Özge Usta was born in Izmir, Turkey. After graduating from Izmir Anatolian Fine Arts High School, she received a full scholarship from Bilkent University. During her studies at Bilkent University she was on the high honours list. She studied composition with Elhan Bakihanov, harmony with Zarife Bakihanova, music history with Naile Mehtiyeva, score reading and playing with Alfred Michourine, choral conducting with Elena Puskova, fugue-counterpoint with Bujor Hoinic and orchestral conducting with Hakan Kalkan. She took part ın a musical formation seminar with Professor Odette Gartenlaube at Bilkent University. She received her master’s degree in the field of composition and orchestral conducting from Dokuz Eylul University Conservatory. She received her doctoral degree in audio design-composition from the Institute of Social Sciences of Ege University.
In 2006, Ms. Usta won the second Leon Biriotti International Composition Competition with one of her chamber music compositions entitled Tres Referencias Al Musica. Her compositions have been performed in Germany, South America, Belgium, Sweden and Turkey. On their first tour of eastern Turkey, the İzmir State Opera and Ballet Company chose to play a program comprised entirely of pieces which she composed and arranged. She has also prepared and directed the annual New Year’s concert for the Bodrum Chamber Orchestra. Ms. Usta continues to work as a composer and orchestral conductor of the Usta Nefesler Chamber Music Group and the Usta Tınılar Chamber Music Orchestra.
Between 1997–2002, Ms. Usta gave solfege, music theory and music history lessons at Bilkent University. From 2004-2005, she taught solfege at Dokuz Eylul University State Conservatory. Between 2005-2011, she was the director of the Izmir Foundation for Culture Arts and Education (İKSEV) Academy. She founded and directed the Academy İKSEV Choir and she gave composition, orchestration, harmony and solfege lessons. Since 2011 she has been an Assistant Professor in the music department of Yasar University, where she teaches composition, orchestration, and instrumentation classes.
Compositions:
• Sonata for Bassoon, Sound (Bassoon and Piano)
• Wind (Wind Quartet)
• Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra, Reference to Clarinet
• AlfaOmega (Wind Quintet)
• Parade (Wind Quintet)
• Doctoral Thesis:The Interaction of Persian, Arabic, Turkish and Indian Cultures with African Cultures on the East African Coast (Swahili)- Taarab Music Genre at the Zanzibar Archipelago
• New Year’s Repertoire of Bodrum Chamber Orchestra
• Chaos (Chamber Orchestra)
• Repertoire of Usta Tınılar Chamber Orchestra
• Chaos (String Quartet)
• Sarı Gelin (String Quartet)
• Izmir State Opera and Ballet Eastern Tour Repertoire (23 compositions.)
• Tres Referencias al Musica II (Flute, Violoncello, Harp and Piano)
• Allı Turnam (Bass and Orchestra)
• Oltre l’amore (Bassoon and Orchestra)
• Aşkın Usta Bassoon Ensemble and Düşlerin Tınısı Trio’s repertoire (20 compositions) (Bassoon Quartet and Bassoon-Harp-Yaylı Tambur Trio)
• Oltre le Idee (Guitar, Alto Saxophone, Trombone, Percussion)
• Passione (Solo Violoncello)
• Dimensione (Stockholm Saxophone Quartet)
• Sogno (Bassoon and Piano)
• Feeling (Bassoon and Piano)
• Tres Referencias al Musica (Guitar, Flute, Violoncello and Piano) (Winner of 2. International Leon Biriotti Composition Competition, Uruguay)
• Essenza-Ripozo-Senza Nome (2 Pianos ve 2 Percussionist)
• Sette (Piano Album)
• Master Thesis:Modal and Formal Analysis of Ahmed Adnan Saygun’s 2. String Quartet
• Symphony
• Anatolia (Acapella Choir)
• Halkalı Şeker (Acapella Choir)
• Mavilim (Orchestra)
• Ornamental Sketches (Piano Album)
• The Sky (Symphonic Suite Nr 2)
• Three Lieds (Soprano and Piano)
• Stories (Piano Album)
• Musical Formation Preparation Book: Basic Music Theory Book&Exercises for Children
• Mystery (Symphonic Suite Nr 1)
• Düşbaşkası (Quintet for Strings and Piano)
• Three Feelings (Preludes for Piano)
• 15 Preludes for Piano