Born in Ankara in 2000, İlayda Gülümser started her harp studies in 2011 with Müjgan Aydın at Hacettepe University Ankara State Conservatory after studying ballet for a long time. Starting from 2018, she continued her education with İpek Mine Sonakın at the Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University Istanbul State Conservatory and graduated in 2022. She continues her graduate studies at the same school. During her education, Gülümser took part in Hacettepe University Symphony Orchestra and Bilkent Youth Symphony Orchestra. She attended Merve Kocabeyler’s harp course at Ören Flute and Harp Summer School in 2016. In the same year, she had the opportunity to work with Gürer Aykal and Orhun Orhon in the Ankara Youth Symphony Orchestra. In 2017, she won the auditions of Doğuş Children’s Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Rengim Gökmen and gave concerts in many places, such as Bodrum Festival.

In 2019, Gülümser took part in the flute and harp chamber concerts of the MSGSÜ Istanbul State Conservatory, organised by the Istanbul Philharmonic Society. In the same year, she won the Turkish Youth Philharmonic Orchestra audition under the direction of Cem Mansur and performed at Berlin-Konzerthaus, Palermo-Regio Liceo Cilla Stale Uviberto, and Marsala-Citta di Marsala in Italy. In 2021, she regularly performed with the Istanbul Film Music Orchestra and the Cinema Symphony Orchestra. She took part in the premiere of Mithatcan Öcal’s Exhibition and Coda with the Gedik Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2022, she performed in the Sabancı Museum and MSGSÜ Istanbul Painting and Sculpture Museum concerts of the 28th Sakıp Sabancı Art Awards Ceremony. She passed the soloist auditions of MSGSÜ Istanbul State Conservatory Symphony Orchestra held in the same year. She gave concerts with Billur Tankiş as a violin and harp duo in various venues, such as the Istanbul Painting and Sculpture Museum and All Saints Moda Church. She made live recordings of this project with Mimar Sinan Arp Group.

In December 2022, Gülümser performed Ravel’s Introduction et Allegro with the MSGSÜ Orchestra under the baton of Can Okan at the Istanbul Painting and Sculpture Museum. She gave concerts as a solo harpist with the Limak Orchestra at CSO Ada Ankara and Zorlu PSM Turkcell Platinum Stage. Gülümser, who was awarded the “Superior Talent Achievement Scholarship” granted by the Turkish Education Foundation in 2020, and earned the graduate student scholarship of the foundation in January 2023.