Cihat Askin, as an international representative of Turkish Violin School, is one of the leading artists of Turkey today. Born in Istanbul, started his violin lessons at the age of 11 with Prof. Ayhan Turan, at the Turkish Music State Conservatory of Istanbul Technical University, graduating in 1989. He completed his studies in London, studying under Rodney Friend at the Royal College of Music (where he took all the major solo and chamber music awards), and Yfrah Neaman at City University (1992-96, doctorate program).Upon his arrival in Istanbul he was appointed as a violin professor in 1998 and founded the Advanced Music Research Center (MIAM) and became its first director in 2000. Presently he is as well the Director of ITU Conservatory of Turkish Music. Apart from his academic positions he is continuing to teach young musicians at his CAKA project (Cihat Askin and his Little Friends). He gave his first recital at the age of 12 and was able to play all Paganini Caprices before he was 15. After his recital in 1983 he was invited by the Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra to play Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto. Since then Cihat became a prominent figure in the music life and has been a regular soloist with all the major orchestras of Turkey, Europe, Asia, Africa and the USA. Cihat has appeared with violinists Shlomo Mintz and Ida Haendel, conductors such as J.L.Cobos, Yoel Levi and Alexander Dimitriev and orchetras such as Lausanne Chamber, Hannover NDR and Prague Symphony, Dusseldorf, Ukraine National and Sofia Philharmonic Orchestras. Cihat has recorded extensively for Hungaroton, Kalan Muzik, Discovery, Meridian, CPO and UPR Classics.