About
Composer, master pianist, and educator who served as a music teacher for Melbourne High School from 2002 to 2007. After a stint as Director of Music for MacRobertson Girls' High School, he was later hired as the Coordinator of Keyboard Studies at Carey Baptist Grammar School in Melbourne. Before his tragic and untimely passing at the age of 52 due to a stroke, he worked as the musical director for the Walt Disney Company and served as President of the Association of Music Educators. His contribution to the world of musical instruction, piano composition, and skill evaluation is truly immeasurable and will likely transcend both his lifetime and those of future generations.
Before Fame
He began studying the piano at the age of 8. After completing his basic education, he attended the University of Melbourne's Conservatorium of Music. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in music specializing in piano performance. He also studied composition.
Trivia
His piano compositions have been included in Australian exam syllabi and competitions worldwide. He regularly presented masterclasses on piano technique and spoke at events such as the International Society of Music Education World Conferences. He drafted compositions for a variety of difficulty levels to be used in the Australian Music Examinations Board system and one of his original pieces was used by the winning performance for the Foster's Music Award winner in the year 2016.
Family Life
He was the eldest son of Richard and Jenny Chua. He had 3 younger siblings. He was born in Penang, Malaysia; however, he relocated with his family to locations such as Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, and Malacca, before they finally settled in Melbourne, Australia. In 2009, he married music teacher Melinda Ceresoli. They shared 2 daughters named Aria and Umi, as well as a dog named Eski.
Associated With
He was trained by the students of legendary pianists and composers such as Claudio Arrau, Nadia Boulanger, and Alfred Cortot. His own music has been inspired by classical artists including Franz Liszt and Ludwig van Beethoven.
