Page 8 - MidWeek East - Nov 16, 2022

8 NOVEMBER 16, 2022
Local Piano Studio Celebrates 35 Years Of Teaching Keiki, Kūpuna Alike
FROM PAGE 1
the years. It’s also a bless- ing that I continue to gain new students to share learning to play the piano with,” she says.
titions during middle and high school, and went on to study piano throughout college on the mainland. When she returned from the mainland to Hawai‘i, she began teaching piano. That was 35 years ago.
Fong has kids as young as 3 years old take classes from her, and some of her students are in their 80s.
This past September, her studio celebrated her teach- ing anniversary with a fall piano recital, and former students also returned to play piano.
“No age is too young or too old to take up the pia- no,” she says.
“Some of them had not touched a piano in de- cades,” she says. “It was wonderful to see them and catch up on all that hap- pened in their lives after all these years. I can’t even de- scribe how much I appreci- ate them carving time out of their busy lives to prepare for this anniversary recital. These alumni students and I were very curious to see if what I had taught them so many years ago stuck and needless to say, we were all very pleased.”
During the pandem- ic, she held classes using FaceTime and WhatsApp.
“It was such a novel and efficient way to continue classes,” she says.
Even today, she has stu- dents doing their lessons virtually when they can’t get a ride to the studio, or are running on a tight schedule and can’t get to the studio on time, or are not feeling well.
“Virtual meetings, as well as having students send me videos, are great ways for me to monitor students between lessons, Fong says. “I review videos and receive FaceTime calls allthetime,andreallylike how the students take the initiative.”
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Her teaching style is eclectic, as she applies what she’s learned from all of her teachers for her students — she believes no two students learn the same way.
on this journey with me.” For more information or to make an appointment, email jillfongpianostudio@ gmail.com or call 808-295-
2188.
Jill Fong (top) sits at her Chippendale Steinway piano. Her studio welcomes pianists of all ages and skill levels. ANTHONY CONSILLIO PHOTOS
“Different approaches are needed to keep students engaged and feeling good about his or her ability,” she says. “An important goal for me is to make sure that every student enjoys the experience of learning the piano and loves music for life.”
She adds, “It’s been — and still is — a fabulous career and I have absolute gratitude and appreciation for everyone who has been
Most students take half- hour classes and even though it’s not much time, Fong does her best to make the most of it.
“It’s a blessing to be able to work with the same stu- dents for a long time and watch them grow through