Grammy nominated composer and jazz pianist Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol’s music has been praised by the Boston Globe as “colorful, fanciful, full of rhythmic life, and full of feeling. The multiculturalism is not touristy, but rather sophisticated, informed, internalized”. Sanlıkol is a full time faculty member at the New England Conservatory and he has composed for, performed and toured with international stars and ensembles such as Dave Liebman, Bob Brookmeyer, Billy Cobham, Anat Cohen, Antonio Sanchez, Tiger Okoshi, Miguel Zenon, Gil Goldstein, Esperanza Spalding, The Boston Camerata, The Boston Cello Quartet, A Far Cry string orchestra, American Composers Orchestra, Okay Temiz and Erkan Oğur. Sanlıkol was a recipient of the prestigious Aaron Copland Fund for Music Program Grant twice in 2016 and 2020, the New Music USA Project Grant in 2020, and the South Arts Jazz Road Creative Residency Grant in 2021 among other awards.