Attila Özdemiroğlu


Attila Özdemiroğlu was a Turkish composer and arranger. He was best known for his award winning film scores in the 1970s and 1980s.

Career

Born on 5 January 1943 in Ankara, Özdemiroğlu got interested in playing music already in his early years. At his age of eight, he took private lessons on violin. Learning to play many music instruments such as flute, vibraphone, double bass and trombone, he participated at music events during his high school and university years.
In 1966, he moved to Istanbul and joined the music band "Durul Gence 5". Later, Özdemiroğlu played in several other music groups and also for Turkish pop stars like Ajda Pekkan, Nilüfer, Kayahan and Sezen Aksu. One of his compositions, Pet'r Oil, was selected for Turkey's entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1980, where he conducted the orchestra himself. Özdemiroğlu was awarded five times for his film scores at the Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival and twice at the Adana Golden Boll Film Festival.
Outside of his career as a musician, Attila was one of the co-founders of Anadolu.net the first Internet Service Provider in Turkey together with Riza Nur Pacalioglu and Tony Yustein.

Personal life

Atilla Özdemiroğlu married four times. He made his first marriage with Ayla at his age of 19. From this marriage that lasted eleven years, he has a daughter, Yaprak Özdemiroğlu, who became a film actress, and a son, Sarp Özdemiroğlu, who is also a composer and arranger. His marriage with Füsun Önal, a renowned pop singer, ended after only 1.5 years. He married then ballerina Lale Mansur, now film actress. After six years with her, he became an item with Müjde Ar, a famous film actress, which lasted 15 years. From 1995 until his death, he was married to Hepgül Hepbir. Atilla Özdemiroğlu and his wife, who was 31 years his junior, had twin daughters, Lara and Lidya.
Atilla Özdemiroğlu died at age 73 on 20 April 2016 in Istanbul. He was suffering from lung cancer, and was hospitalized due to an injury resulting from a fall at home. He was interred in the Zincirlikuyu Cemetery following the religious service at Levent Mosque.

Incidental music works

Özdemiroğlu created the following incidental music works:
;Musical theatre
;Film
His following songs were selected to contest for Turkey at the Eurovision Song Contest: