About
İlayda Yılmaz (b. 2001, Turkey) is a clarinetist based in Switzerland and Turkey. Believing music to be the deepest form of human connection—uniting performer, listener and composer across generations and time in a state of intersubjectivity—she aspires to introduce individuality to the collective consciousness. Her most sincere aim is to make people feel less alone by creating moments through music in which they can be seen, heard, and reflected in stories told without words. With her art she does not seek to offer perfection, but only her own voice.
Yılmaz began her musical journey at the age of five under the guidance of her father. She started her clarinet studies with Selen Özyıldırım at Bilkent Music Middle School in 2012 and continued her studies with Özyıldırım throughout her Bachelor’s degree at Bilkent University Faculty of Music and Performing Arts, graduating in 2024. In 2023, she studied at Prague Performing Arts (HAMU) as an Erasmus student under the guidance of Irvin Venyš, Vlastimil Mareš, and Jan Mach. She has participated in masterclasses with renowned musicians such as Michel Arrignon, François Benda, Harri Maki, Christoffer Sundqvist, Michel Lethiec, Charles Neidich, Pascal Moragues and Kilian Herold.
Chamber music holds a central place in Yılmaz’s artistic identity. She has received awards in national chamber music competitions and actively collaborates with ensembles she has founded, exploring the boundless possibilities of collective music-making. Her concert appearances span Turkey and Europe, with performances in cities including Ankara, İstanbul, Berlin, Paris, Barcelona and Prague. She has performed both as an orchestral musician and as a soloist with various ensembles and orchestras across Turkey and Europe. She has shared the stage with musicians including Ivo Pogorelich, Fazıl Say, Anu Tali, and Gürer Aykal. In 2024, she began her Master’s degree at Fundació Conservatori Liceu in Barcelona in the class of Isaac Rodriguez, completing the program in one year. She is currently pursuing a second Master’s degree at Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana in Lugano in the class of François Benda. She is a recipient of the Enka Sanat Lale Tara Arts Scholarship, which supports her continued artistic development and enables her to pursue her studies. Yılmaz continues her musical career as a clarinetist with Şuh Ensemble, a contemporary music collective based in Berlin and Ankara.
