Ho Chong Wing
| Ho Chong Wing | |
|---|---|
| Native name | 何中荣 |
| Born | 1933 (age 92–93) Singapore |
| 💼 Occupation | Harmonica Soloist, Educator |
Ho Chong Wing (Chinese: 何中荣; born in 1933), known as “The Man with the Silver Harmonica”, is a Singaporean professional musician specializing in harmonica. He has performed both in Singapore and abroad, including a guest performance at the World Harmonica Contest in Switzerland in 1970. Impressed by his virtuosity, the leading harmonica manufacturer, Hohner, specially designed and manufactured a silver harmonica for him. He studied the harmonica with virtuoso Tommy Reilly during his twelve years' stay in Europe. He had also been a music educator, actively promoting harmonica in Singapore through teaching in schools and higher institutions.
Early life and education
Ho was born in Singapore in 1933. He has been interested in playing the harmonica since a young age. In 1948, he joined the Donghua Harmonica Band. He started playing the violin in 1960 with the aim of learning advanced musical articulations and expressions that could be applied to the harmonica. He studied the violin with Paul Abisheganaden, a Singapore music pioneer and Cultural Medallion winner. He also studied the violin with Goh Soon Tioe. In 1962, he attained a distinction in the Grade 8 violin examination of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM), being one of the first few Singaporeans to receive this certification.
In 1963, Ho travelled to London to pursue his musical career. He studied the harmonica with virtuoso Tommy Reilly, accompanying him to participate in music festivals and concert performances throughout Europe. He spent twelve years in Europe, honing both violin and harmonica skills.
Musical career
Harmonica soloist
Ho established a harmonica quartet with three other harmonica enthusiasts in 1952. The quartet gave frequent guest performances on radio and television.
In 1962, Ho made his orchestra debut during his vacation in Singapore. He played The Concerto for Oboe and Strings composed by Domenico Cimarosa with Singapore's National Symphony Orchestra (now Singapore Symphony Orchestra) under the baton of the late Israeli conductor Shalom Ronli-Riklis.
Upon his return from Europe to Singapore in 1975, Ho formed an ensemble with his students. Their rendition of Zigeunerweisen, Op. 20 composed by Pablo de Sarasate, a Spanish violin virtuoso and composer of the Romantic era, caused a sensation in Singapore's music scene.
In 1977, he was invited as a judge for the harmonica school band contest in the Youth Festival held by the Ministry of Education, Singapore.
In 1982, he was invited to perform in Thailand as a guest artist at the 2nd ASEAN Pop Festival and was subsequently awarded a medal by The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). He was also invited to perform “Toledo” Spanish Fantasy for Harmonica and Orchestra composed by James Moody as a soloist with the National University Concert Orchestra in Taipei, Taiwan, in 1992.
In August 1994, Ho performed four virtuosic pieces in the concert entitled The Eminent Harmonica Recital[1] to demonstrate the versatility of harmonica in terms of technique and expression:
- “Toledo” Spanish Fantasy for Harmonica and Orchestra by James Moody
- Scherzo from Concerto for Harmonica by M. Spivakovsky
- Janine by Albert Raisner
- Woodpecker by James Moody
The concert was held at Singapore Victoria Theatre Concert Hall as the grand finale of the 9th Harmonia Workshop held in June 1994. Alex Abisheganaden (classical guitarist) and Josephine Koh Poh Yoong (pianist) were the Guest performers.
Music educator
Ho took an active role in the harmonica movement in Singapore. Passionate about promoting the instrument to local talents, he was a harmonica instructor for more than ten Singapore schools and higher institutions, with students ranging from primary school children to university graduates.
