Singing & Theory Student, Kassia Youth Choir Member

K: What's your musical background?
B: I grew up in a non-musical family. My first musical experience was on a 1980's Casio calculator that played musical tones by pressing the keypad. It had a demo song and I discovered I could play the song by ear. I was about 5 years old and begged my mom to let me take piano lessons. Then when I was 9 I was awed by Tchaikovsky's 'Violin Concerto' and again begged my parents to let me take violin lessons in addition to piano.

The funny thing is that at a point I loved violin more than piano mostly because it is easier to play. On a violin you play a single melody line whereas on the piano it is always the melody plus something else. Let me fast-forward a bit. I was very fortunate to enter New Jersey City University to study piano with Dr. Min Kim, who is a Korean-Canadian pianist, she totally transformed my playing and most importantly, she made me finally love and enjoy playing piano. When I finished my undergraduate degree, I was fascinated by the possibilities outside traditional music and decided to study a graduate program on music technology at New York University.

K: What do you do when you're not in rehearsals with Kassia Women's Choir?
B: I work as a full-time musician, I split my work time between teaching, accompanying, conducting, consulting, and running my own company.

K: What's your favourite genre of music?
B: I've tried pop, jazz, R&B, rock, progressive, funk, even rap but my favourite is still classical, perhaps because of its unlimited depth and width. It is really a tough decision for me because one moment I am listening to Pink Floyd and then a minute later a Bach's fugue and I love them both.

K: Please share your best non-Kassia performing memory:
B: I was performing a 4-handed version of Beethoven's 5th Symphony with a friend. The music was quite furious and I accidentally tore off a page from the book - it flew away and landed on the stage so I tried to pick it up while keeping the music alive with my other hand. It was hilarious!

K: What are your hobbies (outside of music!):
B: I love reading and also watching football (soccer) - I follow the English Premier League closely.

K: What is the most enjoyable part about working with Kassia Women's Choir?
B: There are so many wonderful people who make my job really enjoyable. Working with Bethan is a joy - she is one of the most musical people I've ever met. I would like to say special thanks to Celia, she's not only a great friend, her page-turning skills are second to none.

K: What would you like to see Kassia Women's Choir do in the future?
B: I think Kassia should do a concert of Schoenberg, singing all atonal music... nah... just kidding! How about a Celtic "Enya" style concert? Another long shot: How about Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon"? I listened to an a cappella version of it and it sounded very cool. [Now there's something to think about - Ed.]

This is the 4th consecutive year that Katterwall has been involved in the musical life of the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens:

2005: Jo-Anne Trevenna & Olivier DeMolina perform “Time To Say Goodbye” to mark the end of the Rugby Sevens World Cup

2006: 8 Soho Collective members sing 'Happy Birthday' to the Rugby Sevens and 'Hey Baby' to the South Stand

2007: Bethan gives a talk on the history of 'Music At The Rugby Sevens' for SKAL International Association of Travel and Tourism Professionals at the Mandarin Hotel

2008: Eight Soho Collective members perform a cappella national anthems before the Cup Final and Jo-Anne Trevenna and Matthew Hale perform 'Time To Say Goodbye' to mark the closing ceremony

2009: Watch this space!!!

1^stMay: Into The Groove – A Madonna Tribute with Soho Collective @ Melting Pot, 8.30pm Like A Prayer, Vogue, Papa Don't Preach, Music...
LIMITED TICKETS from Katterwall Tel: 2575 3931

5^thJune: My Favourite Things with Kassia Youth Choir @ Union Church, Kennedy Road
Tickets from Katterwall: 2575 3931

8^thJune: Ain't No Motown High Enough Reprise with Kassia Women's Choir @HKAPA, 8pm Guest performers as part of an 'Opera Highlights' concert
Tickets from Tel: 31 288 288 / www.hkticketing.com

24^thJune: The First Five Years with Kassia Women's Choir @ Sheung Wan Civic Centre, 8pm All That Jazz, Ain't No Mountain High Enough, Cowboy Take Me Away, Morning Train...
Tickets from URBTIX Tel: 2734 9009 / www.urbtix.org

ALSO

30^thApril & 4^th May: MacBeth, Shouson Theatre, HKAC

7^th & 10^th May: Popcorn, HK Fringe Club

22^nd & 24^th May: Re-run of Flesh, Shouson Theatre, HKAC