Born in Ankara, she graduated from Brown University on a CASP (Cyprus America Scholarship Program) scholarship with two BA’s in Music and Biology. In 1996 she completed the LRSM degree in Piano Teaching at the Royal College of Music on a British Council Travel Grant, one of three Cypriots and the only Turkish Cypriot to receive such a grant. In 2001 she completed a Master’s Degree in Piano Literature at the University of York on a Chevening Scholarship. From 1999-2004 and 2007-2009 she was Founding Chair of the Department of Music at Eastern Mediterranean University, as well as instructor of piano literature, Music Theory, Keyboard Skills, Music History, chamber music and Piano Pedagogy until 2013. She has given concerts as cultural representative of the TRNC in Turkey, England, France, Switzerland, Macedonia, USA, Germany, Austria, Belgium, and the Kingdom of Bahrain, as well numerous charity performances in the TRNC. She produced and presented various art and music programs on Bayrak Radio and Television, as well as SanArt with EMU TV. From 2004 onwards, she studied in the PhD program in Communication and Media Studies at EMU, writing a thesis on How Music Makes a Film. Her research interests include 19th century Piano Literature, Film Music, Philosophy of Music, and Cypriot Folk Music. She has composed music for two short films Femmegusta (2004), Kanatsız Uçmak (2010) and for two documentaries by Dr. Skip Norman The Ethnography of a Dig (2009), and Visual Storytelling (2012) as well as produced and directed a documentary on Turkish Cypriot woman composer Kamran Aziz (2006). She translated from Turkish to English a 350-page book called the Development of Turkish Music on Cyprus, by Ekrem Yeşilada, published by Rüstem Kitabevi, and also The Origins of Turkish Cypriot Photography by Kadir Kaba, published by The Turkish Cypriot Artists and Writers Union. She conducted the Tel Aviv Emeritus Chamber Orchestra in Israel in two concerts, performing her own compositions in May 2011. She was one of the founding members and art director of the Famagusta-based Cyprus Art Society Polyphonic Choir as well as art director, coach and accompanist of the EMU International Choir from 2011-2013. In 2012, she established and directed the chamber music group Turkuaz, which performed her arrangements of traditional Cypriot music. Aslı Giray is also an amateur photographer and has presented her works in six exhibitions so far, including a solo exhibit Nature Through a Woman’s Eyes (2004). She joined Yaşar University Music Department in 2013, and continues to serve as honorary educational advisor for the B&G Music School based in Nicosia.
Awards, Scholarships, Certificates:
2001 First Prize in Haiku (Japanese Poetry) Competition, Yorkshire.
2000 Chevening Scholarship for Postgraduate study in Great Britain, awarded by the British High Commission in Nicosia.
1995 Travel Grant, awarded by the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music for short term study at the Royal College of Music in London.
1994 Advanced Certificate in Piano, ABRSM, London.
1985 Muriel Hassenfeld Mann Premium, awarded by Brown University
for outstanding performance in the field of music.
1983 CASP Scholarship (Cyprus-America Scholarship Program) awarded by American Embassy Agency for International Development for 4-year study at Brown University.
Publications:
2012 Editor of the Proceedings of the 1st Cyprus Songs Symposium, also responsible for translation into English.
2012 “Original works with traditional Cypriot musical character and their universal repercussions.” Paper in the Proceedings of the 1st Cyprus Songs Symposium.
2012 “Music in Dervish Zaim’s film Shadows and Faces: Shadow or Face?” Paper in the 8th International Cyprus Studies Congress Proceedings, Eastern Mediterranean University.
2011 “Music in film: Representing the leading actors”, article in Porte Journal of Research in Academics, Music and Dance, Year 1, No. 2, Istanbul.
2011 Book review on Evren Kutlay Baydar’s Osmanlı’nın Avrupalı Müzisyenleri (European Musicians of the Ottomans), Kadın/Woman 2000, Journal of Research on Women, Vol. X, No. 1 2009 73-78, EMU.
2010 The Origins of Turkish Cypriot Photography, English translation of Kadir Kaba’s book.
2008 English translation of The Developmental Process of Traditional Music in Cyprus and Turkey, book written by Ekrem Yeşilada.
2006 “Müzik Teknolojisi: Aynı Müzik, Farklı Medya”, “Music Technology: Same Music, Different Media.” Paper published in online music journal of Bilgi University, Istanbul.
2005 Book Review in Journal of Cyprus Studies Volume 11, 2005 28/29 on Tony Angastiniotis’ Book, Trapped in the Green Line.
2002 “Music: Food of Love; Music Education: Food for Thought”, paper published in the conference proceedings of the International Congress of Music Culture and Education in Europe and the Turkic Republics, Gazi University, Ankara.
