A not so formal biography

Jennifer Chou

Born and raised in Hong Kong, Jennifer started learning the organ from Samuel Tong, and the harpsichord with Joyce Lindorf. After graduating from the Chinese University of Hong Kong in Organ Performance Major, she studied the organ and the harpsichord with Wolfgang Rübsam at Northwestern University (USA) with a scholarship and obtained a Master of Music degree and Performance Certificate with honour. A dreamer from the moment she was conceived, when she was still at school, the dream of studying music in Europe started to germinate through books, ideas, and short German phrases her father planted in her head. Ever since her first European visit while as an undergraduate music student, she fixed her dream on studying in Europe and she later told her teacher at Northwestern that her dream was to study the organ in Europe. From there, Jennifer took the advice of Wolfgang Rübsam and gave up her place at ESM in doctoral studies two weeks before the start of the academic year with no regret and swiftly went to Europe to persue her studies in organ. Despite not speaking any French whatsoever, she was helped by a pianist friend who had studied in Paris to get the paperwork done to hand in at the French Embassy in no time; a flautist friend who was on her way to Paris plus two new friends (a bassoon player and a clarinet player) in Paris helped her to apply for an audition in the conservatoire where they were enrolled. All happened in just 4 weeks and she moved from Chicago to Rochester (without actual landing!) and to Paris just like that and her new adventure started!

Perhaps by luck but more planned by God, she stumbled on the Conservatoire National de Région de Rueil-Malmaison in Paris where she was admitted and studied with Susan Landale. She obtained the Prix d'Excellence and the Prix de Virtuosité à l'unanimité avec les félicitations du jury, the highest award of the conservatoire. She then specialised her studies in French baroque and North German repertoire with Michel Bouvard and Jan Willem Jansen at the Centre d'Etudes Musicales Supéieures de Toulouse and obtained the Premier Prix d'Orgue à l'unanimité after performing a programme of French baroque organ repertorie with Gregorian chant in the Toulouse les Orgues International Festival (2001). She won second place (Classe d'Honneur) in the Paris UFAM organ competition in 1997. In 2003 she won Mention Spéciale du jury as a finalist in the Biarritz International Organ Competition.

Jennifer gave her first public organ recital in 1992. Over the years, she has given recitals in the US, UK, Europe, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Australia including venues such as St Gilles Cathedral in Edinburgh, Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Paris, Cathedrale St. Etinne in Toulouse, Westminster Abbey in London, Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Cathedrals in Brisbane, Melbourne, Newcastle, and Sydney in Australia, Adelaide Town Hall, Sydney University; and in festivals in Denmark, Germany, Italy, Hong Kong, and in Australia. Residing in Down Under does not stop Jennifer from going overseas to perform. She keeps going no matter what. In 2007 she performed with hubby Joseph Yu as an Organ and Trombone Duo in England and Italy and their performances were highly acclaimed.

Jennifer has held various organist positions since she was a student. She lived in England from 2001 to 2003 and was Director of Music at St Mary's Church Worplesdon where she formed the Worplesdon Occasional Singers, and she sang with the marvellous Guildford Chamber Choir where all the choir members were excellent musicians and there was never the need to spend time going over any notes or parts, rhythms, pitches, etc., it was her single most enjoyable ensemble experience, a real pleasure in singing and performing challenging choral repertoire.

She moved to Melbourne with Joseph Yu her husband in January 2004 and became Director of Music at St. James Catholic Church Gardenvale until her appointment at St John's Anglican Church, Camberwell in March 2006. She also teaches the organ at the Australian Catholic University in Melbourne. Jennifer is a keen accompanist on the piano (and organ too) and has a variety of experience with solo singers, children's choirs, church choirs, college and university choirs. Jennifer regularly performs with Joseph as Organ and Trombone Duo and they have given duo concerts in England, Ballarat, Hong Kong, & Italy.

Curriculum Vitae

Jennifer Chou

Concert Organist, Organ teacher

Director of Music, St John's Anglican Church, Camberwell, Melbourne