Happy Music Makings

"Happy Music Makings"

It has been six months since I started working in Chicago again. Very glad to be back and met all the new students, parents, musicians, neighbors and all kinds of great people.

How many can one do in 6 months? I think I've been doing pretty good. Built my teaching studio back up to around 30 students now. Got a decent piano at home. Purchased plenty of music books. This summer we did a teacher-student collaboration concert at the Sulzer Regional Library, Chicago named "Summer Music Matinee." It was a nice experience for me, for my friends Dalia, Anna and my dear clarinet student Camden on his first performance on clarinet, on music and in the public ;)

At the end of July, I was honored to be invited to give a music career talk at After School Matters program at Pui Tak Center. Remember when I was their age (age 15-16), I was already planning to study music and become a full time musician.

In August, five of my piano students and I performed the "Little Pianists' Summer Recital" at the Unity Lutheran Church in Chicago. Everyone played so so good. I'm very very proud of my students! They work really hard. Thanks to their parents and grandparents. Their unlimited love, support as well as encouragement are what inspired me to become a better, more patience teacher.

During the past 6 months, I also updated my personal website (www.yuenyeelam.com), built our Richardson's website (www.richardsonsartmusic.com) and Adjacent Cruise's website (www.adjacentcruise.com). Lot is IT work. Haha and I'm not very good at it. Just started my YouTube channel as well to include some of my students' performances. Check it out at www.youtube.com/user/yuene53

So far, teaching has been wonderful. Starting to do some performances again, on both clarinet and piano. Oh my students said I sing beautifully in lessons so maybe I should consider that. Anyways, I have also been rehearsing with my beloved husband on his original songs. We call our team Adjacent Cruise. Hopefully we can start performing as Adjacent Cruise soon!! Stay tuned and sign up for our mailing list!

Happy Music Makings, everyone! <3

New Location. New Website. New Start.

New New New... 

Yes! Just moved to a new Location and have plenty of room to grow my music studio, rehearsal space and also create some artwork. Speaking of artwork, we just built a new website that includes my husband's oil paintings and comic drawings. My digital artwork will be posted soon too! 

Stay tuned :)

Back to America

Last summer I moved back to Hong Kong for a year and met so many beautiful children. So glad I got the chance to teach them music and shared part of our lives together. My life wouldn't be the same without my precious time with them. One year wasn't very long but it wasn't short neither. I accepted the challenge and taught many tiny kids of age 6 to play the clarinet and inspired many naughty kids to become amazingly beautiful good children. I am only 26 and I do no magic but sometimes I feel like I'm an old lady making a change in this world. Well at least that's what I want to do, to make this world a better place. I love children and we all should. They're the most innocent and most beautiful ones in the world. Maybe we can listen to Michael Jackson's Heal the World.  :)

Okay. So I recently moved back to America and just got married to my loving husband Shannon. We're planning to start a new music project Adjacent Cruise as a team and keep making and sharing the music we love and create. Oh and yes I changed my last name and now I'm Mrs. Richardson ;) Very happy to talk to some of my old students in Chicago and get to teach some of them again. Some other already moved out of town but we never lost contacts. I try to keep in touch with all my old students and can't wait to see what a beautiful person they turn into. I talk to them about their lives, their schools and their dreams. America is such a beautiful place with high freedom for people to do almost anything they want and to pursue their dreams. If you've been reading the news about Hong Kong, you can see so many students and adults are trying to protect the freedom in Hong Kong and also the future of the children there.

Live what you love. Yes life on earth is short. Please love all the people around you. <3

Christmas Recordings

Christmas Recordings

Just recorded and uploaded two Christmas songs. One is titled Away in a Manger but it is not the most common one you always hear. Wanted to record this one because I remember my mom always sang it with me during Christmas time when I was small. I really miss that, especially when I haven't seen her for years. I hope she'll love my recording. Another one is Amazing Grace. It's not really a Christmas song but it's a Christmas song so I guess it would fit in and everybody loves it. :)

Check them out at www.yuenyeelam.com/audio

Away in a Manger
Away in a manger
No crib for His bed
The little Lord Jesus
Laid down His sweet head

The stars in the bright sky
Looked down where He lay
The little Lord Jesus
Asleep on the hay

The cattle are lowing
The poor Baby wakes
But little Lord Jesus
No crying He makes

I love Thee, Lord Jesus
Look down from the sky
And stay by my side,
'Til morning is nigh.

Be near me, Lord Jesus
I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever
And love me I pray

Bless all the dear Children
In Thy tender care
And take us to heaven
To live with Thee there




Merry Christmas to you all and hope the world will have a brighter future!

-Yuen Yee

Happy Hour with Yuen Yee & Cindi @ The Imperial Nursing Home

"Happy Hour with Yuen Yee & Cindi @ The Imperial Nursing Home"

We had an amazing time playing Christmas songs at The Imperial Nursing home in Chicago yesterday. The residents and staff there were very nice and friendly. We played about 20 Christmas songs at Happy Hour with Yuen Yee Duo and our audience were singing and clapping along with us. It was very beautiful to see the staff at The Imperial bringing many residents in wheelchairs down to the activity room to see us perform. It was definitely a big pleasure for us to have the chance to bring some great music into the nursing home and to see their residents smiled and laughed. We had a beautiful time and look forward to playing at the Imperial again! :)

"We wish you a Merry Christmas!"

-Yuen Yee

Christmas time is coming.

Christmas time is coming.

Oh, I love December. Christmas is probably my favorite time of the year. Love those Christmas trees, decorations, cookies, gifts, Santa, music everywhere. It's so much fun to play Christmas songs for the whole month. Not only me and my friends are playing Christmas shows, but also my students and many little kids in music schools. Usually I play Christmas shows with friends of my age but this Christmas, I'm going to play with little kids and the elderly. Can't wait to bring some fun and amazing time to our audience. Don't forget to write your Christmas wishes to Santa!

Hohoho~

Teaching Studio is Expanding!

Teaching Studio is Expanding!

I am so excited to be part of a great Academy of Music & Dance in West Rogers Park. Music House just added me to their faculty list!

It's very nice to see so many little talented kids having so much fun learning and playing music every week. I especially appreciate those parents who sit in every lesson to learn with their children and practice with them at home every day. They reminded me of how my parents brought me to music lessons, encouraged me to practice and came to watch my performances when I was younger, oh and actually even nowadays my parents are still very happy to see me play. Parents are really the best!

You just can never get tired of doing something that you love to do. I'm still looking forward to teaching more new students. ;)

- A Happy Teacher