Good teaching starts with listening

I grew up in Izmir, Turkey, in a family where music was always present. That early exposure shaped everything — it's why I became a teacher, and it's what I try to pass on.

I studied Music Pedagogy at Dokuz Eylül University, with piano as my principal instrument, completing both a Bachelor's and a Master's degree. I worked with professors from different traditions, each with their own approach to the instrument, and that variety shaped how I teach. I also trained in five pedagogical methods — Orff, Kodály, Suzuki, Dalcroze, and traditional Turkish music education — each of which taught me something different about how people learn. My master's thesis was on Flow Theory: the idea that the best learning happens when challenge and ability are in balance.

I spent six years in the university's polyphonic choir, performing as a chorister and soloist across multiple cities, and earning an international award at a major choir competition. My first year of university was actually devoted to voice as my main instrument. I switched to piano in year two, but singing never stopped being part of my work. The vocal training I got through the choir and my instructors is what I bring to my voice students today.

I also have six years of dance training, which I use with younger students — choreography is a great way to develop rhythm, coordination, and musical expression in a way that feels natural to kids.

After ten years of teaching at academies and schools across Turkey, I moved to Hamburg in 2024 to start my own studio.