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ABOUT US

The Guzheng Academy

Established in 2020, The Guzheng Academy (TGA) was founded by Sara Heng and Cloud Teo, both accomplished musicians holding Master’s degrees in Guzheng performance from China. With a shared passion for the art form, TGA is dedicated to promoting awareness and appreciation for traditional Chinese music through education and performances.

At TGA, we prioritize the transmission of knowledge and instrumental techniques, providing a supportive learning environment that inspires students through deliberate practice. Our mission goes beyond preserving the cultural identity of traditional Chinese music; we aim to ignite creativity and artistic expression in Guzheng playing.

Located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, TGA offers a range of services including individual and group lessons, engaging music workshops, as well as captivating concert and event performances. Our aim is to empower students to not only master the Guzheng but also to explore their creative potential and contribute to the vibrant tapestry of cultural heritage.

Our Vision

Our vision is to become Malaysia’s leading institution for guzheng education and performance, serving as a bridge between cultures and communities. We aspire to foster a vibrant and inclusive musical ecosystem where the guzheng thrives as a symbol of unity, creativity, and cultural pride.

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Our Mission

01

Excellence In Education

To provide exceptional guzheng education through expert instruction, comprehensive curriculum, and innovative teaching methods that empower students to achieve their full musical potential.

02

Cultural Fusion

We seek to celebrate Malaysia’s multicultural identity by integrating diverse musical influences into our guzheng curriculum and performances, fostering cross-cultural dialogue, understanding, and appreciation.

03

Community Engagement

We aim to build a strong and supportive guzheng community in Malaysia, offering opportunities for students, educators, and enthusiasts to connect, collaborate, and grow together through workshops, concerts, and outreach programs.

04

Cultural Heritage Preservation

We are dedicated to preserving and passing on the rich cultural heritage of the guzheng to future generations of Malaysians, ensuring that this timeless instrument continues to inspire and enrich lives for years to come.

Echoes of Excellence

Meet the virtuosos behind our academy — musicians, mentors, and cultural torchbearers. With every note they teach, our instructors pass on not just technique, but the soul of traditional Chinese music.

Cloud Teo
  • Director of The Guzheng Academy (TGA)
  • President of Malaysia Guzheng Association (MYGA)
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Sara Heng
  • Director of The Guzheng Academy (TGA)
  • Deputy President of MYGA
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Tiong Boon Yik
  • Guzheng
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Chuah Yuwen
  • Guzheng
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Ho Jing Yeat
  • Guzheng & Pipa
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Thong Sai Queen
  • Guzheng
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Choo Pen-Ni
  • Guzheng
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Jonathan Lee
  • Guzheng
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Leong Jia Yuit
  • Guzheng
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Kenwy Ho
  • President of the Asian Yangqin Association
  • Director of Kenwy Music & Arts Academy
  • Artistic Director of Kenwy Yangqin Ensemble
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Chern Li-Xuen
  • ErHu
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Lim Lin
  • Dizi
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Yee Zhi Ying
  • Liuqin
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Cloud Teo

  • Director of The Guzheng Academy (TGA)
  • President of Malaysia Guzheng Association (MYGA)
Cloud Teo, graduated from the China Conservatory of Music with a Masters in Professional Guzheng. He received guidance from Mr. Guo Cheng Huan from a young age. In 2003, he was accepted into China Conservatory’s undergraduate instrument music programme where he studied under the renowned Guzheng performer-cum-educator, Professor Lin Ling. In 2016, he released his Solo Album “Pointing at the Moon” and he released a Chinese New Year album a few years ago. In recent years, he often participates in Contemporary Music festivals and organises a lot of concerts in Malaysia and overseas.

Sara Heng

  • Director of The Guzheng Academy (TGA)
  • Deputy President of Malaysia Guzheng Association (MYGA)
Sara Heng, holds a master’s degree from the Central Conservatory of Music, where she graduated under the esteemed guidance of renowned Guzheng virtuosos Professor Ji Wei and Professor Yuan Sha. She performs internationally in music festivals and concerts across Singapore, China, Japan, South Korea and Cambodia. One of her fusion music groups Eight Twelve was awarded “Best of 2018” by the BOH Cameronian Art Awards Malaysia. Sara is also the alumni of One Beat Programme. She was selected to represent Malaysia to participate in One Beat Borneo, an exchange programme by the U.S State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs in 2014. She now serves as a judge for numerous competitions and examinations both domestically and internationally.

