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 – June 22/23, 2022
If this week was your last week of lessons before summer and fall, it was a pleasure teaching you and I will miss you! If you have one more make-up lesson next week and/or are signed up for summer lessons, we will not say goodbye just yet and make sure to double check your schedules!
Jaron – I am so proud of you and all the progress you have made! Thank you for sticking with the violin and me for over 2 years, what an accomplishment!
– Recommended practice time: 15 min/day, 5 days/week
– Practice: G, D, and A Major scales (1 octave, doing our usual posture and bow hold check each time before playing), G Major scale (2 octaves, and practice both ascending and descending scale replacing open strings with fourth finger), and Etude (practice playing through whole piece without stopping and with a consistent and faster tempo).
Olivia – congratulations on finishing your school year!
– Recommended practice time: 30 min/day, 5 days/week
– Practice: Review 2-octave Major and minor scales (try to memorise fingering patterns for each scale, and try to review F Major scale, which we haven’t done in a while), Go the Distance (practice full run-throughs and prepare to finish by summer), Spring (you tend to be a bit flat in this piece so make sure to move your left hand up the neck of the violin a little bit), and see if there’s anything you’d like to add to our Zero to Hero arrangement!
Amaia – missed you today!
– Recommended practice time: 15 min/day, 5 days/week
– Practice: G, D, and A Major scales (1 octave, doing our usual posture and bow hold check each time before playing), and Perpetual Motion (play fourth finger exercises 0-1-2-3-4-3-2-1-0 on each string, stretch and exercise pinky finger to build muscles and flexibility in that finger, and practice playing through without stopping and with a faster tempo).
Isabella – I am so happy I got to be your first violin teacher at the beginning of your musical journey! I am so proud of you and the progress you have made in this short time!
– Recommended practice time: 15 min/day, 5 days/week
– Practice: Practice holding violin under chin with hands and no hands (in both plucking and bowing position, and make sure to maintain posture while playing exercises instead of just first few seconds of playing), review bow hold and window washer exercises, practice bowing down-up-down-up on each string, play A-string, D-string, and G-string bowing exercises on the second page of the packet, and practice first phrase of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star theme in Suzuki Violin Book 1.
Grace – remember that it’s okay if you need to take a little space from the violin!
– Recommended practice time: 30 min/day, 5 days/week
– Practice: 2-octave Major and minor scales (focus on scales with shifts – the higher you go, the smaller the spaces between your fingers), Waltz (try not to slow down in grace note section and add dynamics) and Bouree (play through slowly and get familiar with the notes).
Hendry – have fun with summer school!
– Recommended practice time: 30 min/day, 5 days/week
– Practice: C, D, E-flat, E, F, and G Major scales (2 octaves, doing our usual posture and bow hold check each time before playing, and stretching fourth finger in E Major going up and going down the scale), D minor scale (2 octaves – natural, melodic, harmonic), A Major scale (1 octave, open positions with high 3 on G and D strings), Gavotte (aim a little higher for shift to third position in second section, and stretch pinky finger to keep fourth finger A from being too flat).
Thank you, stay safe, and happy playing!
Weekly Homework Post – February 2nd, 2020
Hope everyone is staying warm and dry in this snow!
Ramiro
– Recommended practice time: 15-20 min/day, 5 days/week
– Practice: A Major Scale, D Major Scale, Twinkle Twinkle theme and variations A, B, and C. Practice the Twinkle theme with long bows and try to play in front of a mirror to watch for your posture. For your posture, pay attention to your right hand thumb curve and your left arm; make sure your left elbow isn’t pointing too far back, but is instead resting comfortably by your side. Twinkle variation B is a tricky one rhythmically! Sing it out loud first, and then add the fingering while singing, fingering while plucking, and then playing it out right.
Olivia
– Recommended practice time: 30 min/day, 5 days/week
– Practice: C Major, D Major, and G Major 2-octave scales, Storm, and Beethoven Themes. Your test is over but it is still important to keep practicing scales so we don’t forget them! For Storm, remember to practice saving your bow on the long notes and to start each upbeat with an up bow. For both latter pieces, remind yourself to watch the intonation of your second finger – is my hand in a 1-2 position or 2-3 position?
Thank you and happy playing!
