Prof. Dr. Ali Maruf Alaskan was born on January 21, 1971, in Diyarbakır, Turkey. He completed his primary and secondary education in his hometown. During his high school years, he began learning traditional Turkish instruments such as the bağlama, cümbüş, and oud. In 1990, he joined the Turkish Music Choir of the Diyarbakır Governorship as an oud performer. There, he studied Turkish Music Solfeggio and Theory under the guidance of composer and choir conductor Edvan Kengil, and performed in numerous concerts with the choir.

In 1993, he was invited as a guest artist to the Turkish Classical Music Choir of the Diyarbakır State Conservatory under the Ministry of Culture. The following year, in 1994, he was admitted to the Instrument Making Department at the State Conservatory of Turkish Music, Ege University. There, he specialized in plucked string instruments, focusing particularly on the oud, tanbur, and lavta. In 1996, he played a foundational role in establishing the Şirinyer Turkish Music Foundation and taught oud there.

In 1997, he joined TRT İzmir Radio as an oud performer. Between 1997 and 1999, he collaborated with the Head of the Instrument Making Department, V. Veyis Yeğin, to design and create a hybrid instrument called the Utar, combining features of the oud and guitar.

In 1998, he participated in “Friendship, Love, and Peace” concerts and appeared on TRT’s Music Mosaic program with Voice of İzmir, an ensemble founded by Berrak Taranç. In 2000, he took part in an international peace conference. He graduated at the top of his class from the Instrument Making Department in 1999. That same year, he began teaching as a part-time lecturer in the Basic Sciences and Instrument Making Departments, giving courses in workshop techniques and oud performance. In 2001, he commenced his master’s studies in the Turkish Classical Music Department within the Institute of Social Sciences at Ege University.

In 2003, he contributed to a scientific research project titled “Investigation of the Acoustic Properties of Natural Skins in Percussion Instruments,” conducted in collaboration with the Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, and the Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Leather Engineering. Within this project, he helped prepare a scientific article that was published in the international journal JALCA. He also initiated a proposal to establish a “Percussion Instruments Major” within the Instrument Making Department. During the 2003–2004 academic year, he designed and created a thirteen-string oud as part of his Instrument Design course.

In 2008, he was appointed Chair of the Instrument Making Department at the State Conservatory of Turkish Music, Ege University. In 2013, he became the Dean of the same conservatory.

Prof. Dr. Alaskan has extended his contributions beyond academic institutions by supporting all individuals interested in the field of instrument making through workshops, publications, technical support, and mentorship. Through these efforts, he has played a pivotal role in the training and professional development of many individuals, including luthier Kamil Gül.

Currently, Prof. Dr. Ali Maruf Alaskan continues to serve as the Dean of the State Conservatory of Turkish Music at Ege University and as an oud artist at TRT İzmir Radio. With his dedicated efforts in the field of instrument making in Turkey, he has contributed significantly to the education and development of hundreds of individuals. I respectfully and gratefully commemorate this esteemed scholar for his invaluable contributions