Tolga Tavis 1980, (surname is written as “Taviş” in national alphabet in Turkey...)
...Tolga Tavis’s music is another sign of hope... A musical tissue which reminds the voices of Anatolia without using the stereotypic folkloric melodies. This perception and orchestration of Tavis, shows that tonal but yet modern lyrism is still viable in opera language and also gives hope for powerful and expressive ballet music can be also composed by him...Kemal Kucuk- October 2014 / Milliyet Sanat
About
As a remarkable musician who is actively involving in composing, conducting, arranging and teaching music, Tolga Tavis was born and raised in Izmir, Turkey.
Between 1994 and 2000 he studied bassoon and before his graduation, he was the principal bassoon player of Antalya State Symphony Orchestra.
In 2002 he was accepted in "Composing and conducting" class of Ankara State Conservatory and completed his post-graduate program in 2005. That summer, he attended in prestigious “Santa Chigiana Music Academy Conducting Masterclass” in Italy. This masterclass is directed by Gianluigi Gelmetti, an acclaimed pedagogue and conductor. Tavis qualified as an active participant and worked with Sofia Festival Orchestra during the period. He continued to conduct and to compose for many occasions between 2005 and 2008.
Tolga Tavis has won the audition for the conductor position of “Samsun State Opera & Ballet” in September 2008 at the age of 28. He served in this theatre till 2014 and conducted over 100 opera, ballet and symphonic performances. Significant operas and ballets that he conducted can be as follows: Abduction From the Seraglio, The Magic Flute, La Traviata, Lucia di Lammermoor, Carmen, La Boheme, Madama Butterfly, I Pagliacci and Don Quixote, Casse Noisette, La Belle Au Bois Dormant.
Tolga Tavis is performing as the conductor of Izmir State Opera and Ballet since. He is also annualy being invited to all major symphony orchestras and opera&ballet companies in Turkey since 2006 and conducted tour performances of Ankara State Opera & Ballet in Daegu (South Korea) and Ekaterinburg (Russia) as well as Presidential Symphony Orchestra in “Southeast Anatolia Tour”.
As a composer, he has limited number of compositions because of his conducting efforts. However his compositions are played in his country continously and always won the approval of the audience, musicians and the criticians. Tavis's symphonic tale for kids & elders "Phonicsville" has reached more than 70.000 children since 2015.
As an arranger, he is widely known throughout the country and produced and conducted numerous projects. Tolga Tavis is commonly matching up popular music and jazz artists with symphonic music and creating musicals and concert contents for entrepreneurs of all kind.
As a pedagogue, Tavis is conducting Dogus Kids Symphony Orchestra since 2006. DKSO is an social responsibility project of Dogus Group which is a leading business conglomerate in Turkey. This project serves as an art/education initiative which graduates averagely 25 young musicians every year and prepares them for professional music career.