Music Training Modules

The modules are tailored to offer music learning and ensembleship training opportunities for participants with SEN, 14 sessions each, delivered by professional tutors with the assistance of our Lingnan students. In the first year, we organized 5 modules.

 

Module in Piano, Percussion and Composition (Jun-Aug 2022)

An alumnus with a current student from Buddhist To Chi Fat She Yeung Yat Lam Memorial School, both autistic, participated in the module to improve their piano and percussion skills under the guidance of Ms. Venus Ng. They also explored how to compose music using MIDI keyboard and software. Joined by Lingnan graduate Mr. Rocky Ng (on the double bass) as well as undergraduates Mr. Johnny Mau (on the guitar) and Ms. Hau-ching Wong (on the piano), the group trialled making music as a creative instrumental ensemble. It would be ideal to continue engaging the alumni of this special school’s percussion band, deprived of chances to further their music skills upon graduation, in our project.

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Module in Choral Singing (Jun-Sep 2022)

12 autistic members from Heep Hong Society joined the module to learn vocal, choral and social skills. The choir is conducted by Mr. Caleb Woo and accompanied by pianist Ms. Anna Ngai. They returned to Lingnan campus for a special recording activity rounding off the sessions on 4 pieces: “Embrace the Music”, “Dona Nobis Pacem”, “I Bought Me a Cat” and “Look at the World”. Production clips have all been publicized on YouTube and the University’s social media. Parents and Heep Hong’s senior management were genuinely touched and surprised by the work.

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Modules in African & Indian Drumming, Music Technology and Sound Healing (Jul-Oct 2022)

We ran two modules parallelly with Pui Oi School, mainly for 4 physically-challenged children, one of whom is wheelchaired. Two boys partook in one, and two girls the other. For particular workshop-style sessions where appropriate, we accommodated a few additional boarders to create more positive classroom atmosphere. We split the module into tasters led by different specialists: Ms. Jiff Yuen on djembe and dunun, Mr. Arup Guha on tabla, kanjira and khamak, Dr. Enrico Bertelli on music technology, and Mr. Hinson Lo on sound healing instruments. Our students and staff played an active role throughout to offer one-to-one facilitation and translation help. Teachers at the school were especially impressed and inspired by how the non-verbal pupils managed to create and express with the aid of gadgets like Makey Makey and online platforms such as Chrome Music Lab.

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Module in Guitar (Sep-Nov 2022)

2 adult members from Fu Hong Society Yau Chong Home, both with intellectual disability, engaged in the module led by Mr. Francis Wan to learn how to play acoustic guitar starting with the very basics. Lingnan students Mr. Ethan Chu (on the tuba) and Ms. Macy Chan (on the keyboard) took part to jam some familiar Cantopop with them. One of the learners was well-motivated to buy herself a private guitar for self-practice. Fu Hong’s social workers reflected that their learning has aroused other boarders’ interests in picking up an instrument, too.