Music with Jess

Bio

Please support the time involved creating this content by donating to my paypal via my email jesshchan@gmail.com or though my ko-fi link (it's the price of a coffee): www.Ko-fi.com/musicwithjess

On top of my studies to be a Primary and Early Childhood teacher (I want to specialise in musical pedagogy and approaches to learning), and my private lessons, I spend a lot of my time creating this supplemental content for my students and myself (yes, I use it too). Eventually I will be able to input high quality videos and more pedagogical aspects, as time permits!

I input these files manually into a program called 'Sibelius' - musical notation software, record videos of myself playing, upload and sync the videos so that the music notation can be a little bit more interactive, less abstract, and more relevant.

I began music lessons with my mum (apparently) when I was young child, and began learning piano with my first teacher around age 5, along with my sister who was 4. Our older siblings learnt together too. I always found myself trying to emulate my older siblings abilities and practices - which definitely supported my thirst for development. I began violin lessons at the age of 8, and at the age of 13, enrolled myself in singing lessons at school. During high school, I balanced a love for composition and performing, until I found myself within the jazz community. Little did I know that would allow me to consistently fill the creativity and flexibility of both performing and composing through the flexibility allowed within the jazz language.

When I re-discovered violin as an adult, I began to understand just how much music had meant to me as a child, as well as how much we can commit to as adults, if we put ourselves in a position to allow ourselves to learn (circumstances, of course, vary). I have since picked up the double bass, cello, guitar and ukulele. I have performed in opera, musical theatre, drama productions. Many, many musical breakthroughs happen when I remove the noise and practice - it's like meditation, healing, powerful and a part of me.

If we make and meet our musical goals, and translate that learning into other aspects of our lives - many (inconceivable) things become possible.