Teaching

• Present :

  Jazz-Play Studio: Istanbul, Turkey (founder) :

  Private and group lessons in jazz improvisation, ear training, music performance, and jazz harmony.

• 2000-2006 :

  Istanbul Bilgi University , Istanbul , Turkey :

  Performance Ear Training.

  Improvisation/Ensembles/Guitar

  Vice Chair Music Department: (2001-2002)

• 1997-2000: Scuola Di Musica D'insieme/Laboratorio Ear Training; Vignola , Italy . (Community adult education program) (P/T)
  Co-founder and director of curriculum, taught general music, guitar, ear training and ensembles .

• 1996 – 1997 : Associazione per L'Istituto Musicale Opitergium
  Pordenone , Italy (P/T)
  Performance Ear Training, Jazz Improvisation
• 1992 – 1993: Universita' di Bologna
  Discipline delle Arti, Musica, Spettacolo. (D.A.M.S.)
  Bologna , Italy (P/T)
  Ear Training for Jazz Music Criticism
• 1986 - 1992 and 1997 (Fall semester:) Berklee College of Music
  Boston , MA ; Associate Professor (F/T)
  Ear Training 1, 2, 3; various ensembles

Lecturer/Clinician

• Bilkent University; Ankara , Turkey
• Performance Ear Training and guitar workshops
• Robert College ; Istanbul , Turkey
• Performance Ear Training workshop
• Shanghai American School ; Shanghai , China
• One week of ear training workshops with students and faculty.
• Berklee College of Music; On the Road Program
• Umbria Jazz Festival , Italy ; Santa Fe , NM ; Los Angeles , CA
• Improvisation, Harmony, Guitar, Ensembles
• Jazzschule Basel; Basel Switzerland
• Performance Ear Training, Jazz Improvisation
• Nuova Accademia di Musica Moderna (N.A.M.M.)
• Milan , Italy : Performance Ear Training, Jazz Improvisation
• Scuola di Musica Moderna
• Ferrara , Italy : Performance Ear Training, Jazz Improvisation
• Montclair State University
• Montclair , New Jersey : Jazz Improvisation
• Il Paese degli Specchi
• Laboratorio di Sperimentazione Culturale
• San Lazzaro, Bologna , Italy : Arranging, Ensembles, Jazz Improvisation and Performance Ear Training
• Centro Professione Musica (CPM) Milan , Italy : Various ensembles

Performance

• Concerts and Festivals as leader:
  Turkey : Istanbul Jazz Festival, Bodrum Jazz, Kas N' Jazz, Ancora Jazz, Afyon Jazz, Koc University, Koc Alliance Auditorium, Italy : Ancona Jazz, Veneto Jazz, Morbegno Jazz, Monticelli Jazz, Maribor (SLO),Birdseye Jazz Club (Swit), Music Empire (Milano), Fano Jazz, Jazz in IT
  USA : New York; 55 Grand, Red Rooster, Boston ; First Night Music Festival, Berklee Performance Center, Charles Playhouse, Marriot Hotel, 1369 Club, Wally's, The Greenhouse
• Performed with:
  George Garzone, Eddie Henderson, Billie Pierce, Alan Dawson, Joe Ford, Mineu Cinelu, Steve Nelson, Tommy Campbell, Lou Soloff, Bob Cranshaw, John Blake.
• Professional Guitarist
  Nancy Wilson, Buddy Rich, Diahann Carroll, Englebert Humperdinck, Sammy Davis Jr., Shirley Bassey

Special Projects

• Present : Hybrid Project : Acoustic group composed of European and Turkish instruments. All original compositions
• 2003: “Kas N' Jazz” International jazz festival. Co-founder and artistic director . Kas , Turkey .
• 2003 : Inscriptions In The Sand Cultural Conference, Cypress ( Language Of The Emotions multimedia concert, proposal accepted )
• 2001: Language Of The Emotions: Multi-media concert combining music and literature. Two performances at Koc Alliance Auditorium; Istanbul , Turkey .

Recordings

• 2004 : Release: Donovan Mixon's Hybrid Project ; “The Dance Of Life”
• 1999 : Donovan Mixon; “Language Of The Emotions” Philology Records
• 1995 : Lee Konitz: “Free With Lee”; Philology Records
• 1993 : Donovan Mixon: “Look Ma, No Hands!” Philology Records

Education

• 1985: Manhattan School of Music; New York , NY
  M.M. in Jazz/Commercial Music, Jazz and Contemporary Composition
• May 1983 : Temple University ; Philadelphia , PA
  Graduate studies in Twentieth Century Composition
• 1978: Jersey City State College ; Jersey City , NJ
  B.A. in Music Education/Classic Guitar
• Independent Studies; Advanced improvisation:
  Harry Leahey, Dennis Sandoli,
  Ted Dunbar, Charlie Banacos
• Aesthetic Realism Foundation; New York , NY
• Studies in Aesthetics and Ethics

Publications

• 2000: Text Performance Ear Training (currently in print)
• Advance Music Rottenburg , Germany Scores and parts: original compositions
• Per S.R . and Mercury
  Casa Musicale Tarasconi s.r.l. Publishers Milan, Italy
• Nine Joe Diorio jazz solo transcriptions
  1996-1999: Guitar Club Magazine;   Milan , Italy
  Contributing author
  

Professional memberships

• International Association of Schools of Jazz

Languages

• Italian: fluent
• Turkish: in progress

References

• Bilgi University ; Istanbul , Turkey
• Can Kozlu, Music Department Chair and Founder
  Ali Perret, Music Department Founder
  Prof. Dr. Alan Duben , (former) Dean Faculty of Science and Letters
  Selen Gulen M.M., music department faculty

• Berklee College of Music; Boston , MA
  Prof. Dr. Steven Prosser, Ear Training Department Chair

Hobbies

• Fitness, Biking, Running, Basketball

Awards received

• 1989 : National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)
  Jazz Composition Award
• 1988 : Original composition, Culmination
  performed by the Boston Orchestral and Chorale