Meet Zhang Kai Wen, the Erhu teacher whose patient and passionate teaching style ensures that all his students have a solid foundation and grasp of basic skills. He puts a high level of focus into developing the fundamentals, so that his students can become truly excellent erhu players. Plus, he conducts lessons in both English and Mandarin, so you can learn in the language you’re most comfortable with. So, grab your erhu and get ready to learn, because with Zheng Kai Wen as your teacher, you’ll be playing the erhu in no time!
Zheng has always been fascinated by the beautiful sound of the Erhu. When he was just thirteen years old, he began learning the instrument under the guidance of Mr. Lee Hou Koon Kenneth at Manjusri Secondary School. During his time at the school, he even had the honour of serving as Chairman and Concertmaster for 1997 and 1998. Under his leadership, the School Orchestra earned a Gold Award in the Singapore Youth Festival Central Judging (SYF).
After falling in love with the Erhu, Zheng decided to pursue it professionally by enrolling at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA). In 2011, he graduated with a Diploma in Music Performance (Chinese Instrumental Studies), where he had the opportunity to learn from Mr. Li Bao Shun, concertmaster of the Singapore Chinese Orchestra, and Mr. Neo Yong Soon Wilson, a Zhonghu musician with the Singapore Chinese Orchestra.
Through hard work and dedication, Zheng has turned his passion for the Erhu into a successful career, and continues to share his love of this beautiful instrument with others.
Zheng’s journey as a conductor and Erhu instructor has been nothing short of impressive. In 2014, he took the reins of the Singapore Foochow Association Chinese Orchestra and conducted numerous sold-out concerts in their “榕琴缘” series. With his guidance, the orchestra grew from just 8 members to an impressive 70 (and counting!) and many learned to love Chinese orchestral music through his dedicated nurturing. To continue honing his skills, Zheng is currently studying under the talented Mr Lum Yan Sing. In addition to his work with the Singapore Foochow Association, Zheng is also bringing his love of music to various schools such as Ngee Ann Polytechnic and Jurongville Secondary School as both their conductor and Erhu instructor in both schools. With his passion and dedication, there’s no doubt that he will continue to inspire and educate others in the beauty of the Erhu and Chinese orchestral music.
