Gizem Gokoglu is a composer, performer and educator in New York City. She is a winner of the highly acclaimed ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award (2017), and a recipient of an Honorable Mention at Seattle Women’s Jazz Orchestra’s Jazz Composition Competition (2015). Her diverse music has been performed here in the U.S., as well as in Switzerland, Germany, Italy and Turkey.
Gizem holds a B.M. dual degree in Jazz Composition and Voice Performance from Berklee College of Music, as well as a Master of Music Theory and Composition Degree (Film Scoring) from New York University. Prior to that she has completed the ABRSM Exam Grade 8 for classical piano.
During her time in Boston, Gizem received the Quincy Jones Award in 2009, and was one of four participants of Maria Schneider’s Jazz Composition Seminar Classes. After her studies at Berklee College of Music, motivated by her acceptance into the prestigious BMI Jazz Composers Workshop, Gizem moved to New York City. She attended the workshop (music directors: Jim McNeely and Mike Holober) between the years of 2011-2014. During this time, she was selected as one of three participants of the West Point Jazz Knights Composers Forum, and she earned her Master’s Degree at NYU.
In 2015, Gizem received a place in the Society of Composers and Lyricists NY Composer Mentor Program led by film composer Chris Hajian. Since 2017, she participates in the BMI Jazz Composers Workshop directed by esteemed composers Andy Farber and Ted Nash. Residing in New York City, Gizem continues her work as an educator, performer and composer for a variety of local and remote projects, ranging from music for film to concert music for jazz orchestra.