Original Film Music:
2012 Visual Storytelling, the Making of Shadows and Faces, by Dervish Zaim; wrote original music, prepared soundtrack, and voiced English narration.
2010 Fyling Without Wings, short film; wrote and performed original music, also music editor.
2009 Wrote original soundtrack for documentary The Ethnography of a Dig produced by Prof. Skip Norman.
2004 Femmegusta, short animated film, wrote original music, edited soundtrack.
Conference and Symposium Presentations:
2012 “Music in Dervish Zaim’s film Shadows and Faces: Shadow or Face?” Paper in the 8th International Cyprus Studies Congress, Eastern Mediterranean University.
2012 Speaker on the panel “The Future of Turkish Cypriot Cinema”, 8th International Cyprus Studies Congress, Eastern Mediterranean University.
2011 “Original works with traditional Cypriot musical character and their universal repercussions.” Presentation in 1st Cyprus Songs Symposium, Nicosia.
2010 “Music in film: Representing the leading actors”, paper presentation in Musical representation/Representation in Music International Symposium, Istanbul Technical University State Conservatoire.
2010 “The Visual Ethnography of a Dig”, paper and film presentation, 2nd International Conference of Mediterranean Worlds, Istanbul Sehir University.
2009 Chair and Speaker on International Women’s Day Panel organized by the EMU Center for Women’s Studies, “Three Women in the History of Music in Cyprus.”
2006 The 4th Symposium on Influential Turkish Cypriots, organized by the EMU Cyprus Research Center; producer and artistic director of documentary film on Turkish Cypriot composer Kamran Aziz.
2006 “Fanny-Mendelssohn-Hensel: Her Secret Songs.” 2nd International Conference on Women’s Studies, EMU. Paper presentation and musical performance.
2002 Invited Speaker and paper presentation “Music: Food of Love; Music Education: Food for Thought.” International Congress of Music Culture and Education in Europe and the Turkic Republics, Gazi University, Ankara.
Seminars, Masterclasses, Academies and Festivals:
2012 Participant, “Music Therapy Applications in Special Education” Orff seminar organized by B&G Music School, Nicosia.
2012 Participant, “Body to Game, Game to Song” Orff Seminar organized by B&G Music School, Nicosia.
2012 Participant, Choral Conducting Masterclass, organized by Choral Culture Association, Istanbul Technical University, MIAM, Istanbul.
2012 Organization Committee member, artistic director, performer, 1st Choir Festival of TRNC, Famagusta.
2012 Summer Academy in Mediterranean Studies, in collaboration with University of Calabria and Pescara from Italy; offered elective course in Mediterranean Musical Culture.
2011-2012 Organization Committee member, EMU Inter-High School Music Festival.
2011 Conductor of Tel Aviv Emeritus Chamber Orchestra, performed my film music Ancient Sounds and Cyprus Air, Tel Aviv, Israel (under the auspices of the TRNC Consulate and Turkish Embassy in Israel).
2011 Orchestral conducting masterclass with Israeli conductor Sam, Music Department, Eastern Mediterranean University, TRNC.
2011 Audio-visual presentation “Art in our Lives” at Gazimağusa Türk Maarif College, TRNC.
2011 Audio-visual presentation “Art in our Lives” at Lapta Yavuzlar High School, TRNC.
2011 Invited speaker at Near East College, 2nd Career Days.
2010 Audio-visual presentation “Art in our Lives” at Erenköy High School Culture and Art Festival, TRNC.
2010 Invited participant, Integra Project Outreach Programme, European Electronic Music Project, Birmingham Conservatiore, UK.
2009 Invited participant and collaborating partner for the Academie d’instruments anciens, Academy of Ancient Instruments, Summer academy, Ollans, France.
2009 Invited artist, piano masterclass, Adnan Menderes University Conservatoire and Aydın Fine Arts High School, Aydin, Turkey.
2008 Mehmet Okonşar Piano Masterclass, organizer, Music Department, Eastern Mediterranean University, TRNC.
2005 Invited participant, 3rd International Orpheus Academy for Music Theory, Ghent, Belgium.
2004 Chair of the 1st International Beşparmak Piano Festival and Competition,
Eastern Mediterranean University, TRNC.
2003 Invited participant and collaborative partner of the Ohrid Summer Music Academy, Sts. Cyril and Methodius University, Macedonia.
2002-2008 Host and accompanist for Turkish State Artist opera singer Attila Manizade Voice Masterclass, Eastern Mediterranean University, TRNC.
Jury Duties:
2012 Assessment Committee member, 17th Choir Festival of Turkey, Ankara.
2012 Jury member, Namık Kemal High School Vocal Contest, Gazimağusa, TRNC
2009 Jury Member for the 3rd Altın Salkım Short Film Competition, North Cyprus.