Tiong Boon Yik

Tiong Boon Yik, graduated from the Xi’an Conservatory of Music, majoring in guzheng under the tutelage of Associate Professor Zhai Yuan. During her studies in Xi’an, she also received guidance from Professor Qu Yun and Associate Professor Sun Zhuo of Shanxi Normal University. She began her guzheng journey in 2006 and later graduated from the Malaysia Institute of Arts (MIA) in 2010, majoring in guzheng under Ms. Chia Kah Fei. During her time at MIA, she also studied piano with Ms. Yuan Leow Yunn. After returning to Malaysia from Xi’an, she continued to refine her artistry under Ms. Sara Heng. Throughout her teaching career, Tiong has nurtured numerous young guzheng talents, many of whom have achieved outstanding results in local and international competitions.

Chuah Yuwen

Chuah Yuwen, graduated from the China Conservatory of Music with a Master’s degree in Music Education under the supervision of Professor Xie Jiaxin in 2022. His thesis, titled “Research on the Education of Chinese Guzheng Music Culture: Based on the Comparison of Two Guzheng Education Centres from China and Malaysia,” explores cross-cultural approaches to guzheng pedagogy. He obtained his undergraduate degree in guzheng performance under the tutelage of renowned guzheng maestro Professor Lin Ling, after beginning his musical journey under Mr. Teh Beng Huat. He is currently a tutor at The Guzheng Academy, where he is actively involved in developing a new syllabus for junior guzheng education.

Ho Jing Yeat

Ho Jing Yeat, graduated from the China Conservatory of Music, under the mentorship of young virtuoso Yang Xi. During his study, he also pursued a minor in Pipa under the guidance of Associate Professor Li Jia.In 2019, he organized a Guzheng music sharing session together with the Ipoh Purple Cane Tea House. Besides that, in 2020, he held a solo concert titled “Ode to the Zheng and Bow”. In 2023, he received the Outstanding Mentor Award (Gold) at the Nanyang International Music Competition in Singapore. Throughout his career, his students have achieved excellent results in graded examinations (Distinction) and have consistently won prestigious gold awards in various competitions. He is currently active in Guzheng teaching and various performances.

Thong Sai Queen

Thong Sai Queen, received her Bachelor’s degree in Music (Performance) from Universiti Putra Malaysia. She is a guzheng player and also a cellist. She started her guzheng lesson at the age of 9. She was examined and passed Grade 9 of guzheng in 2011. She took up cello as her minor instrument in 2011 with Mr. Jonathan Oh and passed her grade 8 cello exam in 2014. She was principal cellist in University Putra Malaysia Symphony Orchestra. Miss Thong started her music teaching journey in 2016 right after graduating from university. She participated in the Malaysia Zheng Art festival guzheng competition 2018 and won the gold award in the open category. Currently she is a member of The Malaysian Guzheng Ensemble.

Choo Pen-Ni

Choo Pen-Ni, holds a Diploma Certificate in Guzheng Performance from the Central Conservatory of Music, achieving outstanding results in the Graded Examinations of Chinese Musical Instruments. She began her guzheng journey under the mentorship of Teacher Yang Yi Xiang, and later received further guidance from Ms. Xu Feng Jing and Ms. Sara Heng. Since 2016, she has been actively engaged in guzheng education, nurturing numerous young guzheng talents who have excelled in performances and graded examinations. She has also received multiple awards in prestigious competitions, including the Nan Feng Cup, the Macau Guzheng Invitational, and the Malaysia He Yue International Art Festival.

Jonathan Lee

Jonathan Lee, holds a Guzheng Teacher Certification and Diploma Certificate in Guzheng Performance from the Central Conservatory of Music. He began learning guzheng at the age of 13 under Amy Yap and Loretta Tan, and later received further guidance from Alan Lam, through whom he mastered the art of improvisation, arrangement, and contemporary guzheng performance. Jonathan was awarded the Gold Medal in the Improvisation Category at the 5th Malaysia International Guzheng Arts Festival (2019), and another Gold Medal in the Solo Category at the Quebec Global International Music Competition. He also participated in the guzheng music appreciation concert series “Guzheng Dialogue” I, II, and III, hosted by Oriental Strings, and received the Honorary Gold Award for Guzheng Ensemble at the 21st Century International Arts Festival.

