Kian Chong

“A teacher affects eternity, he can never tell where his influence stops.” Henry Adams
To teach is to learn twice, every lesson I have with my students is a chance for me to get to know more about them as much as about myself.
I enjoy seeing my students grow; musically, physically and spiritually. The very reason why I would teach twinkles for many years to come!

In the summer of 2016, Kian accepted a fulltime violin and viola faculty position at the Hong Kong Suzuki Music Institute. He is looking forward to having a great time making and sharing music with the students of Hong Kong.
A native of Malaysia, Kian graduated from the University of Malaya, the nation’s oldest university with first class honour in the degree of performing arts (music) with a concentration in violin performance. His mentors included John Robert Allen (London, UK), Antonella Aloigi Hayes (Milan, Italy) and Mark Rush (Denver, CO.) and Kathleen Spring (Denver, CO.)
Kian has played regularly in Malaysia as well as abroad. Some highlights of his performance experience are L’Orchestra Giovanile Collegium Philharmonicum under the baton of Napolitan Conductor and violinist Maestro Gennaro Cappabianca, and multiple concerts for the Royalties of Malaysia and Cambodia. His musical ventures had included many teaching/learning and performing opportunities which had brought him to many parts of Asia (Singapore, Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Hong Kong) and Europe (Italy, Austria, the Netherlands, Switzerland) and the recent years in the US.
Before his arrival in Colorado, Kian has served as the Senior string instructor for several music academies in his hometown since 2005, and has enjoyed teaching students of all ages ranging from 3 ½ to 60, individual lessons as well as chamber ensemble. In 2014, Kian graduated magna cum laude from the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver with a Master’s degree in Music, he studied violin performance under Prof. Mark Rush and Suzuki pedagogy under Prof. Kathleen Spring.
Kian has taught in the Denver metro area upon his arrival in 2012. His studio comprised of students as young as 3 years old, elementary, middle and high schoolers, and adult violinists. He has served as the string instructor for the Douglas County Elementary Band and Orchestra programme, he also directed a pilot programme in the Englewood School District that aims to close the achievement gap of students via violin/music instruction.
As a Suzuki teacher, Kian worked very closely with Suzuki pedagogue Prof. Kathleen Spring on group repertoire and note reading classes. He often appears as a clinician at summer institutes; teaching repertoire classes, individual masterclasses and note reading/musicianship classes. Suzuki Strings of Denver, Suzuki Institute of Indonesia and AVS’ International Suzuki Strings camp (Bangkok, Thailand) are among the institutes that he has been involved in.
When he is not busy teaching or performing, Kian pursues a deep interest in yoga practice.