Tessa Ying: Revolutionizing Music Education Through Innovation and Technology

Tessa Ying, a highly accomplished music producer, engineer, and recording artist, is transforming music education by reimagining traditional curriculums and delivery methods. With a passion for music that began at age four, the Boston-based Singaporean musician has spearheaded significant music education projects worldwide. Ying is particularly known for her ability to create "in-the-box" productions—arranging, playing, producing, and recording comprehensive music education content that would typically require a large team of musicians.

This unique skill set gives Ying a considerable advantage, allowing her to produce numerous tracks efficiently without incurring the high costs of studio bookings or hiring additional musicians. This not only speeds up her production process but also provides exceptional flexibility in meeting client needs. So, how exactly is this multifaceted talent reshaping the music education industry?

A Holistic Approach to Music Education

Ying's personal journey has deeply influenced her educational philosophy. "I grew up with a fast-paced, achievement-oriented approach to learning music," Ying recalls. "It was not until I moved to the US that I really learned to appreciate the process of learning, of developing students’ metacognition and viewing music education from a holistic perspective.”

This profound understanding of effective learning methods, particularly in music, has enabled Ying to make significant contributions to prominent music education initiatives. These include "Kinder Notes," a leading music education curriculum, and "KB SAX," a renowned sheet music publisher and creator of saxophone lesson tutorials.

Extensive Musical Background and Production Expertise

Ying's musical career spans decades, with over 20 years of playing experience and a decade of teaching piano. As a solo artist, her original releases include popular tracks like “Baby Bear’s Idea” and “Be on My Own.” In 2018, she founded her production company, Tessa Ying Music, through which she has collaborated with notable singer-songwriters such as Elisabeth Waters and Angelique World. Her work includes Waters’ popular songs “Blue” and “Pet Names,” and World’s live shows “Unplugged” and “The Voice Within.”

Additionally, Ying's recent projects, "Hold," co-produced with Grammy Award nominee Abhi Acharya, and "Dreaming in Flight" with Hollywood composer Tomasso Annoni, have received critical acclaim.

Transforming Early Childhood Music Education with "Kinder Notes"

In 2020, Ying partnered with award-winning pianist Rosy Chua, principal of Singapore’s prestigious Prelude Music Studio, on the "Kinder Notes" project. Ying had previously taught at Prelude 12 years prior and consulted with Chua on her famous works “Kaleidoscope” and “Rhapsody,” which have been performed globally at venues like Carnegie Hall, the Esplanade in Singapore, and the SCECGS Redlands Piano Competition in Australia.

"Kinder Notes," Chua's curriculum series, is designed for preschool and elementary-aged children. Ying's expertise as a music educator and producer made her the ideal collaborator. The curriculum, complete with supplementary materials and tracks, features three modules tailored to various age groups' developmental stages. Since its release, "Kinder Notes" has revolutionized early childhood music education in Singapore, quickly becoming the country's leading child-centered music education program adopted by schools nationwide.

"When I first started teaching at Prelude 12 years ago, that was when I started working with children. Through this experience, I knew I wanted to work on this project because of our history and because I love working with children," Ying shared. "It is something magical when you connect with a child and make a positive, lasting impact on them."

She emphasized the crucial role of music education in early childhood, stating, "There is strong evidence that effective music education supports brain development in many ways. I was excited to use my music production skills to support these children so they can become the best version of themselves."

Ying's role involved consulting on the curriculum's development and producing the musical tracks essential for teachers to implement the syllabus. The design process for "Kinder Notes" began by selecting and composing educationally relevant pieces that introduced new musical concepts strategically. Each activity's purpose, such as ear training or sight-reading, was carefully chosen. Ying then produced interactive tracks for each activity using her in-the-box techniques, incorporating repetition to reinforce concepts and encourage children to sing and dance along.

Rosy Chua highlighted the indispensable nature of Ying's contributions: “Without the music recordings Tessa created for the 'Kinder Notes' curriculum, we would not be able to complete the activities in the course. There’s a lot of singing and movement activities, and the recordings are designed to help to reinforce the children’s solfège and pitch training. It also teaches them to keep on the beat.” Chua further noted, “By using Tessa’s recordings that she thoughtfully arranged and recorded using appropriate pedagogies for group activities, my students reap the benefits of group learning. This is so important at their age because it teaches them teamwork and helps to build their social skills. I am a firm believer of training these skills at a young age because it is so important for laying the musical foundation.”

