Sezer Yılmaz

• instrumentalist •

• Turkish American Qanun player •

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On the morning of Sunday, January 19, 1986, Sezer Yılmaz was born in a "state hospital," entirely oblivious to the weight of words like "hospital"—and especially "state." It would be years before he would fully grasp that this hospital was located in a country called Türkiye.

 

He began his musical journey with the bağlama at the age of ten. For a time, he explored instruments like percussion and the oud, but from 2000 onward, he devoted himself entirely to the qanun.

 

His early years as a student concluded in the summer of 1997. In 2000, he was admitted to the Antalya Anatolian Fine Arts High School, where he studied for one year. In September 2001, he faced the entrance exams of the Istanbul Technical University Turkish Music State Conservatory High School Unit (by now, he had begun to grasp what 'state' truly meant) and emerged victorious, marking the beginning of a significant chapter in his musical education. That same year, he had the privilege of meeting Göksel Baktagir, a master of the qanun and a composer whose contributions to Turkish music would leave an indelible mark on both the art form and Sezer’s journey. During this period, he honed his craft under the guidance of Erol Deran for qanun performance and deepened his understanding of repertoire through lessons with the renowned songwriter Erol Sayan.

 

At just sixteen, he performed his first concert alongside his violinist friend, Haluk Yılmaz. Shortly after, he had the honor of appearing as a guest artist at several of his mentor Göksel Baktagir’s concerts, collaborating on memorable pieces with the master himself. He performed the qanun in numerous cities across Türkiye, as well as in Portugal, Denmark, Japan, Canada, Spain, the Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland, France, Germany, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and Australia as part of Arkın Ilıcalı’s 'Mercan Dede' project.

 

In 2017, he released an album titled 'Detail', showcasing Orçun Çanaklı's arrangements. The record brought together an exceptional line-up of musicians, including Volkan Öktem (drums), Alp Ersönmez (bass), Serhan Yasdıman (guitar), Yurdal Tokcan (oud), Şakir Ozan Uygan (percussion), and Haktan, who lent his distinctive vocals.

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He imagines concluding his time by making edits to this text, occasionally wondering, “Did I go on for too long?”—assuming he doesn’t face a major health crisis in the future. As of the date this text was "completed", he has no grave, and with the timing of his final heartbeat still shrouded in uncertainty, his necrology remains unwritten, awaiting the inevitable.

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He loves literature, science, philosophy and delectable food.