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 – August 4, 2021
Grace
– Recommended practice time: 20 min/day, 5 days/week
– Practice: G, A, B-flat, and C Major scales (2 octaves, make sure your intonation isn’t too sharp and focus especially on new scale, B-flat Major), Minuet 2 (string crossings on open strings and then add fingerings when you’re comfortable – don’t be afraid to go crazy with the elbow and to go overboard!), and Minuet 3 (play slowly and get familiar with the notes, watch out for bowings and slurs in particular in the second section).
Olivia – I missed you today!
– Recommended practice time: 30 min/day, 5 days/week
– Practice: Same as last week – review 2-octave Major and minor scales (try to memorise fingering patterns for each scale), Mirror duet (upside-down part and try playing with YouTube video from TSO), Go the Distance (shifting and rhythms in ending section), and see if there’s anything you’d like to add to our Zero to Hero arrangement.
Hendry
– Recommended practice time: 20 min/day, 5 days/week
– Practice: C, D, E-flat, and F Major scales (2 octaves, do your usual posture and bow hold check each time before playing, and try to memorise key signatures for each scale), Musette (prepare for final play-through and make sure to stretch pinky finger and add dynamics), and Catharsis (first viola part, play through slowly and get familiar with the notes, watch out for C# high third finger).
Thank you, stay safe, and happy playing!
