Chok Kerong is well regarded as one of Singapore’s most versatile artists. His arrangements and compositions have been performed by such notable musicians and groups as Jeremy Monteiro, T’ang Quartet, the Singapore Wind Symphony, and the Jazz Association Singapore Orchestra, among others. His contributions as an organist and keyboardist are also featured on singer-songwriter Charlie Lim’s critically acclaimed double EP Time/Space.

How did you get into teaching?

There isn’t a particularly compelling story about how I got into teaching. I just decided to give it a shot early on in my career and have kept going since. I knew I wanted to perform and teach concurrently, which is something I think most people in the music scene do.

I’ve been teaching music on a regular basis for about 12 years now, and I work with a wide range of students. I cover topics such as improvisation, theory, ensemble performance, and arranging. I teach undergraduate students aged 19 to 25, as well as secondary school students aged 15 to 16. I also work with mature students on occasion. While I consider my main practice to be composing, arranging and performing, teaching is also an important part of my professional life.

Have there been challenges in your teaching journey?

The general challenge, which I view as part of the mission and job satisfaction, is opening the students’ minds to see things from different perspectives. For them to understand that the outcome also depends on them, and that they can derive their own satisfaction from applying themselves.

It is an ongoing question of getting them out of the mindset of “what can the teacher offer in this lesson?” This is a valid line of thinking, but what I would really like them to develop is an independence in their learning journey: how to make the learning their own and apply it in their own art. It’s really about the students asking: “how can I personalise this new knowledge so that it becomes part of my language?” To me, the information they absorb in class doesn't really mean anything until they do something with it. That independence is what I strive to develop in them, even though I don't necessarily make it an obvious thread in my teaching.

I am glad to say that overall, the opportunity to connect with students and witness their progress makes up for any challenges that may arise.  

What life lessons can students learn from training in music?

If you are pursuing excellence in any artform, you won’t see results overnight. To build a structure you do it brick by brick, one step at a time, and trusting that the small increments in progress will eventually result in beautiful things later on, even though it takes some time. You will surely see the reward from the time and effort you put in. It’s about playing the long game.

What do you find the most rewarding about your work?

It’s all about getting the students to exercise their imagination. I get the most satisfaction when they discover that they possess the creativity to attain the results they desire.

I feel gratified when my students can realise that they have the ability to achieve things on their own. We as teachers can help to give them a glimpse of what success looks like and create a situation where they can taste that success. But after that point, they must figure out how they can replicate it successfully in their own way. It’s very satisfying when I see them succeed in this process and when their confidence is boosted because of it.

What are your hopes for every batch of students you encounter? 

For every batch of students, I hope they deepen their connection with music and discover the lessons it can teach all of us.

I also want them to find their own joy in learning. As a teacher, I’m there to save them a few steps and speed up the process, but ultimately it is up to them to take ownership of their learning. I won't be around all the time to correct them and point them in the right direction. My hope is for them to develop their own independence and creativity to be able to find their own successes in their artmaking journey. To be completely independent and reach a point where they don't need a teacher anymore, that is the end goal as far as I’m concerned.