Today we’d like to introduce you to Addison Teng.
Hi Addison, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I took violin and piano lessons as a kid, and while I was pretty good at both, I got away with not putting in a lot of effort! It wasn’t until I spent my first summer at the prestigious and rigorous Meadowmount School of Music during high school that I realized what I could achieve with focused practice. I continued my violin studies at Oberlin Conservatory and Northwestern University and honed my passion for teaching at the same time while serving as teaching assistant to Sally Thomas, Amy Barlowe, and Roland, and Almita Vamos. I now teach at DePaul University School of Music and the Music Institute of Chicago, and I also started a nonprofit, the Fulton Music Society, during the pandemic. I am so proud of all the students I have taught so far in my almost 20 years of teaching. Some have gone into music, joining top orchestras, including the Lyric Opera Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony, and Grant Park Orchestra, and gaining admittance to the country’s best music schools, such as Juilliard, Oberlin, New England Conservatory, and Manhattan School of Music. Others have taken the skills of focus, dedication, and perseverance that they developed studying violin and gone on to follow their passions in other fields. Besides teaching, I also maintain an active international performance career, travelling across the US, Canada, Europe, and Asia for concerto engagements, solo recitals, and chamber music concerts.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The pandemic certainly was an unexpected challenge! Luckily, I had been teaching lessons online for years, so I was able to seamlessly transition my students to Zoom.
Becoming a musician is a challenging road. I’ve had teachers tell me I wouldn’t make it in music, but plenty others believed in me and helped me keep pushing forward. It takes constant persistence, dedication, and honest self-reflection to forge a path in life that you can be proud of – something I aim for every day!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next, you can tell us a bit more about your business.
My nonprofit, the Fulton Music Society, was born out of the COVID-19 pandemic. I always knew I wanted to start my own organization, but I figured it would happen in 10 or 15 years. The pandemic changed all of that! By April 2020, all in-person music activities were cancelled for the foreseeable future, including my violin students’ summer festivals. So, I put together a 3-week virtual camp for them and some other local students who heard about it. That online festival went so well that we decided to take the plunge and start a nonprofit. The Fulton Music Society currently has three programs. Our flagship Fulton Summer Music Academy is a 4-week intensive program for string and piano students in Chicago, IL. The top students from FSMA are invited on international tours through Fulton In Residence, where they receive masterclasses from local teachers and perform solo concerts with local musicians. The FSMA faculty and guest artists perform professionally as the Fulton Chamber Players, spreading awareness about Fulton’s educational programs through their concerts.
Behind all of our programs is our mission to transform what music means in the 21st century by nurturing thoughtful, well-rounded students through dedicated music study. We are working to connect the dots between student life and the professional world by emphasizing skills and experiences that translate beyond their instruments. Through our programs, young musicians will be ready to lead their generation in any field they choose.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
When I was young, my family travelled often from our home in Canada to Taiwan to visit relatives. I loved to feed my curiosity in the kitchen with my grandma. I often said I wanted to help out, but all I really wanted was to touch and taste everything. I remember being hesitant about trying a wax apple for the first time – the texture inside looks almost like Styrofoam. But my great-grandfather said, “Hurry up, eat it; you’ll like it!” And I did – I ate so much that day that I got a stomachache! I learned to always be open to new things and to try everything at least once. Looking back, I became a foodie through my childhood trips to Taiwan, soaking up the unique flavors, aromas, and textures of the island.
Contact Info:
- Website: fultonmusicsociety.org
- Instagram: instagram.com/fultonmusicsociety
- Facebook: facebook.com/fultonmusicsociety
Image Credits
Todd Rosenberg
