MEET... CHEN Yong, Vocal Teacher
K: What is your background?
Y: I was born in Sichuan China, where the pandas come from. I started training in singing when I was 16, receiving my Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance from the Xinghai Conservatory of Music in Guangzhou and my Master degree with full scholarship at HKAPA. I just returned from the University for Music and Performing Arts in Vienna having received the Vienna Opera Ball Scholarship which enabled me to complete my postgraduate studies under the tutelage of Professsor Franz Lakasovsky. In mainland China, I taught a lot of students included young children, teens and adults.
K: What was your last performance? Y: I sang Tonio in Donizetti's La Fille du Regiment, which was presented in Hong Kong City Hall early this year alongside Katterwall Vocal Teacher Colette Lam.
K: You sang at the HK Rugby 7s closing ceremony in 2009 with Ms Jo-Anne Trevenna. Can you please share your experience with us singing to such a big audience?
Y: I remember that big performance made me feel very excited. I had to sing Time to Say Good Bye as a duet with Jo. We took a lot of time to rehearse and to prepare but it all worth with such a large audience. I had to be very focussed to perform as well as I could. K: What is your advice to young singers who want to start singing lessons? Y: I suggest young singers trust their own feelings when singing. It's very important to be clear how each individual singer feels, because sometimes singers who want to emulate someone s/he admires lose the feeling of breathing, supporting, focusing plus many other things. Everybody is different: trust yourself, trust the feeling and let it come out.
Chen Yong starts teaching at Katterwall this week. To book lessons with him or with other teachers at Katterwall, please email Wyman Yuen.
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