Ayse Önder

She was born in Izmir, Turkey, to a musician family. She took her first music lessons from her father, Selim Önder.

She studied Composition at the Hacettepe University State Conservatory in Ankara, Turkey.
After her graduation in August 2000, she traveled to the United States to pursue her DMA (Doctor of Musical Arts) at the University of Hartford The Hartt School of Music in Connecticut, finishing in August 2006. Her teachers included Robert Carl and James Sellars.
Between September 2004 and January 2006, she also studied with Theo Loevendie and Fabio Nieder at the Koninklijk Conservatorium in Amsterdam.

She attended several summer courses for composers in as diverse countries as Austria (Seefeld-Tirol, studied with Boguslav Schaffer, 2005), France (Acanthes-Metz, 2005), England (Royal Northern College of Music-Manchester, studied with Anthony Gilbert, 2001), Germany (IMD-Darmstadt, 2004 and 2008), and the Netherlands (Gaudeamus, 2005).

Her pieces have been performed in several international festivals in Turkey, the United States, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria and Russia by major ensembles such as Asco Ensemble, New Ensemble, Ziggurat ensemble, Istanbul Symphony Orchestra, Bilkent Symphony Orchestra, and Classic Avantgarde Chamber Ensemble.

Ayse is a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) and a member of MESAM.

Among many awards she received in different competitions are:
1- 2009, Second Prize in Prince Reinl Stiftung International Composition Competition, Vienna, Austria,
2- 2008, First Prize in CULTURESCAPES 2008 International Composition Competition, Switzerland,
3- 2004, Ministry of Culture, Ankara-Turkey,
4- 2002, Honorable Mention from American Composers Orchestra (ACO), NYC-USA,
5- 2000, Second and Fourth Prizes in British Council Composition Competition, Ankara Turkey,
6- 1998, Third Prize in Nejat F. Eczacibasi National Composition Competition, Izmir-Turkey.