He attended Dokuz Eylul University’s Vocal Studies and Opera Division and studied with the likes of Sevda Aydan, Suat Taşer, Kamran İnce and percussionist Oktay Aykoç while playing drums at various clubs in Istanbul and Izmir. He graduated from Vocal Studies in 1982 as the first chorister to the newly founded Izmir State Opera and Ballet. In 1985, he passed the orchestra exam and crossed over as a percussion artist. However, due to shortage of staff, served at both the choir and the orchestra for a short period of time. Between 1986 and 1991, he went to the US and studied percussion instruments as well as theory, harmony, composition and improvisation at the Berklee School of Music in vibraphone virtuoso Gary Burton’s Percussion Department with Prof. Ed Saindon and pianist - composer Aydın Esen. He turned to composition in 1990. He succeeded at the position placement exam and made Assistant Principal Timpanist at the State Opera Orchestra. He composed an array of pieces from opera to musical for children, from modern dance music to chamber music. Upon the addition of his first opera, The Sacred Chest to the repertoire of The Ankara State Opera and Ballet, he moved to Ankara and continued his career as an orchestra artist. The chamber music piece he was commitioned to compose, Autumn in Ankara was performed in Germany in 1994.