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Multi-talented Malaysian-born Chong Poh Kong started piano lessons at the age of seven firstly with Miss Yim Kam Seong and then with Miss B.M. Remedios, who laid the foundation of enviable technique and enabled him to perform in numerous concerts.
Poh Kong subsequently went to England to further his education. In 1986, he pursued a degree course at Imperial College, University of London but his love and interest in music never allowed him to give it up. Instead, he was accepted to learn under the aegis of Mr. Alan Colebourne who was a pupil of the late Louis Kentner. In 1990, Poh Kong obtained a Masters Degree in Chemical Engineering at Imperial College, University of London. In that same year, he was offered a postgraduate place to study piano performing with John Barstow, a senior Professor at London’s most prestigious music conservatoire, the Royal College of Music. He is a recipient of several trust funds notably the Laura Ashley Foundation, the Craxton Trust and the Alper Trust, which enabled him to continue with his postgraduate studies for a further two years. |
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His successes have been impressive. He performed the Schumann Concerto with the Southgate College Orchestra in 1987 and subsequently won the Noth London Concerto Competition, resulting in rehearsals and a performance with the Finchhley Chamber Orchestra under David Lardi. He has won all the top piano prizes at the Festivals of Ealing, Hounslow, North London, Kingston, Kent, St. Albans and Richmond.
At the College, he competed with music students from all over the world to win the John Ireland Prize and the Vivien Hamilton (Chopin) Prize. He was specially chosen to perform in the masterclass of Professor Naumov, a distinguished professor at the Moscow Conservatoire of Music. Poh Kong also acted as piano accompanist to several instrumentalists and he has helped John Murphy clinch the best final year (viola) recital prize. Since coming back, Poh Kong has been leading a busy career in music . In 1995, he gave his Singapore debut at the Victoria Concert Hall performing fiendishly difficult works such as Liszt’s La Campanella and Prokofiev’s Seventh Sonata. He has also performed at Shell ‘s Lunchtime Cultural Programme as well as in many other lunchtime recitals. In 1997, he gave yet another Piano Recital consisting of Chopin’s and Liszt’s works. Poh Kong also contributed in Tan Chan Boon’s ‘Harvest of a Decade’ Concert in 1997 by performing two of Chan Boon’s compositions. And more recently in Jun 2001, he was successfully selected to participate in TCU/Van Cliburn Piano Institute’s Teacher’s programme as a performer. |
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