About Dr Gulin Flinn

I began music studies in 1995 with private piano lessons, and took part in many school concerts as a solo pianist and an accompanist, whilst specialising in Science and Mathematics at High School. Music and playing piano have always been my passion, but my first Degree was in Business Administration. I was involved in the organisation committee of the Second International Quality Function Deployment Symposium at the university and took a special course on 'Quality Function Deployment (QFD)' by Glenn Mazur. In the end of the seminar, he wanted us to use this technique in our life to make our decisions through what would really make ourselves happy.

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After graduating in 2003 in Business Administration and applying QFD, it was clear that I was still keen on studying music. I was successful in the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music Piano Practical Exams up to Grade 8 and Music Theory Exams up to Grade 6. and continued my concert performing activities, this time at the university, as a solo pianist and a piano accompanist. After graduating in Teaching Music in 2008, I then became the first student to study for a Master's Degree in Music Education.

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My lecturers advised me to gain teaching experience in a school, as I was going to be the lecturer for the future's Music teachers in Turkey. The lecturers who knew how hardworking I am, put forward my name to the private school next to the university, for the post of Music Teacher. Thus my teaching career began, continuing at other schools in Turkey, where the standards are very high, and I am immensely proud of the time I have spent so far in this role. My father was a Chemistry teacher, and my mother taught Arts, so teaching is very much in my blood. Meanwhile, working on my academic studies, which are based on teaching methods of music. After I graduated from university, I attended numerous courses in Turkey and abroad, mainly on Orff-Schulwerk and Kodaly Method. I began teaching at Ondokuz Mayis University in 2009, including courses on teaching methods specifically in music. I was applying the new methods with my class first and then, sharing my experiences with my university students. I  organised concerts with my university students at the end of each term. In my first year as a teacher, the moderator who came to my class to observe my teaching methods, congratulated me, and asked me for how many years I have experienced in teaching. 

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For the first ten years of my work experience I was working in a local school, and at the university. But the local school did not have a music department so, in the first year, my role was to set it up! It was a challenge, but extremely rewarding, I organised an End of Year Festival within the scope of the project called "Let's Set Up Our Music Class"; my students from university had given a concert in the school, and we collected donations from shops and companies, and sold tickets for the draw and, with the income from this project, we set up a stand-alone music class with an electronic piano, computer, sound surround system and percussion instruments.  The following year was just as exciting for my students, as we preformed many concerts, taking advantage of having a dedicated class for music in the school. I went on to work on the project called Rota Rhythm, which I carried out in conjunction with Atakum Rotaract club, and we organised a huge event at a local high-class hotel, presenting a concert with the students of Emrullah Efendi Secondary School at brunch, resulting in the purchase of a piano and some rhythm instruments for the music class of Emrullah Efendi Secondary School with the funds raised. In addition, we received the Star Award in the field of Community Services - Education, from the 2430th District Rotaract Awards. I succeeded in being one of three teachers to be awarded a scholarship by American Field Service to go to America as an observer teacher from Turkey.

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I gained my Master's Degree, which was based on Orff-Schulwerk in 2011, and my article 'The Influences of Orff Preschool Music Education Approach on the Improvement of Social Skills of Students' was published in Turkish Studies, Volume 8/3, Winter 2013. I have attended the 25th EAS/ISME (International Society for Music Education) Conference in Mozarteum University, Salzburg with my aural presentation of 'Black Sea Meets Vienna' Project in 2017. I have taught Music with Movements and Games to some of my students with special needs and for my PhD, I undertook research into the effect of movement and play-based music education of the students affected by physical and emotional issues. I composed the songs, created the teaching materials and planned the games approved by music education lecturers.  In the conclusion, the study revealed that this education has not only improved the students' musical skills, but also the social skills of the students. Plus, the enjoyment we saw in them was priceless, and my success in this area has given them the courage to try more and to learn more. I am appreciative to have had a real touch in somebody's life in a very positive way. 

As a private piano teacher in the district of Samsun, Turkey, I had a number of students on a waiting list. My piano students have achieved significant success in grades and ABRSM (Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music) exams, I am always happy to join in the audience to watch their performances at large piano festivals in Turkey, and two of my students have represented Turkey in the first virtual global ABRSM High Scorers' Concert. I gave a cultural and musical tour to my piano students and to their parents in Vienna for a week and organised a joint concert with Musical Munchkins School's students and my own students. 

I am a member of the academic board of Anatolian Orff-Schulwerk Association (Orffder) as a doctor and also the directory board of the Orffder in Turkey, which is a certified association by the Carl Orff Foundation. I have given a seminar to music teachers and classroom teachers to develop their teaching materials for music lessons. I am also responsible for the the public relations and accountant department of the association as I am the only one who has a Business Administration Degree. I have been translating between English and Turkish for the international Orffder workshops, which has given me the opportunity to learn and gain inspiration from colleagues from all around the world. 

My goals as a lecturer have always been aimed towards having success in communication both for myself and my students. I always aim to lead by example, and I expect certain standards. As in my previous posts I would like to achieve this by being hardworking, patient, having the passion and a wide perspective, finding a way to smile, never giving up, feeling free to ask, friendship, respect, and I will never stop learning. I believe that having had the Business Administration Degree has made all the difference in my career, to do with organisation skills, time management, public relations and behavioural sciences. I was also a translator for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music exams in Samsun, Turkey, from 2009, where I met my husband who was in Samsun as an Examiner in 2016, hence my move to the United Kingdom this year. I love living in Cornwall and the 'community' feel I get from it, I am looking forward to meeting my new students, where both my students and myself will thrive.