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 24, 2022
Olivia – congratulations on finishing summer school!
– 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 see if your muscle memory kicks in, and focus on F Major descending scale, especially with the shift down from fifth to second), Spring (play through last page slowly and get used to the notes, and remember the ending section is the same as the beginning), and see if there’s anything you’d like to add to our Zero to Hero arrangement, especially with the ending and whether you might want harmony or bass in the second violin!
Hendry – hope you’re having fun on your travels!
– 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), D minor scale (2 octaves – natural, melodic, harmonic), A Major scale (1 octave, open positions with high 3 on G and D strings), Gavotte (prepare for final play-through next lesson with higher fourth finger) and Hibari (remember the small differences between the first and second verses).
Thank you, stay safe, and happy playing!
Weekly Homework Post – April 5th, 2020
Olivia – once again, thank you for joining us for online lessons! I really appreciate your time and effort dedicated to our music lessons during this weird time.
– Recommended practice time: I usually recommend 30-45 minutes/day, 5 days/week, but I understand that it has been a rough time and it is hard to find motivation to practice, especially as such a social musician. Try to set little easily-achievable goals first, and then build up from there. For example, the first day you will just practice on scale. The next day, just practice the first line of Judas Maccabeas. After that, one scale + first line of Judas Maccabeas, and etc.
– Practice: G and D Major scales, A minor scales (natural, harmonic, melodic), Judas Maccabeas. Practice shifting in D Major scale and try to remember the difference between the different minor scales, and what your fingers need to do for those differences. For Judas Maccabeas, watch out for accidentals and practice the eighth-note rhythm patterns.
Thank you and happy playing! I hope everyone is staying safe during this time!