Teacher Profile: Chris Rouse

About Chris Rouse

Learning music is a life skill. For Chris Rouse, among moving countries, schools, friends and roving memories, music has been one of the few constants of his life; a gift that he hopes to share.

Chris started playing piano at the age of 6, taking lessons from a Juilliard Graduate in a tiny apartment on the 30th floor in Hong Kong. His first teacher infused the idea of discipline within his bones. They are still in contact to this day. To Chris, teaching is more than just imparting a skill, he understands the challenge and joy of perfecting an instrument, and to him, there is no way to avoid it but to grow with it, and eventually fall in love with it.

One of his most strong musical memories is the effort to pass the Level 8 ABRSM. Living in Melbourne at the time, his mother decided, with the family having to suddenly leave the country in four months, to hire not one but two teachers to take him through this journey; Chris was 15 at the time and the exam date was the day before he left the country.

It would take many years and moving back to Shanghai with a teacher whom Chris tries to emulate in every way to reignite his passion. She made music fun, she would ask Chris what songs he wanted to learn and for the first time in ten years of playing piano, he got to do what he wanted. Chris' first song, learned of his own volition was "Hit the Road Jack " (... and don't you come back, no more, no more no more no more)

As a professional, he understands the struggle to become good. As a musician, he understands just how rewarding and awesome the ability to create music can be. Practicing music is a fine balance between fun, and effort. That and leaving people in awe as they watch your talent is always pretty neat!