Hong Kong music education
Beyond the Score
Essays on the skills Hong Kong’s music exams miss, with ideas for playing by ear, making music together and starting a conversation in Japanese.
A Grade 8 pianist walks into a rehearsal
The singer says the song is too high. Could the pianist take it down a whole step? Standing at that keyboard, the pianist needs to find the bass notes, keep the rhythm and preserve the shape of the accompaniment. Their exam result offers little information about how this minute will go.
Read the essayWhat the grade misses
Learning by ear
Listen with someone else
Make something of your own
Read Beyond the Grades on Conversation Across Languages, or Practise talking about music in Japanese.
These essays are editorial commentary. Isaac Chap founded Hanashi, whose company runs this publication. His private music lessons are a separate paid offering. Editorial policy · Suggest a resource or send a correction