Violinist | Pedagogue
Can Ozhan
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Born in Antalya in 1990, Can Özhan began his musical education with piano lessons at the age of four. The high musical sensitivity and discipline he demonstrated from an early age quickly led him to pursue a professional career in the violin. He began his violin training at the Akdeniz University State Conservatory, giving his first recital at age 12 and his first solo concert with orchestra at age 13. He was a founding member of the Doğuş Children's Symphony Orchestra between 2006 and 2009, and participated in esteemed concerts and festivals both at home and abroad with the National Youth Symphony Orchestra between 2007 and 2010. In 2009, he was one of 14 young artists selected for the Pekinel Brothers' "Young Musicians on World Stages" project.
Özhan, who has received numerous international awards, has won first place in Serbia, the "Best Performance" award in Rome, and first place in a competition organized by the Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra in 2015. He completed his violin studies with Prof. Dr. Orhan Ahıskal, graduating top of his department. He then completed his master's degree with Prof. Pelin Halkacı at the Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University State Conservatory.
As a soloist, the artist has performed with the Antalya State Symphony Orchestra, the Izmir State Symphony Orchestra, the Çukurova State Symphony Orchestra, the Muğla Metropolitan Municipality Symphony Orchestra, the Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra, the Academic Capital Orchestra, the Karşıyaka Chamber Orchestra, the Akdeniz Chamber Orchestra, the Milli Reasürans Chamber Orchestra, the Mersin Chamber Orchestra, the Istanbul Chamber Orchestra, the Antalya State Opera and Ballet Orchestra, the Aşkın Ensemble, and the Lepidus Ensemble. He is also a permanent member of the Tekfen Philharmonic Orchestra and the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra.
The artist has conducted one-on-one masterclasses with world-renowned violin pedagogues such as Ilya Grubert and Sergey Kravchenko. She has also shared the stage with prominent artists such as Maxim Vengerov, Shlomo Mintz, Roby Lakatos, Cihat Aşkın, Özcan Ulucan, Alexandra Conunova, and So-Young Yoon. In 2017, she performed with Shlomo Mintz and Roby Lakatos as part of the "World Violins Festival" and gave concerts at the Bilkent International Chamber Music Days the same year. In 2021, as part of a project led by conductor Hakan Şensoy, she performed Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" with violins specially designed for the four seasons by composer Ecevit Tunalı.
Özhan, who taught violin and chamber music at Akdeniz University State Conservatory from 2011 to 2021, has created a systematic educational model not only for individual students but also for young talents from across Turkey. The Boutique Conservatory Project, conceived with Özhan's vision and institutionalized in 2021, has become an exemplary institution that aims to cultivate not only skilled players but also ethically, aesthetically, and intellectually strong global artists.
Özhan, who has further expanded his teaching vision, collaborates with his mentor, Prof. Dr. Cihat Aşkın, to organize concerts and educational projects under the umbrella of AskınAcademia, and continues his artistic collaborations with orchestra conductor Orhun Orhon. He is also the founder of the Online Violin Academy, which brings classical music education to the digital world, providing a pioneering platform for violin students of all ages.
Cameratalia, which he founded in 2021, stands out as a music collective centered in Turkey but operating with a universal vision. Özhan also serves as the musical director of Re22 Culture and Arts, contributing to the sustainability of classical music in Türkiye through concert projects, creative stage productions, and educational events.
In his concerts, the artist performs with violins signed by the esteemed luthier Dinçay Gülenç and a special violin made by the Italian producer Enzo Cassi.
