The life of Ilhan Usmanbas and its importance in modern music history

Ilhan Usmanbas is one of the most important representatives of Contemporary Turkish Music. During the enlightment revolution of newly established Republic, he demolished usual patterns with his work in the field of Contemporary Turkish Music and gained enormous success. He has produced many works as a composer, celloist and conductor. His fame has gone far beyond his country. In this study , as a celloist, composer and conductor, Ilhan Usmanbas' life and his music, composers that influenced Ilhan Usmanbas and also his influence on Turkish Modern Music has examined. This research is in the format of a literature review of music revolution started by Ataturk, namely dividing the material into sections such as Ilhan Usmanbas's childhood, education and international career. Throughout his composing adventure, Ilhan Usmanbas was influenced by a lot of music trends, produced numerous works by using various musical materials. All the Usmanbas' creations, either written by the language of Neo-Classical trend, or by 12-tone system, or by using aleatoric elements, their common points are to be the outputs of diciplined and devoted work. In this study his role in the history of Turkish Contemporary Music has been examined and highlights of his life story sequenced chronologically in accordance with the information presented in the first part. His works and discography are also find place in this study. Keywords: Ilhan Usmanbas, Contemporary Turkish Music, Cello, aleotary, 12-Tone System