Teaching
Lee-Chin’s students are conquering the world!
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From the conventional soloist path to a career as a violinist/neuro-surgeon to
composing and performing an original tune for a popular American sitcom, I am
immensely proud of the students I have been blessed and privileged to teach and
mentor.
Contact: Lee-Chin, College of Charleston
Email: siowl@cofc.edu
My 3 P’s
As a teacher, I believe in three elements of study that lead to success in music; passion, patience, and perseverance.
Passion
leads you to yearn to become the best you can be. In turn, it becomes fuel for the fire, the thing that keeps us going when we’re pushing forward- when you love what you do, when you love music, it becomes that much easier to pursue your art. It’s no longer a chore, but a blessing.
Patience
is a rare virtue in the modern world, where everything is instantaneously available at your fingertips. Accomplishment in music, perfection in the art, is not so easy. As my father would often say, “Don’t worry about the harvest, worry about the sowing.” In other words, your study, your practice, should always be your focus; the rest will take care of itself.
Perseverance
is the final necessity. On good days, it is so easy to continue, but on bad days, you must keep going, in spite of any obstacles in your way. Giving up is not an option, it would be a pity, when success is so often just around the corner- it just takes a little more of a push.
Students’ Accomplishments
Lee-Chin’s students have won top prizes in international competitions and gained admission to prestigious schools including Juilliard School, Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, Northwestern University Bienen School of Music, Johns Hopkins University, Boston University, University of Michigan, University of Cincinnati, Mannes College and New York University
One of Lee-Chin’s students, Tianyu Liu won the first prize at the 2020 U.S. Music Teachers’ National Association (MTNA-National level) competition and a prestigious Kovner fellowship to the Julliard School of Music in May 2021. He speaks fondly about Lee-Chin’s teaching.
Tianyu Liu (China)
While still a senior at the College of Charleston, Tianyu has established great achievements under the mentorship of professor Leechin Siow. In 2017, Tianyu’s freshman year, he won the Ronald Sachs International Competition (grand prize) in North Carolina and made his American debut at the Bruno Walter auditorium in Lincoln Center. He is the first prize winner of the 2020 MTNA (Music Teachers National Association) National level, Young Artist Division, representing the College of Charleston and South Eastern States division. Tianyu is also honored to be selected as one of the 22 competitors chosen globally to participate in the upcoming Menuhin competition in Richmond Virginia.
Javier Orman (Uruguay)
Every since Javier graduated from College of Charleston, he has built a unique career as a violinist, composer and pedagogue. Javier has been writing, recording and performing with his violin-and-guitar duo KOZM, described as “the most rock ’n’ roll pair of classically trained musicians working today” by 21st Century Musician. The duo has been featured on AMC in an opening spot for The Walking Dead and has collaborated with The Hunger Games star and social activist Amandla Stenberg. 2019 Javier was invited to teach at the Curtis Summerfest, a music festival co-produced by the Curtis Institute of Music and the Sphinx Organization, which aims to transform lives through the power of diversity in the arts.
Jordan Elum (USA)
Currently a Phd candidate in neuroscience at the University of Washington, Jordan is a rare combination of artistic excellence and scientific brilliance. After private lessons with Professor Siow as a high school student, he pursued and received his B.S. in neuroscience at John Hopkins University with a minor in music from the Peabody Institute. While most medical students will be hard pressed for time, Jordan, somehow found time to win the Peabody Institute Concerto competition and performed Ravel’s Tzigane with the John Hopkins Symphony.
Gloria Lee (USA)
Gloria Lee is a graduate of the Artist Certificate Program at the College of Charleston. She is a prize winner of the 2018 Medallion International Artists Competition, and was a featured soloist of Southcoast Symphony. Ms. Lee has performed with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra, the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra, and many other professional ensembles. Currently, Gloria is pursuing a degree at New York University where she also serves as an adjunct faculty member.
Meng-Ting You (China)
Meng-Ting You graduated from The College of Charleston with the Robert and Pamela Dickson Outstanding Achievement Award in Violin. She is currently pursuing her Master’s Degree at the University of Miami-Frost School of Music. Ms. You completed an internship at Frost Sounds and worked at Dynasty Arts LLC, in Shanghai.