The Shadow of Thought
Renan Koen
While continuing her music therapy work, Renan Koen became deeply interested in individuals’ sound memories and how the personal “sound bank” formed in each person influences them — in what ways and directions. Blending her roles as music therapist and composer, she developed her own distinctive music therapy method. In this context, for the inVISIBLE TRACES? exhibition, she met with a group of young people from ethnic Turkish and Muslim socialization backgrounds who are questioning socially constructed norms. Together, they created music collages and the work titled The Shadow of Thought.
Renan Koen
She began her music studies with the flute in 1979, after the conductor of the Amherst College Choir discovered her talent during his visit to Istanbul for the International Music Festival. In 1983 she started piano studies with composer Ali Darmar and “State Artist” Ayşegül Sarıca. Meanwhile, she earned her secondary school degree from the flute studio of Nazım Acar at Mimar Sinan University State Conservatory.
Between 1985 and 1986, she advanced her piano studies in Paris with Germaine Mounier. In 1990–1991 she continued in London with pedagogue Maria Curcio and her assistant Mark Swartzentruber.
In 1995 she won prizes in various competitions: fourth prize in the “Chopin Etudes” competition at Mimar Sinan University State Conservatory, and second prize for her interpretation of Cemal Reşit Rey’s “Improvisation” in a competition honoring the composer. That same year she graduated from the piano studio of Judith Uluğ at Mimar Sinan University State Conservatory.
While pursuing her career as a pianist, she developed a strong interest in the authentic melodies of Anatolia and various world musics. To enrich these with Western touches, she studied composition and electro-composition techniques with Dr. Pieter Snapper, and composition theory and jazz harmony with Reuben de Lautour.
Deeply believing in music’s bonding power and healing mission, she completed the “Art et Qualité de Vie – L’art en Prévention Thérapie et Pédagogie” program, certified by the European Music Therapy Federation, under psychologist-pedagogue and music therapist Lianna Polychroniadou Prinou. That year she became the first Turkish female member of the Hellenic Society of Music Therapy and Creative Expression.
As she specialized further in music therapy, Koen developed her own unique method. Thanks to her dual training as music therapist and composer, she traced how an individual’s “sound bank” (collection of sound memorabilia) shapes their perception of life. This method proved so promising in European music therapy circles that she was invited as a speaker to numerous World Music Therapy congresses in Greece, Portugal, and Austria.
Renan Koen took voice lessons from soprano Ece Idil between 2012–2013 and has since worked with Assistant Prof. Şebnem Ünal (soprano). From 1993–2009 she conducted research on her project “Musical Interactions in World Music” with soprano Şebnem Ünal, culminating in the Turkish premiere of Federico García Lorca’s 13 Spanish Folksongs. Between 2003–2009 the duo formed the chamber ensemble “Melodias Epicas” with other distinguished musicians for their “Simultaneous Impressions” project.
Renan Koen has been actively involved in many initiatives, including her curatorship (2008–2009) of the contemporary music festival Yeno Ceno organized by Galata Perform (which has since expanded to include contemporary art).
In addition to chamber music performances, Renan Koen appears as a soloist in recitals and orchestral concerts.