Katterwall's new part-time singing teacher

Katterwall: What is your singing background?
Yen Yen: I started singing when I was 3 or 4, imitating pop-stars in front of classmates and sister who made fun of me! I picked up the taste for classical music in Secondary school where my music teacher encouraged me to join the choir and solo competitions in music festivals. After secondary school, I went to Montreal, Canada, to study French and Music where I was led by people who genuinely loved music and taught me to enjoy the process. Now that I've returned to HK, I continue to spread the joy of singing by teaching and performing.

K: What is your favourite style of singing?
Y: I am quite simple and sing almost everything that I come across. I find that light soprano opera arias and French melodie best suit my colour, but personally I love Spanish / Latin influenced jazz such as Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra.

K: Please share your best performing memory.
Y: In the Opera Hong Kong production of Carmen, the set had a 2 story high bridge across the stage. In one scene, we had to run all the way up, sing on the bridge and RUN back down whilst still singing, trying not to step on each others’ trains, and pulling each others' hair, real or wig.

K: What are your hobbies, other than singing!
Y: I love sports, all kind of sports, I love being sweaty. I also like travelling and, believe it or not, knitting.

K: What is your full-time job?
Y: I am an administrator in a French testing lab, translating French to English / English to French and occasionally from French to Chinese / Chinese to French.

I recently had the opportunity to perform with Opera Hong Kong in their production of Don Carlo. (Thank you to everyone who came – especially the first time opera goers!) I was also fortunate enough to have a vocal lesson with Alfredo Zanazzo (King Philip) and to watch him teach and coach some of my OHK colleagues.

This experience, above most any performing experience I've had, has left a lasting impression on me, both personally and professionally. The opportunity to work in such close physical proximity to such experienced professional singers affords you the opportunity to really examine their technique and artistry. There is a passion exuded by many of these performers that cannot be taught or learned. It is a true dedication to their art and it is so contagious.

As a singer, I cannot tell you how invaluable this is to me. You watch someone do something and think, “how on earth?...” and then you go home and try to work it out. For me, it was real confirmation that singing is like every other job on earth, in order to succeed, you must put in the work and with the work can come incredible results. Without question, this has had an enormous effect on my teaching. I was reminded how important it is to go back to basics, to instill the proper foundation into my students so that we can build from the bottom up. I was also reminded how important it is to enjoy singing and that sometimes, you just have to trust your body to remember the technique and just sing because you love it.

October
30^th - 4^th Oct : Dirty Blonde starring Camille Lively @ HK Fringe Club
Tickets from HK Ticketing, Tel: 31 288 288, www.hkticketing.com

Week beginning 6^th : Kassia Men & Women start rehearsals for ‘A Kassia Christmas Carol’

November
1^st : J.A.M featuring Kassia Women's Choir in highlights from 'The First Five Years' @ Cyberport

December
5^th : 'Community Christmas Carols' @ Lok Hing Lane Temporary Sitting-Out Area (Lan Kwai Fong Amphitheatre)
A free event, raising money in aid of Operation Santa Claus

15^th & 16^th : 'A Kassia Christmas Carol' @ Sheung Wan Civic Centre
Tickets from URBTIX from 15^th November