And when a school can count talented vocalist Tracy Wong Wei Wen, acclaimed music director Onn San and renowned violinist Joanne Yeoh, among others, as its alumni, aspiring musicians need look no further.
Educating tomorrow's virtuosos since 1990, UCSI University's School of Music holds the distinction of being one of Malaysia's foremost musical education providers. And with a cohort of around 350 students – a 50-50 split between classical and contemporary inclinations – UCSI is the largest private tertiary music education provider by some distance.
The School's success, says Head of School Prof Dr P'ng Tean Hwa, is attributed to its sound commitment to bring out the best in its students.
"At UCSI's School of Music, we continuously seek to raise the standards of our students," opines Prof P'ng without inflection. "A lot of alignment goes on behind the scenes to suit our students' needs."
By alignment, Prof P'ng is referring to one-to-one sessions, meticulous curriculum reviews and the provision of avenues to showcase one's talent.
The key idea, he opines, is to adopt a holistic approach to education, equipping students with a solid foundation to maximise their potential.
And far more often than not, UCSI students have always delivered on their promise, pleasantly surprising audiences – and sometimes themselves – on the big stage.
One such individual is Tracy who is highly regarded in the local and regional music scene as a soprano and a conductor. Blessed with a voice rich in timbre, Tracy is known for her expressive veracity and this was evinced by her nomination at the 2011 Malaysian Music Industry Awards for the Best Vocal Group Performance category.
Part of the Capifruta Vocal Quartet – named after a Brazilian cocktail – Tracy enrolled at UCSI in 2003 and she credits the University for moulding her into an all-rounder.
"I had a very rewarding and enriching UCSI experience," she enthuses. "The subjects and electives I took allowed me to be challenged intellectually and I was able to graduate with the knowledge and confidence I needed to survive in the music industry.
"I learned a lot there and the most important lesson centres on the importance of focus and clarity – the subjects and selfless academics are there but it is up to me to make the most of my studies; to stay hungry and curious, constantly figuring out how I can use the acquired knowledge to become the musician I want to be."
Tracy's account is best exemplified when she made the decision to switch her minor from the violin to singing – she majored in piano – midway through her course. The decision hinged on her desire to build on her choral singing background and the University facilitated the switch without attempting to foist anything on her.
"The faculty never confined me to a particular specification and I was under no pressure to conform to stereotypes," she continues.
"I always wanted to share music with the community. My idea is that singing is the easiest way to bring people together to appreciate music as they are already born with that instrument. All they need to do is learn how to develop and use it."
True to her affinities, Tracy is now inspiring others to hone their talent. Working with the Young KL singers – an adult community choir of non-professionals – and the Kuala Lumpur Children's Choir, Tracy runs her own youth chamber choir and conducts workshopsfor primary and secondary schools around the country.
More significantly, Tracy is introducing Malaysian choral music to the global community. She has brought choirs overseas for the last four years, exposing young talents to international standards.
The UCSI tradition
Tracy's story adds weight to UCSI's track record of excellence – a record that has become synonymous with the School of Music.
It must be noted that the alumni are not the only ones who do the faculty proud and existing students have recorded their fair share of moments.
The University's Concert Choir recently bagged the gold medal at the 11th China International Choral Festival and the International Federation for Choir Music's World Choral Summit in Beijing, besting international competition along the way.
Taking stock of the monumental success, Prof P'ng said that the School had delivered on its promise once again.
"The continuous success of our students and alumni in international events and competitions – from ensemble performances to the contemporarybands– speak volumes about their quality and we are gratified to help them succeed," he said.
"The UCSI University choir is something we can really be proud of as it has grown from strength to strength in recent years. Winning against world class competition is no easy task and they have really done us proud by delivering in Beijing."
While the many accolades certainly make the school look good, Prof P'ng opines that the teaching staff prefer to keep their feet on the ground to concentrate on what they do best: Grooming the next generation of classical and contemporary maestros.
Although the University's participation in international competitions provides invaluable opportunities for students to showcase their talent, Prof P'ng opines that one must not overlook "more prosaic" avenues.
"Our students showcase their talent on the big stage but one should not forget that talent is honed over hours of performance projects, class work, volunteerism and one-to-one sessions," he said.
"There is no substitute for dedication and we are happy that our students have fulfilled their potential. The whole story is really about them and we (the teaching staff) are happy to make an impact on their lives."
Prof P'ng's modesty is intertwined with the faculty's commitment to instil the right values among its staff and students. Values like professionalism, a commitment to excellence, humility, integrity and congeniality.
And as far as Tracy is concerned, the grounding has certainly helped her along the way.
"Looking back, values have played a vital role, not only for career advancement but also for self-improvement," she mulls.
"There is always a need for respect forpeers, colleagues, fellow musicians and also, to the craft itself – so as not to sell out. I believe that if I am committed to a certain project, the quality of my work should show in my efforts as it mirrors the person I choose to be."
Urging aspiring musicians to pursue their passions, Tracy adds that there are good prospects for musicians in Malaysia. The market is certainly there and the only question is how far students are willing to go to fulfill their ambitions.
And if the answer is "further", UCSI is an ideal place to be.
EduSpiral Consultant Services is an official representative of UCSI University to provide information and advise on their courses. For more information, please email us at info@eduspiral.com.my