Leong Jia Yuit

Leong Jia Yuit, graduated from the China Conservatory of Music, where she studied under renowned guzheng artist and Associate Professor Song Xinxin. Her musical journey began as a pipa player in the Pin Hwa Chinese Orchestra, before she started learning the guzheng under the guidance of Ms. Tiong Boon Yik. She later refined her technique with Malaysian guzheng artists Ms. Sara Heng and Mr. Cloud Teo. Over the years, she has achieved outstanding results in numerous competitions in China and internationally. Her notable accolades include the Gold Award at the 2021 Macao Guzheng Competition and the Special Gold Award (Highest Distinction) at the 2nd China–ASEAN Music and Arts Cultural Exchange. She continues to demonstrate her dedication to the guzheng through active performances and has begun sharing her passion through teaching and music education.

Kenwy Ho

  • President of the Asian Yangqin Association
  • Director of Kenwy Music & Arts Academy
  • Artistic Director of Kenwy Yangqin Ensemble
Kenwy Ho, the first Southeast Asian to earn a Master’s in Yangqin from the Central Conservatory of Music under Prof. Gui Xi Li. He has performed widely across China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and Malaysia. In 2025, he held a recital of his personal compositions for the Yangqin in Beijing. Additionally, he was invited to the Dewan Filharmonik PETRONAS in Kuala Lumpur to premiere his new composition, the Yangqin Concerto “Whispers of the Sea: A Trilogy”. A frequent competition judge and exam examiner, he co-edited the Newly Composed Yangqin Works Collection. His works include Whispers of the Sea: A Trilogy, Sunset Clouds, Tarian Pongkes, and Falling Snow.

Chern Li-Xuen

Chern Li-Xuen, holds a Master of Arts in Chinese Music from the National Taiwan University of Arts, majoring in Erhu performance under the guidance of Prof. Lin Yum-Ting, Yeh Wen-Hsuan, and Lo Yen Jiun, with additional mentorship from Zhang Chong Xue of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. He minored in Piano and Yangqin. A multiple recipient of scholarships from Taiwan’s Ministry of Education and overseas student programs, he has won numerous national and international awards, including Gold Prizes at Malaysia’s KCCC Award and the Youth Music 7th International Erhu Competition. He has extensive performance experience, presenting solo recitals, concertos, and cross-cultural collaborations in Taiwan, Japan, Malaysia and Inner Mongolia. He is currently actively engaged in music education, performance, and orchestra conducting, dedicated to promoting the arts of Erhu and Yangqin.

Lim Lin

Lim Lin, began learning the suona and dizi under the guidance of her father, Lim Guan Lee, brother Lim Shan Fei, and Teacher Tan Jie. She has performed with major Malaysian Chinese orchestras and appeared in notable productions such as Drumhouse by Hands Percussion and A Concerto Night by Three Plus One Production. Lim Lin won second prize at the Hua Xia Yun Chinese Ensemble Competition (2017) and third place at the 10th Hong Kong Youth Cup International Music Contest. She attended the Shanghai Summer School Traditional Chinese Music Program hosted by the Shanghai Conservatory of Music (#SHCM), studying suona under Teacher Zhao Xiang Bo. She is currently a dizi and suona player in Hands Percussion’s ITA Ensemble

Yee Zhi Ying

Yee Zhi Ying, holds a Grade 9 Liuqin certificate of the Central Conservatory of Music. She began her musical journey under the tutelage of Malaysian Ruan Artist Ms. Ong May Yi, later receiving guidance from Liuqin performer Ms. Chua Bee Lin. Her recent achievements include winning Gold Awards in the Huazong International Arts Festival (2022) and KCCC Award (2024) solo competitions, and recording as a ruan performer for the Chong Keat Aun’s composition “Lunar New Year Reunion” in 2022. She has been selected for “Shanghai Summer School 2025 Chinese Traditional Music Program” of Shanghai Conservatory of Music. She is currently a member of the Malaysia Century Chinese Orchestra and the Malaysia Ruan Ensemble.