As a Cellist

Follow EnCello on Instagram: EnCello Toronto

I am the Founder of EnCello Toronto and hold a Master of Music degree in Cello ​Performance from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, UK. With a deep passion for cello ​ensembles, my musical journey has taken me across prestigious stages in America, Europe, ​and Asia, including performances in London, Cambridge, Birmingham, Taipei, Myanmar, and ​the Disney Concert Hall in California.

As the founder of EnCello Toronto, I am dedicated to blending professional performances ​with educational outreach. Through concerts, workshops, and community events, EnCello ​provides emerging cellists with enriching opportunities to learn, grow, and excel, fostering a ​vibrant musical community. We’ve recently performed alongside our apprentices at various ​events—check more on our Instagram: @encellotoronto.

As a dedicated cello instructor, I focus on equipping students with the skills they need for ​success in exams, auditions, and competitions. My comprehensive approach includes ​performance techniques, music theory, and listening skills, along with regular opportunities ​for students to showcase their progress through performances. These experiences lead to ​rapid improvement and a lasting passion for the cello.

In 2015, I returned to Taiwan to teach and perform, joining El Sistema Taiwan to provide ​music education to underprivileged children, continuing my commitment to making music ​accessible to all.

My passion for forming a cello-only ensemble continues to flourish. I have been actively performing with various cello ensembles, collaborating with numerous cellists. EnCello Toronto is more than just a gig group; it merges professional performances with educational outreach. By offering emerging cellists enriching experiences through events, concerts, and workshops, we aim to strengthen community bonds and promote musical excellence.

Teaching

As a cello instructor, I am not only training my students to acquire a range of interlocking skills – in performance, technique, notation, and listening and musical perception – as well as knowledge, understanding and creativity, but also helping them to be successful in music exams/assessments, auditions and competitions. I do so with a can-do and enthusiastic attitude.

​I have passion in gathering all my young and senior students and providing them different opportunities at least once or twice a year to share their hard work publicly. Apparently, they improve rapidly and raise more interest on learning Cello throughout these multiple challenges.

Student Rectal

Check out our student annual recital videos! Our program offers more than just solo performances; students also have the opportunity to play in a cello ensemble. This fulfills my goal and passion for the cello ensemble, allowing us to showcase the depth and versatility of our talented cellists.

Photos with StudEnts

I have devoted my career not only in performance but also in music education. For the purpose of popularising music education, I have been conducting Cello lesson to individuals, schools, groups of elderly people and lower income students. All my students are invited to student concerts I host every year and are encouraged to attend music competitions.

Social Impact

My journey in creating social impact merges my love for music with a deep commitment to community. "Aging in Harmony" lets me share the joy of cello with elders, breaking through the silence of isolation and weaving a vibrant tapestry of diverse voices. Since 2017, my work with El Sistema Taiwan has been about opening doors for underserved kids to explore music, sparking change one note at a time. Joining local community orchestras isn't just about playing; it's about connecting, proving that music has this incredible power to bring us together and inspire positive shifts in our world.

Aging in Harmony

To give back to the community while popularizing music education and culture, I have been giving cello lessons to groups of elderly people since 2015. Students at their age wish to learn an instrument not only to the techniques but also to combat isolation and make new connections with people. To promote diversity and inclusion by gathering all my young and senior students, I hold several student ensemble concerts since 2015 to share their achievements publicly. It is extremely rewarding to contribute to the communities with my expertise.

​Non-for-profit Groups

Giving concerts to the community is always the most popular events. I have so much passion to participate in any kind of groups to contribute. Orchestra Toronto is a non-for-profit orchestra based in North York, Toronto. The orchestra members come from a multitude of ethnic backgrounds. While many of us were not born in Canada, the international language of music brings us together – we strive to share this with all our audience, and enrich their lives. Many of our musicians volunteer to collaborate in small ensembles, bringing chamber music to community centres and seniors’ residences.

El Sistema Taiwan- Music for Social Change

Since 2017, I have been involved with El Sistema Taiwan, an initiative under the Taipei Philharmonic Foundation for Culture and Education, as a cello instructor, focusing on making classical music education accessible to children from underserved communities. Recognizing the unequal access to music education in Taiwan, I joined this initiative to help diversify and broaden the scope of classical music learning. El Sistema Taiwan operates with a mission to drive social change through music by offering free education and instruments to those with the least resources but the greatest need. My role in this publicly financed, voluntary sector program is to empower youth through music, enabling opportunities for both artistic and personal growth for students who might not otherwise have the opportunity to pursue music education.

Scroll down to discover the latest news and updates about me.

A Personal Milestone in the Flamenco de Formosa Journey

In 2015, I had the privilege of spearheading the 'Genio Flamingo Dance Project,' a pioneering effort to fuse Taiwanese cultural narratives with the traditional art of Flamenco dancing. This project not only challenged me creatively but also allowed me to explore the depths of cross-cultural artistic integration.

Through this initiative, we aimed to tell unique stories that resonate with a global audience, highlighting the shared emotions and experiences that unite us all. My role involved choreographing segments that reflected the nuances of Taiwanese heritage, working closely with musicians to blend Mandarin pop music with Flamenco rhythms, and leading our team to engage with diverse communities.

This endeavor was recognized by the National Culture and Arts Foundation, awarding us a grant to further our exploration of this innovative artistic fusion. It's a testament to the power of art in transcending boundaries and connecting hearts across cultures.

(News in Chinese and English Translation below)

The Sound of Opportunity: Teaching Cello with El Sistema Taiwan

Joining El Sistema Taiwan, under the Taipei Philharmonic Foundation for Culture and Education, in 2017 as a cello teacher, I've been part of a transformative journey aimed at democratizing music education in Taiwan. This initiative reaches out to economically disadvantaged students, providing free classical music lessons and instruments, challenging the norm that musical education is a luxury for the few.

El Sistema Taiwan is not just an educational program; it's a movement for social change through music, targeting children with the greatest need yet the fewest resources.

My role involves not only teaching the cello but also contributing to a broader mission of empowerment, development, and creating opportunities for underserved youth to unlock their potential through music.

Witnessing their growth and seeing how music education can positively affect their futures is a testament to the power of this program.

(News in Chinese and English Translation below)

Get in Touch

For inquiries regarding cello lessons, performance gigs, and collaborations with EnCello Toronto, please feel free to reach out.

Email Address

wendyshih.cello@gmail.com

LOCATION: Toronto, ON.