Today we’d like to introduce you to Shirley Wong.
Shirley, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My teacher, Zhen Tian Zhang is one of the greatest Chinese Hammered Dulcimer players in China. Many of the current professors had once studied under him. Fortunately, my mother was able to find him here in Boston and I had the honor of studying under him for all these years.
When I was three years old, my mother had signed my two older sisters up for lessons on the Chinese Hammered Dulcimer. Every weekend, my mother and I sit in the back of the classroom, listening to my sisters’ lessons. The dulcimer teacher, Mr. Zhen Tian Zhang let me play percussion instruments to play simple beat rhythms and a couple years later, I was finally allowed to have my first lesson.
Over the years, our dulcimer group lessons performed all over the New England area. As students in the group got older and busier, the group disbanded and my teacher helped me hone my skills as a musician. He started training me as professors do at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. Not only does he teach me music, he also trained me to become a performer and dulcimer teacher.
My teacher teaches traditional Chinese pieces, which many dulcimer teachers across the United States were too young to have learned, which are also very hard to express well. My teacher helps by teaching me Chinese History which contributes to my understanding the pieces I play and the more I learn from him, the better I can interpret the traditional pieces.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Going down this road was definitely not a smooth road. Growing up, my family and I only spoke English and Cantonese. Our dulcimer teacher only spoke Mandarin. All the Mandarin I know now, I have learned from him.
Not only was language a barrier, but many parents of dulcimer students were “tiger parents”. These parents were always comparing their children with others and pitching them against each other, which was the ultimate cause of many students giving up over a decade’s worth of commitment. Every tiger parent wanted their child (ren) to be better than others. As children got older, many only went to lessons because their parents forced them to, just so they can keep up with the competitions. When I started improving, I became the new target. I was not just criticized for my dulcimer skills, but my appearance, education, and background somehow became reasons why I would not be able to succeed. Even today, I still hear negative comments coming from these people. My teacher had taught me to use those comments to motivate myself, and that things people say cannot stop me from playing the dulcimer, which led to my success today.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Shirley Wong Dulcimer – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I now teach students to play the Chinese Hammered Dulcimer. I am most proud of playing a Chinese instrument in the United States, and through this instrument, I have learned of Chinese culture and history which is not taught in depth in United States History. Under the guidance of my teacher, I have learned to study the Chinese Hammered Dulcimer and traditional Chinese pieces/composers. Not only do we learn to play the dulcimer, we also get to learn Chinese drums and hand drums.
What sets me apart from others is that I am able to reach a professional level in Chinese Hammered Dulcimer without ever setting foot in China. I was born and raised in the United States and everything I know about the dulcimer and Chinese History is from my teacher.
Outside of music, I am a Software Engineer. I have a typical workday like most adults, but I am still able to spend hours practicing in order to keep up with my hobby, music.
My student’s ages range from 5 to 70s, because I believe that anyone of any age can learn music as long as they have an interest.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I plan to continue teaching music outside of my software engineering job. I am hoping to be able to spread knowledge from my studies of Chinese instruments and traditional Chinese pieces throughout the United States. I also hope to be able to study Chinese History in depth, something I feel like I missed out on growing up in the United States.
Contact Info:
- Email: shirleydulcimer@gmail.com
Image Credit:
Derek Wong
Lisa Tam
Kenneth Lee
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