Biography
Dr. Jackie Yong is a versatile Malaysian pianist and Nationally Certified Teacher of Music (NCTM) in Piano. Since Fall 2024, he has served as Assistant Professor of Piano and Coordinator of the Keyboard Division at Palm Beach Atlantic University (PBA). Viewing teaching and learning as a form of discipleship, Dr. Yong emphasizes progress-driven, comprehensive, and sustainable approaches that cultivate both practical skills and a profound understanding of music.
As a performer, Dr. Yong is recognized for his thoughtfully curated programs that span repertoire from Bach to Bernstein and Boulez to Bright Sheng. He has appeared across Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Colombia, Germany, and the United States, earning top prizes in competitions such as the Rockwood Piano Competition, Asia-Open International Piano Competition, and Charleston International Piano Competition. A passionate advocate for new music, he has premiered works by living composers and performed at events including Florida State University’s Biennial Festival of New Music and the University of Tennessee’s New Sound Concert Series. His performances have been featured on platforms such as WUOT 91.1 FM and 988 FM.
Dr. Yong’s scholarly work explores collegiate piano literature, recital programming, musical meaning and narrative, historical pedagogy, and career development for musicians. He presents regularly at international, national, state, and regional conferences, including those hosted by the College Music Society, Music Teachers National Association, National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy (NCKP), UCSI Piano Pedagogy Conference, Florida State Music Teachers Association (FSMTA), and the PBA Interdisciplinary Conference. A two-time recipient of the David Z. Kushner Paper Award, he has also received honors such as the FSU Dissertation Research Grant and the University of Tennessee Diversity Enhancement Fellowship.
From 2025–2027, Dr. Yong serves as Vice President of District and Local Associations for FSMTA, Secretary of the Palm Beach County Music Teachers Association, and Chair of the FSMTA District VI Concerto Competition. An MTNA-certified adjudicator, he has judged events including the FSMTA District VI Concerto Competition, Pompano Beach Piano Competition, PBCMTA Scholarship Competition, Tallahassee Sonatina Festival, and Tallahassee Student Day. At PBA, he directs the annual Young Artist Piano Competition, which welcomes high school students for a piano festival.
Beyond academia, Dr. Yong has served as a pianist, organist, conductor, and worship leader across Lutheran, Presbyterian, Methodist, and non-denominational churches, reflecting his deep commitment to music ministry. He is also frequently invited to lead masterclasses and workshops on piano technique, hymn playing, and improvisation.
He holds a Doctor of Music degree in Piano Performance from Florida State University, along with certificates in Piano Pedagogy, Music Theory Pedagogy, and College Teaching. He also earned degrees from the University of Malaya and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. His artistic and pedagogical outlook has been shaped by his teachers Read Gainsford, Diana Dumlavwalla, and Chih-Long Hu, as well as masterclasses with renowned artists including Jerome Lowenthal, Hung-Kuan Chen, Bernd Goetzke, Robin McCabe, Craig Sheppard, and Angela Cheng.
Website: jackieyong.com
Email: jackie_yong@pba.edu
Degrees
DM in Piano Performance, Florida State University | MMus in Music Performance, University of Tennessee (Knoxville)