Chan Yee Shen

MA Arts Pedagogy and Practice

2025

Yee Shen is a composer, pianist and music educator, who has worked professionally for seven years. Classically trained as a pianist, he is passionate about exploring diverse musical genres and interdisciplinary practices.

Yee Shen is skilled in composing across a wide range of musical styles and functions, including concert music, background music, theatre and rearrangements. In 2020, he initiated The Living Composers Series at LASALLE College of the Arts, which has become an annual concert for the BA (Hons) Music programme's composition specialism.

As a music teacher, Yee Shen teaches classical music, pop, jazz, as well as composition. He recently took up the position of lecturer for theory and aural studies for BA (Hons) Music programme in LASALLE.

composeryeeshen@gmail.com

Work

Teaching philosophy and research interests

My teaching philosophy is rooted in creating meaningful, student-centred and holistic music education. By adopting a multifaceted approach, I aim to foster curiosity, creativity and lifelong engagement with music.

I advocate for music education that is relevant and interesting to the students so that they can build personal connections with music that can enrich their lives. I believe that in music, the students develop resilience, rigour, empathy, as well as their personal identity. As a teacher, I remain a learner myself, sharing my journey to my students to inspire their own. With care and empathy, I believe music teaching can be integral to students’ personal growth and human development.

My research interest concerns transforming conventional musical practices and expanding the accessibility of music education and music-making to disadvantaged communities. I am also interested in exploring future directions in music composition, both as a practice and a field of research.

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Thesis abstract

Reinforcing self-identification of amateur musicians: Musician-centred approach through music recording process

This paper addresses the issue of adult amateur musicians discontinuing participation in musical activities. This practice-as-research examines how to design a musical process that helps amateur musicians to re-engage in music-making, and thus reinforcing their self-identification as a musician.

To construct a music-making experience tailored to the participants, the proposed methodology focuses on “musician-centred composition” and music recording as primary methods. By using observation logs and interviews for data collection, this study uncovers the musician-related aspects that were positively impacted through this process. The findings show that this musical process provided the resources, opportunities and specific conditions that help amateur musicians to participate meaningfully.

The key components of one’s musician identity include their musical competencies, which dictates their musical confidence and their continuous musical practice, which is fueled by their interest in music and motivation to practise. Music recording as a method has given the participants a new musical experience that opens up more potential and different outlooks of their musical self-concept. This research also reveals the diversity in the participants’ self-identification as an amateur musician, which is important for the analysis of their reinforcement.

This study contributes to music pedagogy from a critical lens to recognise amateur musicians as musicians and normalise music-making among the masses.

Work experience

2024–present
LASALLE College of the Arts
Part-time lecturer

2018–present
The Living Composers Series
Director

2018–present
Art Republic Studio
Piano teacher

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