The renowned Turkish composer and educator Ilhan Usmanbaş has passed away at the age of 104. The news of his death was shared by pianist Fazıl Say, who expressed his deep sorrow on the social media platform X. Say wrote: "We lost our invaluable contemporary composer, professor Ilhan Usmanbaş, today. I am deeply saddened. Usmanbaş (1921-2025) was 104 years old. During the pandemic, I had the chance to meet him at the Darüşşafaka care home where he was staying. At that time, I had created an album of his piano and vocal works in February 2021."
Say also noted that Usmanbaş's wife, Atıfet Usmanbaş, had passed away in 2022. He continued, "Ilhan Usmanbaş was the pioneer of contemporary art and avant-garde music in Türkiye. He held the title of 'state artist.' Let’s always cherish his invaluable work. His music will continue to live on as an important voice for Türkiye. May he rest in peace, my dear teacher, Ilhan Usmanbaş."
Professor Ilhan Usmanbaş, who was awarded numerous accolades for his compositions, continued his teaching career until 2011, mentoring new generations of musicians. He served as a director at both the Ankara and Istanbul State Conservatories. Additionally, Usmanbaş made significant contributions to Turkish music by translating the work Musical Forms and Genres into Turkish.
Throughout his distinguished career, Usmanbaş received numerous prestigious awards, including the Fromm Music Award (U.S.) in 1954, the Koussevitzky Award (U.S.) in 1958, the Wieniawsky Award (Poland) in 1967 and the Ballet Music Award (Switzerland) in 1969. In 1971, he was honored with the title of "state artist."
