Vivian Wong
Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Music, Hong Kong Baptist University, H.K.
Associate in Percussion Recital (ATCL), Trinity College London, U.K.
Certificate in Nurturing the Gifted and Talented, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, H.K.
Conducting Workshop, The Julliard School, U.S.
Certificate in Children Fitness Instruction Programme
Erin Yu
Associate in Percussion Recital (ATCL), Trinity College London, U.K.
Associate in Piano Recital (ATCL), Trinity College London, U.K.
Professional Certificate in Early Childhood Music Education, Hong Kong Baptist University
Professional Diploma in Music History and Music Theory, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Certificate in Children Fitness Instruction Programme
Q1: What magic wand do you have when facing an attention drifting student in your classroom?
Mmm…Some teaching materials will help a lot. The Do-It-Yourself stuff with a good mix of colour and graphics always does a good job to get their attention. Multi-sensory stimulation and a curious mind will help draw students closer to music.
Q2: One day, your smart student tells you – “ I’m not going to practice for your homework.”, what will you do?
I can imagine this could happen to an average child whose time is so packed with activities. Why don’t I choose his favorite music piece for him to play and to get the extra learning benefit of techniques in that piece? I believe once he has the interest, he will gradually pick up more practices and have the drive to do better.
Parents’ approval does have a role to play too. Tell your child you love so much listening to the music he is playing, and invite him to play a few more times for you. These are magic words to cheer up a child.
Q3: What is the best way to encourage a student?
Students need encouragement. Every time we notice any progress, it’s a chance to give praise, and particularly to let them know what exactly that they have accomplished. Get their direction and goal clearly set to prepare them well for continued progress.
Q4: What kind of students do you like the most?
No doubt the hard-working ones – but that’s just one side of the picture. We actually find those energetic, passionate and responsive students bring us delightful and fulfilling teaching experience.
Q5: What are the common questions you hear from parents?
“Why is my child not learning as fast as he should be?” “When will my child practice by himself without being asked?” are the questions.
I guess, the basic truth lies in whether your child has interest in music.
As much we focus on technique development, we pay equal attention to telling our students the background and stories behind the music piece for enlivening the class routine. In this way, students would be better equipped to imagine and be tuned in the music they play, rather than just mechanically playing the notes they read.
Marco Kwok
Bachelor of Arts (1 st Hon) in Music, Hong Kong Baptist University, H.K.
Associate in Recital (ATCL), Trinity College London, U.K.
Diploma in Recital (LTCL), Trinity College London, U.K.
Grade 8 in Piano, Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, U.K.
Grade 8 in Baritone, Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, U.K.
Marco teaches for brass instruments besides conducting for orchestras and wind bands in various primary and secondary schools. As a private tutor he also teaches music composition and arrangement, piano, brass instruments and Grade 5-8 music theory. Most of his students who took the ABRSM exams got distinction and merit results.
In 2017, his piece “On the Razor’s Edge” was selected by the Hong Kong New Music Ensemble/ Philadelphia call for scores for a professional public reading session. In 2018, Marco was selected to take part in the “HK Phil Composers Workshop – Beyond the Ring” as one of the composers and composed an orchestral piece “Nanke Dream” which was performed by the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra.
In recent years, Marco has been invited by a few organizations for composing and arranging music pieces. In 2019, he was commissioned by the Music Office and arranged the “Medley of Nursery Rhymes” for its Wind Band. In 2020, he was invited by his Alma Mater, TWGHs Wong Fut Nam College, to compose the “Passing the Torch” for marking its 60th anniversary. He was also responsible for the voice and wind band arrangement for the piece.
Q: Can every music student learn how to compose?
Yes, there is no doubt about it. Every student can compose, regardless of age and upbringing.
It starts off with the learning of some basic music elements such as rhythm and melodies. After a student has made some progress, he will get in touch with music theories. With bits of exploring and learning by doing, he will soon be able to compose an episode or a short piece of original music.
With the advancement of technology, it becomes even easier to make a start. As tutor we will ask our students to put their hands on a few music software such as GarageBand, LogicPro, MuseScore, Sibelius. IT has essentially made the whole learning process much easier, faster and multi-faceted. The joy of using your creative mind is irresistible.
