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 – December 9/10, 2020
Wednesday folks, next week will be your last lesson of 2020! Thursday folk, this week was your last lesson of 2020!
Jaron
– Reminder: If you can, please purchase Suzuki Violin Book 1
– Recommended practice time: 15 min/day, 5 days/week
– Practice: G, D, and A Major scales (do posture and bow hold check before playing, and make sure to squeeze second and third fingers tightly together), Go Tell Aunt Rhody (play through without stopping and practice string crossing phrase in m. 3-4), and Oh Come Little Children (look out for short-long rhythms and just play through and get comfortable with the notes).
Olivia
– Reminder: Email your school music teacher and see if you can drop off your violin for tuning
– Recommended practice time: 30 min/day, 5 days/week
– Practice: 2 octave Major and minor scales (especially those with shifting, if your A and E strings are still out of tune, just practice one octave scales), Avatar State (eighth note section and make sure to count and keep track), Mirror duet (we’re taking a short break from this one but please make sure to keep practicing this one, especially the second section!), and Christmas songs (watch out for accidentals and swing rhythm in Rockin’).
Amaia – I hope you feel better soon; see you next week!
Hendry – This is your last lesson of 2020 – have a great holiday and see you in January 2021!
– Reminder: Get your viola tuned, please put away your phone and other distractions before class, and make sure to have your shoulder rest ready!
– Recommended practice time: 20 min/day, 5 days/week
– Practice: C, G, and D Major scales (one octave), C Major scale (2 octaves, doing a posture and bow hold check before playing all scales), Etude (remember to stretch pinky, look out for when you use a 1-2 finger pattern, and practice the repeats with first and second ending), Minuet 1 (first two lines – play through slowly and get used to the notes, practice bowing down-up-up), Question (first page rhythms), and Starting the Case (look ahead if you’d like, we will start this in the new year).
Thank you and happy playing!
