Over 10 years with the violinTechnique, repertoire and performance
Istanbul · Turkish and English · Online teaching
GİRAYARSLAN
I want to understand what I play — and teach what I understand.
In Bach’s architecture, in the space Miles Davis leaves, in Debussy’s color, and in a well-crafted sentence, I love the same thing: nothing is there by accident.
5 years of one-to-one teachingWith children, teenagers and adults
Koç University OrchestraFirst Violin
At Koç UniversityPsychology · Business Administration · Media and Visual Arts
One-to-one programmes in violin, music, mathematics and academic mentoring. Primarily online, with limited in-person availability in Istanbul.
Explore ARSLAN CLASSICS
Flagship programme
Violin
One-to-one violin lessons in technique, repertoire and independent practice.
Theory · History · Listening
Understanding Music
One-to-one programmes in theory, musical structure, history and guided listening.
Middle school · LGS · High school · TYT · AYT
Mathematics
One-to-one lessons focused on stronger foundations and independent problem solving.
Planning · Study · Self-regulation
Academic Mentoring
One-to-one mentoring for planning, mock-exam review, study habits and self-regulation.
Getting started
How to begin.
Send a short application, or write directly with a question first.
- 01Explore the programmesIf you are unsure, ask directly.
- 02Apply or writeThe form takes 3–5 minutes; questions need no form.
- 03Choose the next stepIf useful, we arrange a short introductory call.
I want students not only to play better, but to become better at learning.
Personalisation is not a lack of structure. The principles remain stable, while the route changes with the learner’s foundations, time and goal.
A technical problem may begin somewhere other than where it becomes visible. We look beyond the mistake to understand its cause, what repetition is reinforcing and how the student can learn to solve it independently.
Online, by design
The lesson does not end at the screen.
A clear camera setup, annotated scores and a practice summary keep the week focused.
- One-to-one teaching in Turkish and English
- Access across locations and time zones
- Limited in-person availability in Istanbul
01Clear camera angle02Annotated scores03Personal practice summary04Between-lesson feedback
Hello, I’m Giray.
Violin, psychology, writing and several combat sports.
I play violin, teach music and study psychology at Koç University. Away from music, I train in judo, boxing, Brazilian jiu-jitsu and Muay Thai.
Meet GİRAY ARSLAN
IN PRACTICE
The stage is where small decisions become audible.
What reaches the audience begins with small decisions in rehearsal. I bring the same care to teaching.
Students and families
Students and families share their experience.
“Lessons with Giray make you feel taken seriously without placing you under unnecessary pressure. He notices mistakes, yet the way he explains them encourages you to try again rather than tense up. After a while, you do not only begin to play better; you also begin to pick up the violin with greater confidence.”
“He is a disciplined teacher, but not one who simply assigns work and moves on. When he realises that I have not understood something, he finds another way to explain it and makes sure it has genuinely settled. I leave the lesson with more than a page to practise: I know how to practise it.”
“Working with Giray taught me not only how to play pieces, but how to notice my own mistakes. That is one of the things I use most in the conservatory today: when a problem appears, I investigate where it comes from instead of giving up immediately. The most lasting habit he gave me was learning to take responsibility for my own practice.”
“What mattered most to me was that my daughter wanted to attend her lessons and finished each one knowing what to do next. Giray is disciplined, but he moves forward without diminishing a child’s enthusiasm. As a parent, being able to receive information when needed and seeing that the process is not being handled casually is also reassuring.”
JOURNAL
Visit the JournalWhat I listen to, read and think about.
Essays are published in their original language. A language option is available whenever a translation exists.
Music · 2024Heaven: Mitski, Jazz, and the Secret Architecture of Longing
A close listening to Mitski’s “Heaven”: jazz harmony, orchestral colour, elastic time and the unresolved architecture of longing.
Read →
Music · December 2023The Key to Everything
Bach, temperament, fugue and the peculiar pleasure of questions that become more interesting when they refuse to close.
Read →
Personal Essay · January 2022Çeliğin Sıcaklığı Hatırladığı Gece
Yıldızların göğün bağrında cereyan eden eski bir kavganın közleri gibi göründüğü bir gece; hafıza, metal ve insanın kendisine anlattığı hikâyeler üzerine.
Read →Tell me what you want to learn.
If you are unsure which programme fits, say so in the application. Giray Arslan reviews every submission.