Famed Turkish musician Atilla Ozdemiroglu dies at 73

ISTANBUL

Turkish composer Atilla Ozdemiroglu died Wednesday at the age of 73 after developing lung cancer.

In a career spanning five decades, Ozdemiroglu worked with a number of Turkish groups and singers such as Ajda Pekkan and Sezen Aksu.

It was perhaps his work on film scores that he will best remembered. He was recognized five times by the Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival and twice by the Adana Golden Boll Film Festival for his work on filmographies.

He also composed several of Turkey’s entries to the Eurovision Song Contest.

Ali Haydar Timisi, a director of MESAM, the association of Turkish musicians, said Ozdemiroglu had spent most of his time working to protect the copyright of musicians. He was president of the association between 1995 and 2003.

In a brief statement on its website, MESAM said the funeral would take place in Istanbul on Thursday.