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 29/30, 2022
I hope everyone has a wonderful summer! If you are signed up for summer lessons, remember that next week you will be with Ivan for your lesson since I will be out of town, and then back with me for the rest of the summer!
Olivia – congratulations on finishing Go the Distance!
– 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 focus on E Major and F Major shifts to fourth and fifth position), Spring (watch out for intonation in first two sections as it tends to be a little flat, and practice bowing in 2s for the brook section), and see if there’s anything you’d like to add to our Zero to Hero arrangement!
Amaia – I am so proud of all the progress you have made on the violin, as well as your focus and dedication to your playing!
– 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, and practice playing through without stopping and with a faster tempo).
Grace – missed you today! I hope you have a wonderful summer and I am so proud of all that you accomplished!
– 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 – missed you today! I hope you feel better soon and I will see you in 2 weeks!
– 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 9th, 2020
Hello, everyone! Great work this week. Try to take advantage of your days off school and squeeze in some practice time!
Ramiro
– Reminder: Bring your Suzuki book to your lesson next time
– Recommended practice time: 15-20 min/day, 5 days/week
– Practice: A Major scale and D Major scale, Twinkle theme and variations A-E. Now that you’re comfortable with A Major scale, use the scale to focus more on your bow hand and posture, now that you don’t have to focus as much on the notes. For Twinkle theme and variations, remain steady and keep the rhythms precise. Chanting or singing the rhythms first before playing can really help. And, if you’d like, look at the next song of the book, Lightly Row! We will start looking at this next time. You can try playing it and/or look up the song on YouTube.
Olivia
– Recommended practice time: 30 min/day, 5 days/week
– Practice: G, C, and D Major scales (2 octaves) and arpeggios. I know your scales test is over but you should keep practicing so you don’t forget! Pay close attention to your shifting and intonation. Next time, we will keep practicing our sight reading and trying to find a good solo piece for you. If you can, try to practice sight reading on your own! You can ask to borrow a friend’s music, or maybe look up the melody to your favorite song and see if you can play it.
Thank you and happy practicing!
