JASON'S HOMEPAGE> profile> Music and language credentials

MUSICAL ENCOUNTERS.......

Jason has an intricate relationship with music. He was trained in classical music with the piano as his main instrument. He obtained a ABRSM Grade 8 in piano and music theory. He did not continue to LRSM diploma due to National Service commitments.   

Besides the piano, he also plays the guitar (folk and classical) and the keyboard. He also receives training in classical organ. In addition, he received vocal training at the Methodists School of Music. Currently, he is learning how to play the bass guitar and harmonica. He plans to learn drums in the future.

Jason uses his musical gifts primarily to serve the LORD in church. He sings in the church choir for about 12 years as a baritone, bass and tenor 2. He also plays in the traditional service for about 10 years, mainly hymns. After his stint in the traditional service, he took a bold step to switch to the contemporary service where he plays in the band as a keyboardist, pianist, guitarist and a backup vocalist. He has been in the band for about  2 years now. In it, he learns the different styles of playing spiritual choruses and songs. Jason hopes to serve the LORD as a bass guitarist and a drummer in the near future. Ultimately, he hopes to be a worship leader--the highest calling in the music ministry-- one day. In this ministry, a blend of mastery in music, spirituality and charisma is needed.

Interestingly, Jason has been trained as a PA crew member during his part time job at Wesley Methodists church. He was also a member of the King Edward's Hall XinYao club where he helped to compose songs  with his group. Their song , entitled "ling chen liang tian" did so well that it was performed at the university cultural competition and at combined secondary schools camp. He also has some exposure in the NUS chinese orchestra where he tried to learn the chinese flute. Unfortunately, due to heavy academic workload and other commitments, he decided to resign from the orchestra after the first year. Jason also serves in the NUS Campus Crusade for Christ worship team as a backup vocalists and keyboardist for about 3 years or so.

After graduation, Jason wanted to be a teacher. He passed the music audition at NIE to become a music teacher in a secondary school. Unfortunately, he found teaching music in a government school uninteresting. Thus, he appealed to change his teaching subjects. This was so before the Ministry of Education changes his subject combination.

Often, he was also asked to play for church weddings (on the grand piano and classical organ depending on the couple's request), small group gatherings, etc. On the whole, Jason has an all rounded exposure to music--the wonderful universal language among humans.

LANGUAGES-JASON SPEAKS, READS, WRITES FROM THE HEART....

Jason is fluent in Chinese language and the English language. A product of the Singapore Bilingual Education System, Jason has the privilege to learn and study both languages for about 14 years. Jason's family members are linguists and this contributes to his interests in languages. His father has a degree in linguistics and is proficient in English, Chinese, Russian, Malay, French and most chinese dialects. Mum is fluent in Malay, Chinese and most chinese dialects. His sister is a English major and a English teacher. Jason's wife is highly proficient in the chinese language.

Jason is also fluent in the Hokkien and Cantonese dialects. He used to be very fluent in the Hakka dialect--his first primary mean of human communication, coached by his grandfather. But due to lack of usage after the passing of his grandfather, he has forgotten this dialect.

Jason has tested his language proficiencies, beside attaining reasonable grades in his language exams. The English is his working language and he has used the languages to communicate with locals and non-locals alike eg. his Nigerian professor, European and American people etc. Jason uses the chinese language to communicate with people of his race--the CHINESE. He uses chinese to communicate with his family members and at the same time, he uses it to communicate with his CHINESE (people from China) labmates and classmates in NUS and Taiwanese locals during his tours.

Currently, Jason is working hard to master the Japanese language. He hopes to communicate with his japanese friends. He has attained JLPT 4 and is now working to achieve JLPT 3 and JLPT 2.

He also hopes to learn Malay to communicate with his students.

He hopes to learn Hebrew and Greek in his old age so that he can understand the Bible on a deeper level.

Updated 06/01/2005

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