Master of Music (Boston University)
Bachelor of Arts (Brandeis University)
Zoe Fong is a M.M. graduate of Boston University School of Music and B.A. graduate of Brandeis University, where she studied music education and music composition respectively. She is a viola, violin, and ukulele player and has performed (primarily as a violist) in Canada, the United States, Austria, Germany, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and the Philippines. As a composition student at Brandeis, she focused on film scoring and minored in film studies, and additionally went abroad to Vienna, Austria for one semester to focus on viola performance. She loves musical theatre as well and has experience as a music director, conductor, performer, pit orchestra musician, and producer in various community and university productions.
While Zoe has found joy in many musical areas, she has found her true calling in music education. She has taught a range of ages and musical subjects including preschool music, elementary chorus, band, strings, and general music, middle school jazz band and strings, high school strings, chorus, and music theory, and private viola, violin, and composition lessons. There is nothing she loves more than sharing her passion for music and helping her students find their own passion and artistic voice.
Get to know Zoe…Beyond the Bio!
Hobbies: Teaching myself new instruments, dancing, reading
Musical influences: Kim Kashkashian, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Danny Elfman
Favourite food: Dumplings
Least favourite food: Broccoli
Favorite music: A little of everything!
Favourite song: Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen
Favourite movie: Ladybird
Favourite movie music: Edward Scissorhands – Danny Elfman
Favourite musical theatre/opera: Les Miserables, Hadestown, and Hamilton
Best quote from your teacher: “Don’t leave your baggage at the door. Bring it in and let’s make music with it.”
Favourite quote: “This will be our reply to violence: to make music more intensely, more beautifully, more devotedly than ever before.” – Leonard Bernstein
Favourite book: The Shadow of the Wind – Carlos Ruiz Zafon…and also Harry Potter by JK Rowling
Latest Homework from Zoe
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Weekly Homework Post – February 9/10, 2022
Jaron – congratulations on finishing Allegretto!
– Recommended practice time: 15 min/day, 5 days/week
– Practice: G, D, and A Major scales (doing our usual posture and bow hold check each time before playing), and Andantino (focus on third line and leap 1-3, and scale-like phrase)
Olivia – hope your rehearsal went well today! Keep on practicing your 2-octave scales, sight-reading, and Go the Distance.
Amaia – missed you again today! Keep on practicing your scales and Long Long Ago.
Thea
– Reminder: we will be back in-person for your next lesson, and make sure to call the office if you need to cancel or reschedule for your spring break!
– Recommended practice time: 30 min/day, 5 days/week
– Practice: 2-octave Major scales (G and A), Concerning Hobbits (focus on shift to E, and syncopated rhythms in faster section), and Gavotte (try not to slow down in the areas we discussed, and try speeding up the tempo in the middle section).
Grace – I hope you feel better soon!
– Recommended practice time: 30 min/day, 5 days/week
– Practice: 2-octave Major and minor scales (practice making the shifts a bit smoother, and try to remember the difference between harmonic and melodic minor scales), and Musette (make sure to save the bow for the ending slurs, and play through slowly and get familiar with the notes again – it’s okay to take your time and ease back in after taking a break!).
Hendry
– Recommended practice time: 30 min/day, 5 days/week
– Practice: C, D, E-flat, F, and G Major scales (doing our usual posture and bow hold check each time before playing, and watching out for intonation especially with the initial placement of the first finger), D minor scale (natural, harmonic, melodic – also watching out for initial placement of the first finger), Witches Dance (make sure your high 3 and 4, G# and A, are stretched high enough, and watch out for rhythms in the ending phrase), and Catharsis (play through with consistent tempo until m. 105 to prepare for playing together next week).
Thank you, stay safe, and happy playing!
