Cinucen Tanrikorur was born in Istanbul 1938 and first took up the oud at age 18, alongside singing and composing. At the age of 22 he became a musician at Istanbul Radio. He wrote a method for the oud, which was awarded a prize by Turkish Radio and Television. He was later responsible for the traditional music section at Ankara Radio for several years. He has composed over 100 pieces of both instrumental and vocal music, and is regarded as one of the greatest contemporary Turkish composers in the classical tradition. He has also created a new mode, Makam Seddisaba, which he demonstrated in a classical suite (fasil) of six pieces.