Özlem Yılmaz is a Berlin-based musician, nay player and instructor and researcher of Islamic studies whose work unfolds at the intersection of sound, spirituality, and intercultural dialogue. She combines academic research on Islamic philosophy and Sufi traditions with an active musical practice rooted in the maqam systems of the Middle East, focusing especially on Istanbul soundscape.

A ney player since her early years, Özlem has studied extensively within Ottoman, Persian, and contemporary modal music traditions, working with distinguished teachers. Her musical language draws from Sufi music, Mevlevi ritual repertoire, and diverse maqam traditions, while remaining open to experimentation and cross-cultural exchange. Central to her artistic practice is the exploration of music as a space for interreligious encounter. She has contributed to numerous projects and performances in collaboration with institutions such as the Catholic Academy Berlin, Protestant church communities, and the German Islamic Academy. Through concerts, workshops, and interdisciplinary formats, she creates platforms where Islamic musical traditions engage in dialogue with other religious and cultural expressions .

Özlem is also active as an organizer and educator, leading workshops on maqam music and ney, directing Sufi choir initiatives, and developing participatory formats that bring together diverse communities. Alongside her artistic work, she publishes on music in Islam and contributes to academic projects on Sufism and Islamic intellectual history. In her practice, scholarship and performance are deeply intertwined: both are guided by a search for meaning, resonance, and connection across traditions.