Serdar Ilban has performed with many prestigious opera companies in the United States, Europe and Israel. Equally at home in opera, oratorio and recital repertoire, he has sung with organizations that include the New Israeli World Festival Opera, Symphony of Southeast Texas, Las Cruces Symphony, Henderson Symphony, New York City Opera National Tour, Sarasota Opera, Opera Manhattan, Bronx Opera Company, and Il Piccolo Teatro dell’Opera-New York. Some of his notable roles include Escamillo in Carmen, Silvio in I Pagliacci, The Professor in Carl Nielsen’s Maskerade, Dr. Malatesta in Don Pasquale and the title role in Gianni Schicchi.

Dr. Ilban earned a Bachelor of Music in opera performance from the University of Istanbul, completed a Master's of Music at The Boston Conservatory with a full scholarship and received a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

In 2011, Dr. Ilban joined the faculty at Lamar University as assistant professor of voice and opera. He currently serves as the vocal area coordinator and director of the Lamar Opera Theatre. Previously, Dr. Ilban taught at Southern Utah University, and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he was the interim director of the UNLV Opera.

Many of his students have performed in young artist programs such as the Aspen Musical Festival, the American Institute of Musical Studies and the College Light Opera and Opera Festival of Rome. His students and former students are actively performing in the United States and abroad.

An internationally active performer and clinician, Dr. Ilban recently presented his research on practical voice pedagogy and voice psychology at the International Congress of Voice Teachers in Stockholm, Sweden. A recipient of the 2010 National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Emerging Leaders Award, Dr. Ilban is an active member of NATS, European Voice Teachers Association and Pan European Voice Conference. His other research interests are Holocaust-related vocal music literature, and dramatic revivals of neglected operatic repertoire suitable for college-age performers. He remains active as a performer, opera director and clinician.