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Biography Education / Masterclasses / Work Experience / Early Music Studies / Awards and Honors / Professional Affiliations Mesut Özgen was born in Turkey, where he completed his medical degree in 1984 and worked as a doctor seven years. He began playing guitar in 1981 while pursuing his study at the School of Medicine at Hacettepe University in Ankara. He was chosen as a soloist to play Tedesco's Guitar Concerto in the International Paco Peńa Guitar Festival in Cordoba, Spain in 1989. After his two performances in Cordoba in 1989 and 1990, he was invited to the U.S. by Benjamin Verdery to study with him at Yale University, School of Music. During his seven years of medical
practice, as a self-taught guitarist, Özgen played
concerts and taught guitar at the Gazi University School
of Music Education and the Hacettepe University between
1987 and 1991 in Later, Özgen studied with Professor Frank Koonce in the doctoral program at Arizona State University and worked as his teaching assistant between 1994 and 1998. He was awarded the "Dean's Council Scholarship" at Arizona State University in 1997. Same year, he also became a prizewinner in the International Portland Guitar Competition. He has been on the guitar faculty at the University of California, Santa Cruz since 1998. Besides teaching, he has been giving solo recitals regularly, writing solo, duo, and ensemble music for guitar and other instruments based on or influenced by traditional Turkish music, and working on his project "Designing technical training programs for guitarists based on exercise physiology principles." Recently, he has performed as a featured soloist in 2002 Santa Cruz Baroque Festival and premiered new music in “April in Santa Cruz: Contemporary Music Festival.” Return to the top of this page DMA (Doctor of Musical Arts) in solo performance, Arizona State University, School of Music, expected 2003 Artist Diploma in performance, Yale University, School of Music, 1994 MM (Master of Music) in performance, Yale University, School of Music, 1993 MD (Doctor of Medicine), Hacettepe University, School of Medicine, Turkey, 1984 Return to the top of this page Guitarists: John Williams, Manuel Barrueco, David Russell, Eliot Fisk, Costas Cotsiolis, Ricardo Iznaola, Robert Guthrie, David Leisner, Sharon Isbin, Jose Luis Rodrigo, Miguel Angel Girollet, Benjamin Verdery Pianists: Seymour Bernstein, Anthony Newman, Rosalyn Tureck Composers: Leo Brouwer, Martin Bresnick Return to the top of this page 1998-, Guitar faculty, University of California, Santa Cruz 1994-1998, Guitar teaching assistant to Frank Koonce, Arizona State University, Tempe 1993-1994, Guitar teaching assistant to Ben Verdery, Yale School of Music, New Haven 1989-1991, Guitar faculty, School of Music Education, Gazi University, Turkey 1987-1991, Guitar instructor, Classical Guitar Club, Hacettepe University, Turkey Return to the top of this page Baroque and Renaissance performance practice studies with: Jaap Schroeder, violin, 1992; Rosalyn Tureck, keyboard, 1992; Anthony Newman, keyboard, 1994; John Metz, harpsichord, 1995; Robert Spencer, lute, 1996 Lute and Baroque guitar performances: Arizona State University Baroque Ensembles, 1995-1998 Return to the top of this page 2002, Adjudicator, Concerto Competition, University of California, Santa Cruz 2001, Adjudicator, Guitar Concerto Competition, San Francisco Conservatory 1999, UCSC Center for Teaching Excellence Grant for a pedagogic guitar ensemble work project 1997-98, Dean's Council Scholarship, Arizona State University 1998, 1996, Adjudicator, Classical Guitar Competition, Arizona Community Colleges 1997, Prizewinner, Portland Guitar Competition, Oregon 1994, The Yale School of Music Alumni Association Prize for students who have not only excelled in their respective fields, but also have made an important contribution to the general life of the school 1993, The Yale School of Music Dean's Prize for the most outstanding student in the graduating class 1992, The Edward Wardwell Fellowship for outstanding students in chamber music, Yale University 1991, Adjudicator, National Guitar Competition of Turkey, Ankara 1986, The Spanish Government Scholarship for “Curso de la Música Espańola,” Santiago de Compostela, Spain Return to the top of this page 1994-, GFA (Guitar Foundation of America) 1999-, Early Music America 2001-, ASTA with NSOA (American String Teachers Association with National School Orchestra Association) 2001-, ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers) 2002-, MTNA (Music Teachers National Association) 2002-, CAPMT (California Association of Professional Music Teachers) Return to the top of this page Education / Masterclasses / Work Experience / Early Music Studies Home / Reviews / Performances / Sound Clips / Repertoire / Compositions / Photo Gallery / Contact / Links |
Turkey. Before
going to Yale, he studied music theory and harmony with
the eminent Turkish composer Ertugrul Bayraktar in Ankara
in 1991. He came to the U.S. in 1991 to study music
formally for the first time and completed his Master of
Music degree in 1993, and Artist Diploma in 1994 at Yale.
Özgen was the first guitarist to be awarded the
"Dean's Prize," the highest honorary prize of
Yale School of Music. He has performed in masterclasses
for many notable guitarists, such as John Williams, David
Russell, Manuel Barrueco, and Leo Brouwer. He has also
studied early music on guitar, lute, and Baroque guitar
with Jaap Schroeder, Rosalyn Tureck, John Metz, and
Robert Spencer. In 1995, Özgen was invited to Yale
Guitar Festival to give the premiere performance of
Shenandoah by renowned composer Robert Beaser. Shenandoah
was commissioned by Rodrigo Riera International Guitar
Composition Contest held in Caracas, Venezuela in August
1995.