Background
He was born in Izmir. He took his first lessons from A.Faruk Kakınç. He entered Dokuz Eylül University State Conservatory and studied horn with Associate Professor Ferhat Güneri in 1990. He worked on “Russian School” with Ertuğrul Karamenderes between 1994-98.
He worked with Prof. Charles Lecomte in France in 1997 where he went to give series of performances. He later worked with Prof. Gregory Cass at the Geneva Conservatory in 2000.
He played as the guest player with Izmir, Bursa and Çukurova Symphony Orchestras between 1995-2001.
He realized an unprecedented idea in Izmir, he formed a “World Songs Group” in 2002.
He established “Ensemble Feverish Music International Culture Agency” in 2004 which aims to increase musical conciousness in the community by giving concerts with a repertoire which includes a wide range of compositions from the area of national and international music.
He organized a series of seminars titled “Getting Familiar With Musical Instrument” in coordination with Ege University for the first time in Turkey in 2007. He was invited to do these seminars at the various other universities and educational institutions.
He was invited a horn teacher in "Summer Academy Art Baltica 2009" in Lithuania. Zafer Yümlü taught to Lithuanian students horn education in this activity. He also performed a lot of concerts in this project.
Italian composer Andrea Ferrante has written a concerto for Zafer Yümlü in 2010. This is very important concerto. Because it is first in Turkey. A horn concerto was written and dedicated to horn artist Zafer Yümlü first in Turkey.
He realized a project is named “Classical Music Instruments are Talking” which was the first project in Turkey in this scope. The goal of this project is to introduce the classical musical instruments, to inspire students by organizing chamber music concerts at schools, and to create awareness among youth who may be the future musicians of the country. Totally 100 students (20 of them were disabled students) participated from primary and junior high schools from National Education Directorate of Bayraklı in Izmir to this project. The activities of project were seminars, art activities with a variety of materials and chamber music concert performances. The subject of seminars were “What is Polyphonic Music? Let’s Learn Classical Music Instruments”.
He was invited to “Dornbirn Horntage 2013” which was held in Dornbirn in Austria on 28-30 June 2013. German students were trained by Zafer Yümlü. Several works performed in this acitivity from the book is titled “Anatolian Melodies for Four Horns”. These works were from Zafer Yümlü’s book titled “Anatolian Melodies for Four Horns”. Zafer Yümlü arranged and wrote this book himself.
He founded “Anatolia Horn Quartet" in 2013 which is the Turkey's first horn quartet.
He realized a project with a fund of European Union (EU). World famous classical guitar virtuoso Enno Voorhorst came to Izmir in 2014 in order to perform master class education who is Head of the Guitar Departmant at Royal Conservatory in the Hague, the Netherlands. Yaşar University Departmant of Music in Izmir was the project partner of this master class education project. This project was highly acclaimed by master class students. They said that working with Enno Voorhorst was very good experience for them. Enno Voorhorst has never been to Izmir before. It was the first time for him to perform master class education in Izmir.
Turkey’s first brass festival, “1st. International Menderes Brass Festival” realized in Menderes-İzmir in 2014 by Zafer Yümlü. Numerous foreign and domestic tourists came to Menderes district in Izmir through this festival. It has contributed to the promotion of the Menderes district.
He realized a project in 2014 is named “Lives Filled With Music” which was the first project in Karabaglar district in Izmir in this scope. This project was funded within the scope of European Union (EU). The aim of the project was to gain the love of classical music to students with the chamber music concert which works of Turkish and foreign composers which was held in İzmir-Karabaglar Eserkent Middle School. Totally 1.200 students aged between 12 and 15 benefited from this project.
He performed a concert as part of the “Live With Art Not With Substance” project of Izmir University of Economics in 2015. Totally 550 university students participated to this project. They participated a lot of art activities and workshops. Such as poster design, mask making and concerts. There was an exhibition at the end of the project. The announcement of the project took place at the national and local media with a good express. This project was the first project in the Aegean region in this scope.
He realized a project in 2015 is named “We Live With Music We Meet In Notes” which was the first project in Bayraklı district in Izmir in this scope. This project was funded within the scope of European Union (EU). The reason of why we choose Izmir-Bayraklı Şehit Fehmi Bey Middle School is the students at this school hadn’t been attended musical activities before. Any service wasn’t offered before to these students because of the insufficient opportunities of the school. Therefore, this project was very helpful for students. Students living in Bayraklı, a district of Izmir, had very limited opportunities to attend in social and cultural activities. Their families have a migrant background and come from a low socioeconomic class. Thus, these students are considered disadvantaged compared to their peers. Our goal was to provide them a good opportunity with this project. Totally 200 students aged between 11 and 12 benefited from this project at Izmir-Bayraklı Şehit Fehmi Bey Middle School.
He has also a book titled “Anatolian Melodies for Four Horns” and printed in Germany. Zafer Yümlü arranged and wrote this book himself. This book is also unique in the world. This book is consist of the arrangements of Anatolian melodies from seven different regions of Anatolia as polyphonic. Anatolia has a very large culture. The music of civilizations which they lived in this land is the basis of contemporary folk music. Turkish folk music is the most beautiful music type which expressed the feelings of the community. Feelings are described as very good becaus Turkish folk music is verbal music. Turkish folk music has many valuable features that is why I arranged this book. This book were the Bibliotheca Alexandrina inventory which the world famous library.
He currently continues teaching music his students at the “Ensemble Feverish Music International Culture Agency” as its Founder/Director, organizing master classes in which prominent international musicians join, continues personal concerts.
Zafer Yümlü who is the representative of many national and international musicians and music groups, has also a book titled “Anatolian Melodies for Four Horns” and printed in Germany. This book of the artist was taken to the inventory of the Alexandria Library in Egypt.
He attended also at numerous symposium and seminars as a guest speaker which was organised in polyphonic music. Zafer Yümlü has many published articles and papers in the field of polyphonic music on various internet sites and print media.
