The Making of Salon Chopin: From Paris to Mong Kok
This was our mission: to change the discourse regarding the nature and purpose of music education in Hong Kong, one person at a time. To ensure the legacy of classical music survives not through exam certificates, but in our human hearts that yearn for beauty – to experience music that touches us, makes us feel alive, and understood. Reality, as it turned out, had other plans …
The Dream
In modern‑day Hong Kong, a piano teacher will lose students quickly if they cannot promise that those students will pass certain graded exams before a certain age. Several factors contribute to this: that certificates confer advantages in school admission, that the education system relies on standardisation and believes the only way to produce measurable results or progress is to turn everything into an academic subject. To speak contrary in such places is to speak against the ocean – ultimately falling on deaf ears.
But all is not lost. Sometimes the most powerful answers are found in history, and in our case, through a historical portal, we might one day learn about why music was written in the first place – not to pass exams, but to satisfy an emotional need. Salon Chopin is designed for this purpose: to raise awareness of music’s original purpose, and to bring context to the daily practice we do, to the music we play. This context cannot be found in the bright, cramped practice rooms of traditional music schools. No inspiration or beauty can grow in such confined spaces, designed to maximise student numbers and corporate profits.
The Plan
Our plan was often met with ridicule, or at the very least a frown. No compartments? Just one room? We viewed spaces across Tuen Mun, Causeway Bay, Wan Chai, and Mong Kok. Not many landlords were open to hosting a music school with the budget we had. Does the space fit a grand piano? What of its acoustics? The fact is, you cannot judge the acoustics before moving the piano in. The dimensions of the space, as well as accessibility – whether the piano would fit inside the elevator – were all points to consider. We knew we wanted to base the studio on Chopin’s teaching room in Paris, but there were many practical issues to resolve. Our original wish was to acquire a Pleyel, Chopin’s preferred piano. Who wouldn’t want to bring Chopin’s piano home? But eventually we settled on a Yamaha C2X, which is still excellent for teaching purposes, and left enough budget to design the rest of the space.
The Process
The lease was signed the day before our Artistic Director’s father was due for a major operation. We hired a designer to help source furniture and to work with the contractors who installed the flooring and wallpaper – all of which had to happen before the piano and other furniture were moved in. The works were often delayed because the floor was uneven, but it all came together on the last day before the piano was due to arrive.
The original design included a chandelier on the ceiling, but due to space constraints, we used spotlights instead. In fact, the new spotlights broke the day we bought them, and we had to get replacements. The candles we ordered arrived in the wrong colour, with some not working. Despite all the issues, Salon Chopin was born during the darkest times. Despite the torrent of challenges, each was overcome to see this vision come to fruition.
What You’ll Find Today
When you enter the studio, you will be greeted by the master’s portrait, and you will see paintings of him playing in a salon and in his classroom. You will see a Yamaha C2X standing proud atop a round rug, a fireplace, and the mantelpiece on which Chopin’s students used to place their lesson fees – plus flowers and candles that once lit the room before the age of electricity. We have the master’s autograph manuscripts, a wall displaying his pedagogical lineage, and seats for a small audience in a salon setting. This is an environment where music was heard.
While this is not a perfect recreation of Chopin’s Parisian apartment – and there are many historical details we would love to bring you – we have made an honest attempt with the resources we have, in this economic climate, and in this day and age where music education is at a crossroads.
If you come for a visit and would like to take some spare candles home with you, do let us know.
Experience the salon for yourself – book a lesson or inquire about events.