Elif Karlıdağ is a Turkish/British composer whose work spans multidisciplinary art projects, community engagement, and stage productions. 

Elif’s versatility extends to composing music for documentaries and feature films, including “Hamlet Within” starring Sir Ian McKellen, and “Moments with Mujica,” a documentary about Pepe Mujica. She has also assisted luminaries such as Michael Nyman, contributing to her rich artistic profile. Her diverse interests have led her to create sonic elements for Marguerite Humeau’s sculpture exhibition “Oscillations,” which toured Europe and the USA. 

Elif has collaborated with esteemed ensembles like the Scratch Orchestra and Ligeti Quartet. She co-founded ELSE (East London Sound Ensemble), an electro-acoustic group dedicated to amplifying underrepresented voices in the contemporary classical music scene. Her music was performed in prestigious venues, including the Royal Festival Hall, Kings Place, and the Barbican Centre. Recent commissions include work for the English National Opera and the Three Choirs Festival with the Carice Singers, featuring a composition based on a 6000-year-old text from the Issyks. 

Growing up in different countries, Elif began her musical journey in Bucharest, Romania. She honed her passion at Izmir DEU State Conservatoire, earning a Master’s degree in composition under Istemihan Taviloglu. She further refined her skills at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, studying under Julian Phillips. Elif is the current holder of the prestigious John Clementi Collard Fellowship from the Worshipful Company of Musicians.