DISCOVER
THE SOUNDS OF NATURE
with
THE GUZHENG
Release, Relax, Unwind
My —
TEACHING
PHILOSOPHY
Hello & Welcome,
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Having taught a wide range of students as young as age 5 to teenagers and adults for close to a decade, I believe that every child/student has the potential to master this wonderful instrument. I enjoy interacting with students and witness your improvement together with you over time.
Effectively bilingual, my lessons are usually in both Mandarin and English, as I believe that music should be accessible as long as this beautiful instrument resonates with you, no matter your culture/race/background.
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Take a listen below and feel free to browse, get in touch if you'd like to arrange for lessons!
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Cheers,
Sophie
"When you touch one thing with deep awareness,
you touch everything."
- Lao Tzu
What is a Guzheng?
The guzheng is an ancient Chinese musical instrument (zither) dating back to the Qin Dynasty over 2000 years ago. It has survived the ages as one of China's greatest musical instruments and widely popularized in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia and Singapore till this day.
It has "musical cousins" in Eastern Asian cultures such as the kayageum of Korea and koto of Japan.
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The guzheng produces a melodious tone and is widely used to depict sounds of nature such as rolling thunder and flowing water. It boasts a rich repertoire and a guzheng player is able to express many intricate emotions with various techniques through resonant tunes.
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Listen to this beautiful instrument below -
ABOUT
Performer . Educator . Arts Management
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Sophie's journey with the Guzheng began at the tender age of four under the guidance of Xu Wen Jing, a member of the Singapore Chinese Orchestra. Her musicality and techniques were further refined during her extensive tenure at NAFA’s School of Young Talents (SYT) and School of Music (SOM) under the mentorship of esteemed Guzheng master Yin Qun. Under Mdm Yin's guidance, Sophie not only honed her skills but also achieved numerous performance opportunities and musical awards.
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Thanks to prestigious scholarships like the first-ever Overseas – Chinese Banking Corporation (OCBC) Undergraduate Scholarship awarded to NAFA music students and the Ngee Ann Kongsi Scholarship, Sophie successfully graduated with First-Class Honours from the Royal College of Music – Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts with a Bachelor's degree in Music Performance.
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During her academic journey, Sophie had the privilege of participating in masterclasses conducted by renowned Guzheng contemporary masters Zhou Wang (CCOM), Yuan Sha (CCOM/Sharmonic Hall), and Yu Qiu Xuan (CCOM/12 Girls Band) as part of her exchange program at the Central Conservatory of Music (CCOM) in Beijing. This exchange opportunity was made possible through NAFA's School of Music and the joint degree program with the Royal College of Music (UK).
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Sophie's stage performances commenced at the age of five, and since then, she has received invitations to showcase her remarkable talent at prestigious events such as the President's Star Charity Concert, Singapore Quality Awards, Esplanade Moonfest, and Huayi Festival. Additionally, she has served as a guest musician for acclaimed local ensembles and orchestras, including the Peoples' Association Youth Chinese Orchestra, Toa Payoh West CC Chinese Orchestra, and Siong Leng Musical Association, among others. As an accomplished performer, Sophie has garnered acclaim for her Guzheng performances in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Harbin, Xi'An, Yunnan, and Germany.
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Alongside her performance achievements, Sophie has achieved success in competitive music events, earning numerous accolades in solo and ensemble competitions both locally and internationally. Notably, in 2008, she achieved 1st prize in the Guzheng Open Category of the Singapore National Chinese Music Competition organized by the National Arts Council (NAC), making her the youngest recipient of the award that year and earning recognition in the local Zaobao news. In 2011, she secured the Silver Award in the Hong Kong Youth Professional Category at the 2nd International Zheng Competition, and in 2012, she was honored with the Gold Award in the Professional Category of the 31st Harbin “Tong Yan Cup” International Guzheng Competition—a distinguished biannual event regarded as one of China's top three music competitions.
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While working at NAFA, Sophie actively explores various artistic realms through involvement in diverse arts projects, enriching her cultural expression as a musician. Beyond her passion for music, she finds joy in traveling, exploring ancient Chinese culture, and spending quality time with her young son and her Holland Lop bunny.
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Get in touch!