News and Updates
It was our great honour and privilege to host one of Singapore’s most respected authorities in musicology and education, Dr. Hideaki Onishi, for a special MuJong™ session. Dr. Onishi’s endorsement means the world to us—not only because of his distinguished academic pedigree, but because of his lifelong commitment to excellence in music education.
About Dr. Hideaki Onishi
Dr. Hideaki Onishi is one of Singapore’s most experienced and decorated music educators, holding two doctoral degrees—a Ph.D. in Music Theory from the University of Washington and a Ph.D. in Musicology from Keio University in Tokyo. With over two decades of teaching experience, Dr. Onishi has served as Assistant Professor at Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music (NUS), and currently lectures at National Institute of Education (NIE) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU), where he trains future music educators and curriculum designers.
Beyond academia, he is a performer of Philippine kulintang, director of the Sari-Sari Kulintang Ensemble, and founder of Hideaki Onishi Music Pte Ltd, offering ABRSM coaching at advanced levels. His scope spans traditional Asian music, post-tonal analysis, orchestration, and multicultural music education—a rare fusion of scholarship and practice.
MuJong with the Master
During our recent session, we played a full round of MuJong™ with Dr. Onishi. To our delight, he enjoyed the gameplay so much, he requested a second round immediately. For us, that spontaneous rematch request was more than just a compliment—it was confirmation that MuJong could stand up to the scrutiny of a deeply trained music theorist.
The game concluded in the most poetic way possible: as part of the sight-reading finale, Dr. Onishi didn’t use the MuJong mobile app like most players. Instead, he sight-sang the musical bars directly from the tiles, perfectly on pitch—a testament to his perfect pitch and professional-level musicianship.
A Note of Thanks
We extend our heartfelt thanks to Dr. Hideaki Onishi for his time, wisdom, and graciousness. His kind words and encouragement meant so much to us and Kiki, who now has the immense honour of being taught by him in his ongoing music theory masterclass.
To have her musical journey shaped by such an esteemed figure is a gift beyond measure, and one we deeply treasure.
