Ayse was just 5 years old when she discovered that she could play a guitar in a room full of music. It was a group of children playing different instruments together. She completed her second year of piano studies at the conservatory two years later. She loved chambermusic and was very proud to have done so. She founded Mozaik in 1983, and they released four albums together until 1995. Mozaik was a fusion of jazz, western classical music and traditional Turkish sounds in their music. Ayse discovered her musical talents with Komur and was able to improvise. Later, she performed a series of songs that celebrate the female form together with Sumru Agiryuruyen. Ayse also worked with “marginal” Turkish musicians on many studio productions. These included Bulent Ortacgil (songwriter), Yeni Turku (folkgroup) and Bulutsuzluk Ozlemi (rockband). Ayse also enjoys composing for musical theatre and celluloid productions. She also participated in Lawrence “Butch” Morris’s Conducting Improvisation Orchestra in 1999. She formed the Ayse Tutuncu piano percussion ensemble in 1995 (piano – percussions – bass clarinet). In 1999, she released Variations (ADA Muzik). This album took her to both European and Turkish festivals: Istanbul Music Festival, 6. Istanbul Jazz Festival, 6. Eskisehir Festival, Ankara Jazz Festivals, 1. Afyon Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, Traumzeit Festival, Talos Festival, 12. Izmir European Jazz Festival. Ayse has been performing her original compositions with her Trio since 2004. Each track was specifically written for “two wind instrument and a piano”. The Trio recorded Carnivalesque (EMI / Blue Note), and performed live at Prague Jazz Open Festival. Ayse Tutuncu prefers living in the midway house to keep a delicate balance between improvised and notated music. She dances with the Piano Percussion Ensemble, a tightrope of variations as well as collages, allowing for plenty of improvisation. Ayse’s Trio compositions interweave “free zones” and written parts more closely. Teaching is an important aspect for her. As it was, with her ensemble students at the Akademi Istanbul and still is during one to one piano sessions, for Ayse Tutuncu the room is always filled with music… from http://www.aysetutuncu.com