Melis Mazmanoğlu & Soleil
Melis Mazmanoğlu
The story of Soleil
Soleil Sanat Akademi is a small music academy founded by flute and piano teacher Melis Mazmanoğlu on Bağdat Caddesi in Suadiye, Istanbul. Soleil is French for “sun”, and for us the name describes a way of working: every child has a light of their own, and good music teaching gives that light room to grow at its own pace.
Her approach to teaching
Melis Mazmanoğlu teaches one-to-one. This allows her to get to know each student well and to move at the pace of their attention span, interests and way of learning. One child starts with rhythm, another with melody, another with the dream of playing a favourite film theme. Each path is different, but the goal is the same: to play with understanding and with love for the music.
In lessons, music is about more than notes. Talking about when a piece was written and the feeling behind it, listening to a recording together, or recording and listening back to their own playing all widen a child’s view of music. Working with a teacher who plays both flute and piano also gives students the experience of playing with accompaniment and making music together.
Patience sits at the heart of this approach. A piece takes time to become beautiful. Noticing the small steps and staying alongside a child when things get difficult lay the foundations for a long musical journey. Technique, reading and aural training form the framework; the spirit of every lesson is always the music itself.
The stage and exams
Learning at Soleil has two important milestones. The first is the stage: every June, the End-of-Year Piano Concert is an evening when students share what they have prepared all year with their families and friends. Performing teaches children the value of preparation, how to manage nerves, and what it feels like to see hard work pay off.
The second is the international exams set by London College of Music (LCM). Students prepared by Melis Mazmanoğlu have been awarded Distinction and Merit in LCM exams. For us an exam is not a race, but a goal that gives shape to regular practice and makes progress visible.
Growing up with music
Music education is not only about producing good musicians. Years spent with an instrument teach a child to focus, to take responsibility and to express themselves. Soleil’s aim is to make that journey a joy for children and a reassuring experience for their families.
How we teach
One-to-one, tailored to your child
Every lesson is devoted to a single student. Goals, pieces and pace are set around your child’s age, interests and way of learning.
Patiently, step by step
Small, achievable goals, regular practice at home and every bit of progress noticed. What makes children love music is knowing someone is beside them when it gets hard.
The stage as a goal
The end-of-year concert and LCM exams are two milestones that give practice its meaning. Children learn to prepare, to manage nerves and to see their effort rewarded.
Moments from the academy
Come for a trial lesson
Let’s take your child’s first step into music together. In a trial lesson your child meets the instrument and their teacher, and together with you we look at their interests and the right place to begin. You can reach us by phone, WhatsApp or the contact form.