Little Heartstrings

Little Heartstrings is a group of children who are learning to play the violin, backed by very supportive parents and motivated by an inspirational teacher. Our common purpose is to share our music and bring joy to those less fortunate than us.

Established in 2003 and named in 2008 by enthusiastic parents, Little Heartstrings has had an immensely fulfilling time performing and sharing our music for more than a decade. Coming from different cultures and diverse backgrounds; our ages range from 5 to 14 years with abilities varying from beginners to competitive performers and those with special needs.

 

We are especially proud of integrating our special needs members where parents and children alike go the extra mile to share, encourage and help. So that everyone eventually realises the dream of playing and performing a difficult instrument like the violin .This journey of understanding and sharing transforms us deeply as a group and as individuals. 

We have played at various charitable organisations and care-giving institutions including Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Thomson Medical Centre, St Luke's Hospital, Assisi, Dover park  Hospice, Lee Ah Mooi Old Aged Home, Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped, the Salvation Army, Canossian School for the Hearing-Impaired, Pathlight School, the Purple Parade, 8th ASEAN Para Games, the President’s Challenge etc, and have actively raised funds for some of them.

 

Despite having relatively youthful members, many among us have unknowingly made our little mark in this world, empowered by music and a desire to give back to society. We hope that our members will continue to enrich and inspire lives around them as they embark on life's journey! 

Alex Yi

 

Alex Yi has been playing the violin for the last 32 years and teaching it for more than twenty. He is also a researcher in child cognition and music. Specializing in special needs and high functioning children, he coaches students from both ends of the learning spectrum from special needs to competition levels. Believing in a process-based violin education as opposed to an outcome-based one, he achieves this by integrating instrumental, historical and theoretical pedagogy for a more vivid music education. Coupling knowledge in neuroscience research, he is pioneering neuroplastic methods of teaching the violin both locally and internationally. 

 

Apart from teaching, Alex plays the violin and viola professionally - in solo performances, duets and string quartets.  After completing a BBAH and an MSc, he went the traditional route and had a stint in the corporate world.  However, his genuine love for teaching the violin, especially to young children, held paramount and he left the corporate world to do what his heart wanted.  Now after sixteen years of teaching, he still enjoys every single moment of it and gains satisfaction from watching his students grow, both musically and developmentally.  Despite his overflowing teaching schedule, Alex still managed to pursue and complete a PhD in early childhood education and continues to pursue his interest in music research and child psychology by working with various organisations.

 

Alex speaks fluent English, Mandarin, Malay and Bahasa Indonesia and is able to converse in local Chinese dialects as well.  He also volunteers to help special needs children (ASD, APD, dyslexia, dyspraxia ADHD, hearing and visually impaired) in preschool settings through music intervention.

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His research interest includes:

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Cortical reorganization  of sensorimotor homunculus in special needs children

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Effects of Asymmetry in homunculus mapping on auditory processing disorder

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Dsymorphication of digit maps and affects on visual processing 

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Activation of mirror neurons system and levels of consciousness in ASD

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