Didem Başar is a kanun player, composer, and teacher born into a musical family in Istanbul. She began her music education at the Istanbul Turkish Music State Conservatory, where she completed both her kanun and composition degrees.
Her academic interests led her to pursue a Master’s Degree in the musical analysis of Mevlevi Music. Didem moved to Montreal in 2007, where she continued to explore her musical identity, blending various cultural influences.
She has collaborated with notable ensembles such as Constantinople, Oktoécho, and Minor Empire, and has performed in numerous albums and soundtracks.
In 2020, she released Levantine Rhapsody, which attracted attention for its fusion of Turkish and Western classical music, earning multiple nominations and winning Album of the Year at the 24th Opus Awards in 2021.
Didem also teaches kanun and Turkish music at the Centre des Musiciens du Monde in Montreal.
Her latest project, Continuum, was recorded in 2023 with I Musici de Montréal and continues her artistic exploration.
