Musician and sound designer Merve Tokar has been honing her skills in the industry from Turkey to California for over a decade.

With a classical background in violin and piano and a Master's degree in Music Production and Sound Design from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, Merve Tokar has successfully merged her love for music and film into a fulfilling career.

Her musical journey began as a violinist and pianist in Istanbul, where she studied with internationally renowned violinist and conductor Dr. A. Hakan Sensoy and Prof. Dr. A. Cihat Askin at the Technical University State Conservatory.  As part of her musical education, Merve attended masterclasses, including one held in Dubrovnik, Croatia, where she worked with Romanian-born Israeli-British violinist Ani Schnarch, along with other violinists such as Prof. Dr. Sevil ULUCAN VEİNSTEİN, Şenol AYDIN, Dr. A. Hakan Sensoy and Prof. Dr. A. Cihat Askin.

Her passion for music and exceptional skills have allowed Merve to perform across the world as a solo artist and as part of orchestras.

A concertmaster at the SGK-Bridges Festival in Thessaloniki, Greece, she also performed as a violinist in music videos by famous Turkish artists Ece Mumay and Meryem Zengin. Merve Tokar is also a founding member of the EVA String Quartet, an all-female ensemble based in Istanbul that plays classical and Turkish music arrangements, and has appeared in commercials for Banvit, a major food company.

Growing up in a family of music enthusiasts, she was exposed to various forms of music, which greatly influenced her creativity and laid the foundation for her career. Her interest in film has always been a source of fascination for Merve Tokar, despite her successful career as a musician. With a strong passion for film music and sound design, Merve decided to pursue her dream of working in the film industry.

With classical violin and piano training, along with extensive experience as a performer and teacher, she offers a unique perspective on music's role in visual media, which led to her acceptance into the Master's program at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.

After graduating, she interned at Women's Audio Mission to gain experience in virtual/in-person events, conferences, performances / studio recording sessions, coordinating Zoom sessions for remote classes, and supporting the WAM instructors in teaching beat-making, podcasting, and sound for film.

Merve Tokar was soon noticed and hired by the weekly podcast series Ensemble for These Times (E4TT), hosted by Grammy-winning soprano Nanette McGuinness, where she has been in charge of all the audio part, as well as adding background music, and collaborating with renowned musicians and composers, main focus of the show, including Juhi Bansal, Dawn Norfleet, inti figgis-vizueta, Jonathan Bailey Holland, Anthony Green, or Pamela Z.

The podcast team (Nanette McGuinness who is also the Artistic Executive Director and co-founder, along with cellist Abigail Monroe, pianist Margaret Halbig, and composer / co-founder / Senior Artistic Advisor David Garner) won The American Prize for Chamber Music Performance in 2021 contemporary chamber music group.

While her involvement with the podcast remains, Merve Tokar has since been actively involved in various projects, including some work with the Dolby Laboratories, with Diablo Digital and the Outside Lands Music Festival (featuring artists like Nelly, Lizzo, Vampire Weekend, Tame Impala, and Rufus Du Sol in 2021, and Jack Harlow, Weezer, or Post Malone in 2022). These experiences have given her a broader understanding of audio quality and how it affects the overall listening experience, and have helped her realize her dream of working in the film industry.

She recently captured sound for "Buna Short Film" as well as produced and edited her own YouTube videos, demonstrating her versatility as a music professional.

Moreover, Merve Tokar has been working with scoring composers since January 2023, along with some of the biggest names in film music. The Hollywood projects she's working on are still confidential, but we can't wait to see what she comes up with.

Merve's passion for music and film shines through in everything she does. She is constantly seeking out new challenges and opportunities to grow, and her dedication to her craft is evident in the quality of her work. Whether she is performing in an orchestra or working in a studio, Merve's love for music is always at the forefront of her work. Her journey to the film industry was not without its challenges, but her love for the field and the unwavering support of her family have made it all worth it. We can't wait to see what exciting projects she will take on in the future.

Follow Merve Tokar on YouTube