Murat Cem Orhan is a Turkish conductor and composer whose work is distinguished by international collaborations, visionary artistic leadership, and a commitment to cultural development. Between 2022 and 2024, he served as the Artistic Director of the İBB Cemal Reşit Rey Concert Hall and Principal Conductor of the CRR Symphony Orchestra, elevating the venue’s reputation and achieving its highest audience engagement in over two decades. Orhan’s academic journey includes a Bachelor’s degree in Opera Singing from Dokuz Eylül University State Conservatory, a Master’s degree in Opera from Istanbul University, graduate studies in Composition and Opera at Brooklyn College of Music in New York, and a Master’s degree in Orchestral Conducting from Mimar Sinan University, where he studied under Maestro Antonio Pirolli. He also earned a Master’s degree at Hacettepe University State Conservatory, completing a thesis on R. Leoncavallo’s opera I Pagliacci under the supervision of Prof. Rengim Gökmen. In 2001, he studied at the Venice Benedetto Marcello Conservatory with Prof. Stella Silva, deepening his understanding of the Italian operatic tradition. His training was further enriched through masterclasses with Renato Bruson at the Accademia Chigiana Musicale, Raina Kabaivanska in Sofia, Bulgaria, and with distinguished maestros such as Jorma Panula, Alparslan Ertungealp, Michel Tabachnik, and William Hicks of the New York Metropolitan Opera. As a composer, he won the N.F. Eczacıbaşı National Composition Competition twice (2010 and 2012) and has written three children’s musicals. In 2018, he composed the oratorio Kuva-yi Milliye'nin İnsan Manzaraları, inspired by Nazım Hikmet’s epic poem, and reached the finals of the 4th Svetlanov Conducting Competition in Paris. As a conductor, Orhan’s operatic repertoire is extensive, including Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Così Fan Tutte, Don Giovanni, Le Nozze di Figaro, Fidelio, Il Matrimonio Segreto, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, L’Elisir d’Amore, La Bohème, Turandot and the Turkish operetta Ayşe. He has led all major orchestras and opera houses in Turkey, bringing nuanced interpretations and a strong musical personality to every production. Internationally, Orhan has collaborated with ensembles such as the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, the Zielona Góra Philharmonic Orchestra, Pori Sinfonietta, the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Albanian Radio Television Symphony Orchestra, the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra, the Azerbaijan Opera Orchestra, the Heidelberg Symphony Orchestra, and Sinfonica Città di Grosseto. His recent performance with the Olten Philharmonic Orchestra at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam (2024) was met with critical acclaim. As Artistic Director of the CRR Symphony Orchestra, he led a noteworthy performance at the Preludi D’Autunno Festival in Teatro Fraschini, Pavia, Italy, featuring works by Italian composers influenced by Turkish culture. In response to the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquake, Orhan initiated a project in collaboration with the Metz Grand Est National Orchestra, under the auspices of the Istanbul Music Festival, to provide instruments to musicians affected by the disaster. His recorded repertoire includes Turkish flute concertos featuring Bülent Evcil. Orhan’s artistry has drawn distinguished soloists to collaborate with him, including Fazıl Say, Maxim Vengerov, Sabine Meyer, Boris Berezovsky, Pietro Spagnoli, Dmitry Shishkin, Dag Jensen, Lucas Macías Navarro, Bruno Schneider, Alban Gerhardt, Kristóf Baráti, Hanna-Elisabeth Müller, and Joë Christophe. He is fluent in Italian , French and English, enabling him to engage with a wide array of artists and organizations across the globe.
