Okan Yaşarlar is a composer from Istanbul. He has an equal passion for acoustic and electroacoustic instruments, solo instruments and chamber ensembles. He likes to combine multiple digital media (video, live signal processing, patching and coding) in his works as much as writing acoustic pieces, which have been performed by Ensemble Plug of the InterContemporain and often by the versatile international Hezarfen Ensemble. His works have premiered in various places throughout Europe and Turkey. Okan fell into music through science rather than a conservatoire and is interested in researching VR and AR in music composition. He received his music BA and MA from Istanbul Bilgi University, Universität Hildesheim (Germany) and Istanbul Technical University, where he founded the university’s first laptop orchestra. He was a member of the Galata Electroacoustic Orchestra (GOA), with whom he performed in Genoa (Italy) in 2013 at an extensive workshop aimed at fusing the traditional music of Istanbul, Genoa and Barcelona with contemporary electronic music. Okan also performed with GOA at the Venice Biennale in 2014. In 2015 he was one of the resident composers at the 7th International Chamber Music Festival in Cappadocia. He has had the privilege of working with Reuben de Lautour, Anil Camci, Jeremy Woodruff, Tolga Zafer Ozdemir, Thomas Simaku and Tolga Yayalar. Past artistic projects include writing a play performed in Istanbul in 2013 and writing a children’s musical for the Adana arts council. He has frequently composed music for film and theatre which has been performed in Istanbul. He enjoys playing the guitar and drums. When he is not in a studio, he likes trekking, sailing and drawing cartoons.