About Funda
Funda Sezer is a true jazz devotee, from Istanbul, Turkey, one of the outstanding singers of her generation, who has spent many years practicing her art with a heart full of soul.
She started her music life singing in various choirs. In 1994, she started to take classical guitar lessons. However, after a few years of guitar education she decided to continue her music life not as an intrumentalist but as a singer. She started to sing in Ilgaz Benekay Flamenco Group, founded in 1998. As the singer of the group she appeared in various concerts such as Pera Music Days, Samsun 19’th May Festival and many others till 2000. She started to take classical vocal tecniques together with Olcay Kaylan in 1999. For the jazz vocal tecniques together with Randy Esen for 2 years. She also sings at Istanbul European Choir, conducted by Gökçen Koray. The choir, which she has joined in January 2004, has concerts with Istanbul and Eskişehir State Symphony Orchestra in many venues. In October 2004, she has become the singer of Candela Latin Sextet which has been re-named afterwards as Istanbul Quintet in 2005 and continued her efforts in music together with this group performing in Eskişehir Jazz Festival and in various university festiivals till 2007. In July 2007, she attended to Umbria Jazz Festival Berklee Collage of Music Jazz Clinics’07, sertificated program, and had a chance to work with Donna McElroy. When she return from Umbria, she attended to 4th Nardis Jazz Vocal Contest, which she was one of the finalists. She studied "Ear Training and Jazz Theory" with Prof. Donovan Mixon, also for a short time she studied "Music Theory and Improvisation" with Aydın Esen. Currently, she's singing in her own projects; "FUNDOLATINO", "POPART PROJECT", "FUNDO'S WINGS", "FUNDA SEZER TRIO" and "FUNDA SEZER 4TET"
