Mehmet Ali Simayli (Istanbul, Türkiye) is an individual working in the intersectional fields of composition, improvisation, research, and drumming, spanning between interpretational and experimental contexts. Mehmet’s work, mainly involving sounding things, blends electro-acoustic, multimedia, and contemporary composition and improvisation around musical and non-musical concepts. He seeks acoustic and electronic apparatuses to open up loopholes that move freely through detail, and a traditionless take on current era. Simayli lives in Basel, Switzerland since 2021.

education
MA / FHNW Musik Akademie / Composition, Production / Institute of Jazz, 2024-present
BA / FHNW Musik Akademie / Drum Set Performance / Institute of Jazz, 2021-2024, cum laude
BA / Istanbul Bilgi University / Music / 2017-2020 (suspended)

work
founder & artistic director, Rubber Commune (2025–present)
freelance performer (2016-present)
freelance artist, composer, sound designer (2022-present)
freelance drum teacher (2023-present)
freelance organizer / curator (2022-present)

artistic & academic programs
Roche Continents – Arles, France, 2025 by invitation, delegation of FHNW
IRCAM ManiFeste – Auditeur, Paris, France, 2025
Donaueschinger Musiktage – Next Generation Program, Donaueschingen, Germany, 2022
Artist-in-Residence, Musicology Research Anatolian Awards in Music, Baksı Cultural Foundation, Bayburt, Türkiye, 2022
Bahçeşehir University One-Year Jazz Certificate Program, Istanbul, Türkiye, 2016
Umbria Jazz Clinics, Perugia, Italy, 2017
Turkish Makam Music Workshops, Tiyatro Medresesi, Sirince, Türkiye, 2016, 2017
Arif Mardin Fellowship, American Turkish Society, Boston, US, 2016

©MMXXI

2025, January

mehmet ali simayli