Istanbul-based American percussionist / composer / educator Amy Salsgiver thrives on being a part of the vibrant local music scene for nearly two decades. Her work spans genres and disciplines, from the experimental to the traditional, classical to contemporary – often combining different aspects to exciting results. Her role as a performer keeps her at the heart of the contemporary and experimental music scene in Istanbul.
As a contemporary percussionist she is actively working with composers and performing new music with Hezarfen Ensemble, striving to bring new Turkish music to home and abroad. She also makes use of Turkish percussion instruments in strange and new musical situations. As co-creator of percussion group sa.ne.na , she has been presenting noteworthy and influential works from the past 50 years to Turkish audiences. This also involves collaborations with performers and composers, such as Slagwerk den Hague, Christian Benning, and Michael Gordon. Other percussion based work includes Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra (BIFO), study of the Ghanaian xylophone, the gyil, and she has appeared on stage and in recordings with jazz and pop music groups.
Amy is a faculty member at Istanbul Technical University’s Center for Advanced Research in Music (MIAM), where she leads the MIAM Percussion and MIAM Improvisation Ensembles. Her courses cover a range of topics related to percussion, composition, and improvising – always striving for interdisciplinary work among departments.
Currently Amy is pursuing a PhD in music composition, exploring how improvisation and collaborative work are valuable tools in contemporary musical practices. She also has an ongoing practice-based research project involving recording “sound runs”, where she records the local sonic environment while running through it. These field recordings become inspiration for works which encourage audiences to have a deeper engagement with their surroundings.
amy salsgiver percussionist - composer - educator 