Hoi Ying Kung

Hi, this is Ms. Ellen Kung. I have started my music career of teaching since 2014. I enjoy in teaching kids from 3 years old to teens at 16 years old. I love to share my simple teaching philosophy to my kids - Work Hard. Play Hard. Play Smart. Have fun when you are young! In Jun 2019, I have established my own music education centre in Hong Kong and launched the first music theory app in 2020. At the same time, I m thankful that we have been awarded as “The Most Outstanding Music Centre in 2021”. Being as a School Founder, I would more like to establish an education centre to let the students enjoy and take a break during my music classes, especially in classical music classes. In my classes, mostly are in a small group, maximum 1:3. I believe kids have their own personality and they would like to use different languages to express their own feelings. And I also believe music will be a way for expressing themselves. Since my final goal for my classes is letting them to utilise imagination and creativity and show their understanding in performance. So, I will start with an introduction on reading pitch and notes. And then explain what components and elements are inside a piece of music. For example, I will buy some colouful straw. And then draw a stave on the whiteboard. Letting them to curve the straw to create a shape of note and then use the blue-tack to stick on the stave in order to inspire them and keep their memory on the name of music notes. Besides, I will good use of lego to make a keyboard. As lego is in a rectangular shape which is a bit similar to the shape of keys on piano. I will let the kids to group the lego together so they can distinguish and understand how many white keys and black keys in one octave. And how many white keys and black keys are on the keyboard. How about tempo and rhythm? Lets have a shake of the drum while I am playing a song. Then let them to guess how many counts are there for each piece of music. At the end of every month, I will do a short quiz with my groups of students for evaluating their weaknesses and merit on piano fundamental learning. After they are able to pick up these basic skills of music, I an going to guide them a piece of classical music at their level. Trial an error! No need to be a perfectionist at this moment. These are the words I always tell my students. I’m a teacher who won’t constriant and restrict my students to avoid getting wrong. On the other hand, I will let them go and free their minds to play their own music. There might have a bit difference to the traditional teaching. My goal is not going to foster a perfect human playing music. I hope they can grow with music and have a good mentality to face every difficulties in their life. Music is a friend. When you are alone, you can listen to music. When you are happy, you can play your music with your friends. It’s not a tool for you to get a prize and letting everyone know that you are talented. I hope my value and mission on music can impress more parents for not forcing their kids to be the best because somehow I believe - Everyone have their own talents, we just have to wait and see. One day your kids will have a sudden flash of inspiration and be a great person. This is the motto that I am having.