Born in Bursa, Turkey, she studied composition with Bujor Hoinic at the Faculty of Music and Performing Arts of the Bilkent University in Ankara. She continued her studies with Krzysztof Meyer and Johannes Schild at the Hochschule für Musik in Cologne, before obtaining a PhD at the University of Chicago, studying with Marta Ptaszyńska and Shulamit Ran. She has taken part in masterclasses run by Peter Eötvös, Salvatore Sciarrino, Augusta Read Thomas and David Felder. She has lectured at the Bilkent University (2002–05) and University of Chicago (2009–13), and was visiting assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh (2010–11). Currently she is visiting assistant professor at Middlebury College in Vermont.

Her accolades include the 3rd Prize at the Henri Dutilleux Composition Competition (2008), finalist at the 2nd CompositionCompetition in Reggello (2005), and 2nd Prize at the International German-Polish Composition Competition (1998). She has won regional awards at the SCI/ASCAP each year from 2006 to 2008. In 2009, she was nominated for the Pablo Casals Award in France.

Her music is performed in Europe and North America, including at festivals such as Schleswig-Holstein Festival, MaerzMuzik (2013), Via Stellae Festival (Spain), TurkFest, Fertile Crescent at Princeton. Her music is performed by leading musicians ensembles Derek Bermel, Ensemble Modern Academy, Penderecki String Quartet, Ensemble Calliopée, Orchestre Nationale de Lorraine, Arditti String Quartet, Pacifica Quartet, eighth blackbird, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra’s 10:10 Ensemble, Ensemble Fire-Wire, Dafô Quartet, Bilkent Symphony Orchestra, Vertix Sonore, Hezarfen Ensemble, and Bilkent Ensemble.

 

Selected works: Windows for orchestra (1996), Four Pieces for string quartet (1998), Piano Trio (2001), Quartet for Oboe and String Trio (2002), Fanfare for wind quintet (2002), Around Circles for clarinet (2006), String Quartet No. 1 (2006–07), Imaginary Spaces for chamber orchestra (2007), Three Songs for baritone, cello and piano, to words by Bertold Brecht (2008), Nocturnal for flute, violin, cello and piano (2008), Five Miniatures for marimba (2009), Deux Visions pour cinq instruments for saxophone, violin, cello, piano and percussion (2009; version for sextet, 2008–09), Moire for two pianos and ensemble (2010–11), Dances of the Black Sea fir flute (2012), Shiftings for bass clarinet and percussion (2013).