5 Questions to Delfin Demiray (composer, pianist) — I Care if You Listen

Philadelphia-based composer Delfin Demiray brings a wealth of experience to her nascent career and is carving out a niche of her own in the modern music landscape. In her youth, Demiray studied piano at the Bilkent Music Pre-College program in Turkey and later began composition studies with Yiğit Aydın. But her experience in the arts extends beyond the typical conservatory fare: Demiray has also studied drama, run a locally acclaimed newsletter for photography and film, and shown conceptual art at various exhibitions.

As a second-year student at the Curtis Institute, Demiray works with their renowned composition faculty which includes Nick DiBerardino, Amy Beth Kirsten, Steven Mackey, Jonathan Bailey Holland, and Richard Danielpour. Recently, Demiray’s work Matem for string quartet was premiered at the Curtis Institute’s Composers’ Chamber Music Recital. The opening violin solo features a stirring, questioning motif which – surrounded by ample space – resembles an unanswered plea. However, as the rest of the quartet joins in, the music coalesces into a warmer, fuller soundworld replete with sultry glissandi and luscious, Romantic harmonies.

In her artist statement, Demiray considers the confluence of ideas that underscore her work, such as change vs. routine, rationality vs. instinct, and steadfastness vs. adaptability. And in the concert hall, Demiray’s deeply felt and intellectually driven compositional philosophy is evident in her music, which captivates both ears and minds alike. To shed light on this early-career composer, we asked five questions about the development and philosophy behind her work.