Singing melody, a mercurial sense of (often propulsive) rhythm, large-scale harmonic control, and above all a keen dramatic bent characterise Michael Ellison’s work, which combines traditional (both Turkish and Western) and contemporary sensibilities. Ellison’s first opera, Mevlana, Say I am You (Rotterdam Operadagen and Istanbul Music Festivals, 2012) achieved an unprecedented level of integration of Turkish traditional instruments to make possible new realms of contemporary music, which his second, Deniz Küstüextends. Ellison has been commissioned by BBC Symphony Orchestra, Radio France, Berlin Saxophone Quartet, Nova Chamber Music Series, Grenoble Festival, Ensemble Variances, and New Music Southwest (UK). He is co-founder and co-director of Hezarfen Ensemble.