In 1981, Paul Abisheganaden, the Director of the National University of Singapore (NUS) Centre for Musical Activities (incorporated into the NUS Centre For the Arts) invited Ho to establish and direct the NUS Harmonica Band (now NUS Harmonica[2], an Arts Excellence group of NUS Centre For the Arts) since its inception[3]. He researched and selected the band's repertoire, and guided the organization of Harmonia music workshops where harmonica groups from various institutions gathered to exchange and share knowledge and skills with each other. As the Conductor of the Band, he developed individual players' skills and musicality, building harmonica bands into high-caliber performers. Harmonica soloists from NUS Harmonica Band including Lai Mun Guan, Loo Liat Siang, Low Teng Yong, Tan Kwang Eng and Wong Swee Meng presented numerous pieces during the aforementioned concert The Eminent Harmonica Recital. The other harmonica soloists in the Band trained by Ho included Cheng Jang Ming, Lee Cheng Lian, Loh Kai Chee, Tan Yong Chuang and Tui Cheng Guan.
Although harmonica's popularity greatly increased in Singapore during the 1980s, NUS Harmonica Band identified a lack of English-language instructional material. Ho obtained approval from Paul Abisheganaden to publish a handbook under the umbrella of the NUS Centre for Musical Activities. Together with Paul Abisheganaden, Bernard Tan, Joseph Peters, Josephine Koh Poh Yoong, Loh Kai Chee, Ho Chow Pheng and Yeo Siang Tiong, Ho provided editorial and advisory assistance to a group of harmonica enthusiasts and harmonicists to prepare the book Harmonicist's Handbook[4]. The book was published in 1991, after more than two years of preparation. Since its publication, harmonica enthusiasts have had access to a comprehensive handbook. It is hoped that harmonica will be recognized as a serious instrument.
In June 1995, NUS Harmonica Band was invited by The Chinese Musicians’ Association of China to stage a public concert at the Beijing Concert Hall and to participate in two exchange programs and a seminar with China harmonica counterparts at the Working People's Cultural Palace in Beijing and Shanghai Music Conservatory respectively. The Band also performed at The Central Music Conservatory. The tour was led by the then Co-Director of NUS Centre For the Arts, Dr. Tong Chee Kiong, and Ho was the Deputy Leader and Music Conductor. Ho’s collaborators, Alex Abisheganaden and Josephine Koh Poh Yoong, accompanied the band on the tour.
Discography
- Asian Delights (1980). Alan Ang and Jimmy Chan, arranger[5]
- Chinese A La Carte (1981). Jimmy Chan, pianist; Alan Ang and Jimmy Chan, arranger[6]
- Asian Delights II[7] (1984)
- Chinese Delights (1987)
- Hong Kong Delights (1988)
- Serenade (1990)
- Springsongs (1992)
- Thailand Delights[8] (1994)
- Thailand Delights II – Plays The Impossibles[9] (1994)
Media appearances
Ho promoted the harmonica on radio and television. In 1978, he gave 26 solo programs of “Music on Harmonica” for the Radio Corporation of Singapore.
References
- ↑ "The eminent harmonica recital : Victoria Concert Hall, 10 August 1991, Wednesday 7 p.m. - BookSG - National Library Board, Singapore". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2020-08-23.
- ↑ "NUS Harmonica". NUS Centre For the Arts. 2020-08-29. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Harmonicist's Handbook. Singapore: Centre for Musical Activities, National University of Singapore. 1991. Search this book on
- ↑ Harmonicist's Handbook. Singapore: Centre for Musical Activities, National University of Singapore. 1991. Search this book on
- ↑ "Ho Chong Wing And His Silver Harmonica* - Asian Delights". Discogs. Retrieved 2020-08-23.
- ↑ "Jimmy Chan & Ho Chong Wing - Chinese A La Carte". Discogs. Retrieved 2020-08-23.
- ↑ "Ho Chong Wing & His Silver Harmonica* - Asian Delights II". Discogs. Retrieved 2020-08-23.
- ↑ "Ho Chong Wing & His Silver Harmonica* - Thailand Delights". Discogs. Retrieved 2020-08-23.
- ↑ "Ho Chong Wing & His Silver Harmonica* - Thailand Delights II - Ho Chong Wing & His Silver Harmonica Plays The Impossibles". Discogs. Retrieved 2020-08-23.
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