Naz Irem Turkmen was born in 2006 in İstanbul. She is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree in violin under Prof. Hagai Shaham at the University Mozarteum Salzburg.
She is a participant in the “Young Musicians on World Stages“ system initiated and led by Güher and Süher Pekinel.
Naz İrem previously studied with Prof. Paul Roczek at University Mozarteum Salzburg and with Prof. Sonja Korkeala at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München. She has attended the masterclasses of Prof. Boris Kuschnir, Prof. Dora Schwarzberg, Itzhak Rashovsky, Alexander Vinnitsky, Nora Chastain and Ellen Jewett. She studied with Muhammedjan Turdiev, Alexandra Soumm, Ayla Erduran, Dania Kainova, Aslı Erdal and Prof. Ceyda Ergin.
She has won several first prizes at international violin competitions, including the “Grand Prize” and the “Special Prize for Exceptional Artistic Personality” at the Odessa International Violin Competition in Ukraine in 2018, first prize at 12th Grumiaux International Competition for Young Violinists in Belgium in 2019, and first prize at the 2nd Ilona Feher International Violin Competition in Budapest. She also received second prize at the Ohrid Pearls International Competition in 2022. She has selected among 11 musicians to participate in the Colluvio Chamber Music Academy in 2023 and 2024. She has given chamber music concerts at 6 different countries and 8 different cities with this chamber music group during years 2023 and 2024.
She has given concerts in Turkey with leading orchestras such as Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra, İzmir State Symphony Orchestra, Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra, Cemal Reşit Rey Orchestra, Eskişehir State Symphony Orchestra, İstanbul State Opera and Ballet Orchestra, El Ele Music Symphony Orchestra and the Turkish Stars Symphony Orkestra. In 2023 she appeared as a soloist at the Stars and Rising Stars Festival in Munich.
She speaks German, English, Russian, Italian and Turkish fluently.