Conductor

Aytuğ Ülgen is a Turkish conductor, composer, and musicologist who was awarded the 2015 Uğur Mumcu Art Award as "Conductor of the Year." Recognized for the rhetorical interpretations he brings to a broad repertoire spanning from the Baroque era to contemporary music, Ülgen has presented concerts, lectures, masterclasses, and recording projects in Russia, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Estonia, Poland, Singapore, Japan, Australia, Argentina, and Northern Cyprus. He has also composed numerous award-winning large-scale stage works and film scores.

Having completed his studies in Opera and Symphony Conducting at the Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory under Professors Leonid Nikolaev and Vladimir Ponkin, Ülgen founded the I.B.M. Symphony Orchestra and I.B.M. Chamber Opera in Russia and has collaborated with numerous international ensembles, including the Mosfilm Film Music Orchestras and the Stanislavski Theatre. Currently serving as a conductor with the Mersin State Opera and Ballet, he works regularly throughout Türkiye and abroad with the six opera houses of the Turkish State Opera and Ballet, and State Symphony Orchestras, as well as various private orchestras and cultural institutions. He is also widely recognized for his work as a composer, educator, and contributor to a broad range of cultural initiatives.