Okan Murat Öztürk, Baglama - At the Science Faculty of the Ankara University he obtained his BA in Geological Engineering in 1996, while in 2006 he achieved his MA in the field of Ethnomusicology and Folklore from the Hacettepe University in Ankara. In 2014 he additionally achieved his PhD in Musicology and Music Theory at the Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul in 2014.

His basic research interests are (i) Traditional Turkish Music, (ii) Makam Theory, Practice and History, (iii) Traditional Music and Modernization/Westernization in Turkey. Okan Murat Öztürk has published several articles, study papers, books and book chapters referring to various topics of traditional Turkish music (makam, usul, local performance techniques, musical education, music history, nationalism, modernization, etc.). He is also one of the leading representatives of traditional Turkish Music and its unique instruments such as the bağlama family (Turkish long necked folk lutes) and lavta (Turkish fretted lute). He performed a lot of concerts and published many studio recordings. He is founder of Bengi Bağlama Trio and is a member of the ICTM. He works as an academician at Başkent University State Conservatory in Ankara.