music from the Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, and Bachelor of Music in composition and conducting from the Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University.As a creative artist Tongur is interested in the combinations, fusions and transmutations of musical cultures in multi-cultural societies. She likes to collect and adapt ‘good’ and ‘beautiful’ in each culture she encounters, and calls herself a ‘culture collector’. She always puts a drop of ‘human’ in her music. Unusual scales and rhythms that were shaped by the generations over millennia enchant her. Old stories and myths become underlying material for her expressive musical language. She aims to compose music that is as if it was created by nature; unique, and weirdly shaped like pebbles in a river bed.
List of Works
Orchestral
New Composition (2018) — Oboe and String Orchestra.
Commissioned by Damla Tuncer
New Composition (2018) — Orchestra, CPO reading session
Ancient Butterflies (2012) — orchestra, (ca. 10:00).
Premiered by UCSO, January 2013, Happening Festival, Calgary.
Fragile (2011) — orchestra (ca. 10:00). Premiered by UMSO, October 2011.
Chamber Ensemble
Wine Coloured Smokes (2017) — Oboe, Ney and Organ.
Commissioned by Damla Tuncer. Premiered by Damla Tuncer, Burcu Karadag, Uetiokon Switzerland, November 2017.
The Owl (2017) — Bass Clarinet and Tenor Saxophone.
Commissioned by Lacie Marchand 2017, Premiered by Andrew Morrow and Lacie Marchand at NASA Conference 2017 / Edmonton.
Sacred Voices of the Golden Horn (2016) — Flute, Clarinet in Bb, Percussion, Violin, Cello. Piano and Electronics, (35:00).
Premiered by the Land’s End Ensemble, Form of Sound Festival, Feb, 2017.
Old Shaman (2013) — Alto Saxophone and Piano (6:45).
Premiered by The Harrington/Loewen Duo, August 2013, Winnipeg.
The Snapshots (2013) — Wind Quintet.
Commissioned by the GroundSwell premiered by WSO Wind Quintet, Groundswell New Music Series – Winnipeg, MB
Yakamoz (2013) — Piano Trio, (8:00).
Premiered by Land’s End Ensemble, January 2014, FORUM 2014.
Haze and Chaos (2012) — Flute, Clarinet in Bb, Violin, Cello, Piano (7:20).
Musica Qualacoza – Japan, Feb 2018.
Hora de Estrallas (2011) — Soprano, Piano, and Electronics (12:20).
Premiered by Sarah Kirsch and Ilkim Tongur.
Maleus Maleficarum (2011) — Flute (Picc., Sop., Alt.) and Piano, (8:30).
Premiered by Charmine Bacon and Ilkim Tongur.
Q. (2010) — Saxophone Quartet, (7:30).
Premiered by University of Calgary Saxophone Quartet, 2014 FORUM.
Solo
New Composition (2018) — solo Piano (TBA).
Commisioned by Contemporary Showcase Edmonton (Funded by Alberta Foundation for the Arts).
Queen of the Cities (2013) — Soprano and live electronics.
Commissioned by Sarah Kirsch.
Quilt and Dawn (2013) — solo Cello, (7:40).
Commissioned and premiered by Jari Piper, June – August 2013.
Three pieces for Timpani (2011) — Timpani, (ca 7:20).
Prelude (Impression) and Fugue (2011) — solo piano (ca 6:40).
Premiered by Nicholas Gosselin
Blue Wish Tree (2010) — Solo Clarinet in Bb, (ca 6:00). Premiered by Catherine Wood.
Electroacoustic
Original Score for Main Stage (2014) — Electroacoustic (25:00).
Premiered by U of C Main Stage Dancers – Choreography by Wojtek Mocniesj, March 18-21, 2014.