Dr. Burak Onur Erdem graduated from Boğaziçi University with the Rector's Prize and earned degrees in Music Theory and Conducting from ITU, and completed post-doctoral studies under Prof. Johannes Prinz at Kunstuniversität Graz. He won the "Best Young Conductor" prize at the 38th Varna International Choral Competition. He was elected to the European Choral Association board in 2015 and appointed to the IFCM board in 2018. He founded the Choral Culture Association and co-founded the Walter Strauss Choral Conducting Masterclass. Since 2017, he has served as conductor of the State Polyphonic Choir and served as Festival Director for the 2023 World Symposium on Choral Music in Istanbul.