Mr Dennis Lee and Mdm Toh Chee Hung perform during the UCSI University School of Music Maestro Series Recital.

Mr Dennis Lee and Mdm Toh Chee Hung perform during the UCSI University School of Music Maestro Series Recital.

Mr Dennis Lee and Mdm Toh Chee Hung pose with UCSI University hosts and guests during a reception after performing during the School of Music's Maestro Series Recital.

Kuala Lumpur, 8^th August, 2011 - Dozens of people filled the Blue Ocean Strategy Hall in UCSI University’s North Wing recently for the Maestro Series Piano Recital. The recital featured acclaimed pianists Dennis Lee and Toh Chee-Hung, a husband and wife team who performed a series of piano solos and duets, including a variety of classical pieces such as Ravel’s “Mother Goose Suite” and a selection of Dvorak’s “Slavonic Dances.” With this concert, the School of Music aimed to take its programme a step further by exposing students to two of the world’s leading pianists with the goal to inspire them to pursue their professional goals. 

According to Professor Dr. P’ng Tean Hwa, Associate Dean of the School of Music, it is a remarkable experience to have someone of this caliber playing music that can reach both the music connoisseur as well as the general audience. He said that both Toh Chee-Hung and Dennis Lee are good role models for students and are examples of what one can do and achieve international acclaim through talent and hard work. 

Students not only had the opportunity to attend this concert, but also to partake in a piano masterclass with Mdm Toh. “Mdm Toh taught me the touch, musical sense and relationship on the piece I played and I have gained insights that I never had the answer to prior to the masterclass,” said Jackson Lim a classical piano student who took part in the class. 

Second year music student, Melanie Wong, who played Beethoven’s “Sonata in F major 3rd movement” for the masterclass, said Mdm. Toh is a great teacher and is inspired to be like her one day. 

Both Mr Lee and Mdm. Toh said they enjoyed their experiences at UCSI University. 

“We found the audience very receptive and warm and respectful and quiet, which we cannot say of all places. We enjoyed it,” said Mr Lee. “In the end, our job is to communicate, and tonight we felt there was a lot of response and that’s very encouraging.” 

“I love working with young people and they are very talented young people,” Mdm Toh said. “I admire them for their work and their discipline that they have applied to learning these pieces, I hope that I can share my experience of 40 years. The response has been quite positive.”