You could say that Gloria Yu’s skill set strikes a rather complex chord. Indeed, the music teacher and active performer knows how to play at least 10 types of instruments – from the harp, baroque recorder and classic guitar to Chinese string pieces like the guzheng, pipa, erhu and liuqin.
But when it comes to introducing children to the art of playing music, it’s the piano and ukulele that are her instruments of choice.
“I hope all of my preschoolers enjoy music and have fun in our lessons,” says Yu, who has been teaching at the Kerrisdale Community Centre since 2016. “Watching their interactions through our music activities, and seeing them learn the basic foundations of playing songs through either piano or ukulele, are my favourite things about teaching.”
Growing up in Hong Kong, Yu was drawn to music as a tot. She began singing at three, her father equipping her with a microphone and recording her early renditions on cassette tape. She sang in Hong Kong’s Yip’s Children’s Choir from ages five to 15, and started piano lessons at nine. “I told my parents that I wanted to be a musician when I grew up . . . after receiving my Bachelor of Music in 2004 and then my Early Childhood Teaching Diploma, I focused on teaching preschoolers piano and ukulele classes.”
Also earning a Master of Education in 2006 and a variety of Early Childhood Music Education certificates, Yu has gone on to teach instrument and voice lessons to a variety of age groups, from young children to seniors.
Away from the classroom, Yu can be spotted performing with her Aliens Ensemble, practising tai chi with Lisa Low (another Kerrisdale Community Centre instructor) and volunteering at Richmond’s Rotary Hospice House both as a harpist and with her therapy dog.
Stay tuned for the Spring 2025 Guide (available Feb. 24) and be sure to save your spot in one of Gloria Yu’s piano and ukulele programs when registration opens on March 8.
Learn more about Gloria Yu and other KCC instructors by visiting our Instructor Bio page. This page will continue to grow as more instructors submit their profile information.