ALİ ÖZEN​

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​Ali Özen  professional rock, fusion and jazz guitarist, guitar instructor - was born in 1985, in İzmir, Turkey. He started playing guitar at the age of 11, when he began to prep class of high school. He took private lessons for a couple of years then continued to educate himself in general music theory and guitar techniques.

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​At the age of 15, he co-founded the band “Disenchant” and recorded a demo album titled “Dilemma” in 2000 with the band. He managed to start giving private guitar lessons at the age of 17. He performed with his band in several major events in different cities of Turkey, including Kuruçeşme Arena – İstanbul (Pentagram 20th. Anniversary Concert), MTV Winter Fest in Eskişehir, Masstival in İstanbul. In 2006-2007, he participated in writing and recording sessions of the band’s one and only album “Minds Corrupted” just before Disenchant disbanded. After playing solo for two years, in 2009 he joined Kanca, one of the most popular rock bands in İzmir, as a session guitarist. In 2012, he became a full time member of the band and played until 2016 when the band decided to quit performing.

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​In 2013, Ali was invited to join Eren Başbuğ’s Turkey based progressive rock/metal project “Ivory” as guitarist and he toured with the band in 2014 and 2016. Meanwhile, in 2015, he co-founded BPM Music, a professional recording and music production studio with his fellow musicians from Kanca and they started the project “Coverhead”. He contributed in several albums and projects as a recording artist produced by BPM Music. He teaches guitar and music theory at BPM Music and participates in music workshops occasionally. He is a member of TRO Studios as an artist.

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Ali attended High School as an English, Science and Mathematics student during 1996 – 2003. After graduation, he succeeded in university exams and studied mechanical engineering in Ege University for 2 years. In 2005 he began studying economics in Dokuz Eylül University and stayed there until 2011. In 2014, he got his Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations, as an honor student of Anadolu University. Afterwards, he got accepted to Master’s Programme in Yaşar University and studied under accomplished musicians such as composer and pianist Mehmet Can Özer, jazz drummer Emre Kartari and jazz guitarist Onur Puza. In 2017, he got his Master of Arts Degree in Music and published a thesis about electric guitar education titled “Intersections between Jazz, Fusion and Rock Genres in Electric Guitar Education”.

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​Ali is advanced in English and is sufficient in software such as Cubase, Melodyne and Studio One. He is also a competitive PC gamer. He is married and is currently living in İzmir with his lovely wife and their two cats.

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Education

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2014 – 2017                Master of Arts in Music, Yaşar University, İzmir, Turkey

                                    Thesis: “Intersections Between Jazz, Fusion And Rock Genres In Electric Guitar Education”

                                    Advisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Can ÖZER

2011 – 2014                Bachelor of Science in International Relations, Honor Certificate

                                    Anadolu University, Eskişehir, Turkey

2005 – 2011                Studied Economics in Dokuz Eylül University, İzmir, Turkey

2003 – 2005                Studied Mechanical Engineering in Ege University, İzmir, Turkey

1996 – 2003                Karşıyaka Anatolian High School (English, Science & Mathematics)

 

Work Experience

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2016                            TRO Studios, Artist  

2015                            BPM Music, Co-Founder & Guitar Instructor

2015                            Coverhead (Band), Guitarist

2013                            Ivory (Band), Guitarist

2012 – 2016                Kanca (Band), Guitarist

2002 – 2015                Private Guitar Instructor

2009 – 2012                Kanca (Band), Session Guitarist

2000 – 2007                Disenchant (Band), Co-Founder, Guitarist & Song Writer