Innovating Online Music Education Content Delivery

Ying is also a key figure in reshaping online music education through her collaboration with KB Sax Lessons, a leading sheet music publisher and creator of saxophone lesson video tutorials. This partnership highlights her innovative approach to content creation, blending traditional best practices with technological advancements.

Founded by professional saxophonist Kevin Busse, KB Sax Lessons initially focused on music transcription and publishing. In 2016, they brought Ying on board to enhance their product quality by consulting on the creation of videos, tutorials, and backing tracks for their audience.

With Ying's guidance, KB Sax Lessons climbed to third place on SheetMusicPlus’s “Top Publishers for Digital Sheet Music Downloads” list in 2019, surpassing prominent publishers like Alfred Music. As of 2023, they maintain their position as one of the “Top 99 publishers” on SheetMusicPlus.com.

Ying's advice—to offer a wide range of notated transcriptions accompanied by YouTube content featuring saxophone videos of popular pieces—was instrumental in KB Sax Lessons' expansion. Their model involves releasing notated transcriptions for purchase, then collaborating with Ying to film detailed saxophone tutorial videos. Finally, they provide performance examples with background tracks arranged and performed by Ying on various instruments.

Ying was drawn to this project by its innovative approach to music education. “I was excited to learn about how other music educators were utilizing platforms such as YouTube to deliver content in a multimodal way,” Ying explained. “The internet’s reach is truly amazing and its potential uses for music educators is in its infancy.”

Tessa Ying Music: A Hub for Innovative Learning

Building on this successful model, Ying launched her own YouTube channel, Tessa Ying Music, in 2022. This channel, an extension of her production company founded in 2018, features original releases, performances, and piano tutorials. It serves as a prime example of innovative best practices for music education content creators, accumulating over 100,000 views across 40 music videos in just one year.

Ying's holistic approach to music education focuses not only on the subject matter but also on the learner's well-being and continuous improvement. Her methods are informed by best practices in music education psychology, fostering a positive and engaging learning environment. She emphasizes student motivation, self-efficacy, and the role of emotions in learning. Unlike typical social media "scroll traps," her content encourages active learning, prompting viewers to acquire new skills and enhance themselves.

The true genius of her channel lies in the diverse ways she presents content. This includes creating audio and visual learning aids, as well as composing level-specific sheet music arrangements to accompany her piano video tutorials. Ying recognized that many popular song sheet music arrangements were often unsuitable for her audience's skill level, leading to frustration.

"People have varied learning styles and preferences, making content that is accessible and inclusive takes this into account. This, in turn, makes music education more effective, helping students progress faster and stay motivated,” Ying elaborated. “Some people prefer written materials, while others do better with audio or visual content. That’s why I create and share supplemental sheet music for my audience to read, pairing them with my video tutorials.”

The Expertise Required for Tailored Music Education Content

Creating curriculums and supplementary materials like videos, tutorials, and sheet music tailored for various skill levels demands immense expertise. It requires a deep mastery of musical theory, composition, transcription, and notation, alongside a comprehensive understanding of music education concepts and pedagogies.

For instance, when adapting sheet music, a music educator must analyze existing compositions, identify elements suitable or challenging for students' skill levels and developmental stages, and make appropriate modifications. They also need to break down complex concepts into manageable parts and design instructional strategies aligned with students' ages and learning styles. This necessitates a quick assessment of a piece's difficulty and its compatibility with a student's playing and music reading abilities.

Research consistently shows that learning to play an instrument offers numerous cognitive, social, emotional, and cultural benefits. Therefore, programs and platforms that democratize music education and expand educators' reach ultimately benefit society as a whole.

Through her creation of accessible, inclusive, non-discriminatory, and user-friendly content, Tessa Ying has successfully innovated music education curriculum and delivery. Most importantly, by spearheading successful projects and lending her technical expertise and musical acumen, Ying achieves her ultimate goal: sharing the joy of music with the masses.

“Music provides you the greatest joy when you play it,” Ying said. “Through rethinking how technology is used and lessons are delivered, music educators can help everyone, regardless of their circumstances or skill level, have the chance to learn to play music.”