Life in china

My life in China
2012 - 2022

Ten years that became a significant chapter of my life.

In 2012, I received an invitation to work at a private music school in China, where I took on multiple roles: teacher of theoretical disciplines, piano instructor, and choir accompanist. Thus began my journey in Zhejiang Province, where I moved to explore a new culture, educational system, and musical traditions.

My ten years in China were filled with remarkable events that fueled my growth as both a teacher and a composer. It was during this time that I also became actively involved in organizing international music festivals and concerts.

Throughout my years in China, I worked extensively as a music and piano teacher in various international schools. I dedicated myself to developing and adapting music education programs for preschool children and published articles on early childhood music education.

Living and working in China granted me the invaluable opportunity to collaborate with many outstanding musicians. These connections became an integral part of my concerts and festivals, enriching my artistic journey in ways I could have never imagined.

Teaching Experience in China

I collaborated with various institutions, including Eton House International School (Yiwu), RongHuai International School (Zhuji), JZ School (Shanghai), OuJing International Kindergarten (IB PYP, Yiwu), Into Music Art Center (Yiwu), and QunXing Foreign Languages School (Yiwu). In these roles, I worked as a music teacher, vocal coach, pianist, and piano instructor, conducting lessons in both English and Chinese.

I specialized in early childhood music development, teaching toddlers and preschoolers (ages 2–6) and designing engaging programs to foster their musical abilities from an early age.

Beyond teaching, I actively contributed to the international music scene as a concert organizer, curating large-scale international performances featuring 20–25 musicians from different countries. As a keyboardist in an international music band, I also arranged cover songs for the band’s repertoire. Through my work, I facilitated international cultural exchanges via concerts and artistic collaborations.

In addition to performance and education, I served as a jury member for international youth music competitions in Shanghai. I also led a vocal ensemble specializing in Russian and Ukrainian folk music and successfully ran vocal lessons for adults for several years in Yiwu.

My work extended to preparing piano students for the CMA (China Music Association) piano exams at all levels, ensuring their success in China’s rigorous music certification system. I also worked as both a music teacher and an ESL classroom instructor, teaching in English.

I also collaborated with Hangzhou University on a project to develop an online platform for professional music education for children aged 6 to 7.

Curriculum Development & Publications

Designed an international early childhood music and movement program for children aged 2–6 (Shanghai, China).

Created and implemented music theory and music literature curricula for 1st, 3rd, and 5th-grade international students (Eton House International School, Yiwu, China).

Published articles on music education for preschool students on the official OuJing International Kindergarten website:

“Enjoy Music” (2020) and “Learning a Language Through Singing” (2020) – published in both English and Chinese.

Since 2015 i started to organize Live Music Performances in Yiwu International Business city in China. The purpose of organizing the concerts was not commercial. At the beginning concerts were free, later we started to sell tickets to pay the rent for the premises. All participants performed free of charge. There were international music concerts. There were always more than 20 performers, musicians and dancers. Various styles of music, genres, compositions, musicians from around the world: Argentina, Colombia, Iran, China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Ukraine, Syria, South Africa, USA, Uganda, Kenia, Check Republic, Georgia, Pakistan, Turkey, Argentina, Benin, Taiwan and many others. The halls of our performances were overcrowded with more than 250 spectators.

08.10.2015 – “Music and friends”

16.11.2015 – “Music connects us”

20.12.2015 – “Christmas performance”

09.05.2016 – “Friends for friends”

19.12.2016 – “Christmas performance”

18.12.2017 – “Christmas performance”

23.10.2021 – “Music blooms with the charm”

(All information about participants, videos and photos from concerts are kept in my private archive)

Active Composer

I remain an active composer of modern classical music, and my music has been performed at several European festivals. I have signed a contract with a Belgian company Golden River Music, that wishes to publish my compositions as sheet music.

During my work as a music teacher and composer in a Quzhou Tian Mu Culture Training school in Quzhou city, China, i repeatedly performed at concerts of chamber music as a composer and pianist. I was playing a lot of Chinese and classical music at the performances. I have written music for Chinese traditional musical instruments such as the Arho and Chinese flute. I also composed a Chinese song (lyrics in Chinese language) for the competition. Together with my students and other musicians from China, England and Poland prepared a Christmas concert in a jazz format.

In January 2014 I traveled to Malaysia, where I was able to collaborate with Yap Ling, who is one of the leading conductors and musicians in Malaysia.

July 18, 2014 in Malaysia, performed by an ensemble “D’Art Ensemble” first performed my music at the Sabah Art Gallery.

Published Sheet Music

Contract signed with Music Publisher Rik Vercruysse (General Manager) “BVBA Golden River Music”, Belgium for the publication all my works of chamber music (27.02.2013).
Pieces published by Hedwig Swimberghe for performances at International Festivals for Performing Arts and for concerts of contemporary music (2007 ‒ present)
Pieces Commissioned by Specific Clients
Medieval Music Ensemble “Clover Band” for Concert of Music of the Middle Ages (Ukraine, Kharkov, 2009)
Folk Instruments Orchestra for performance at End of Year Concert (Ukraine, Lugansk, 10.04.2011)
Folk Instruments Ensemble for performance at End of Year Concert (Ukraine, Lugansk, 17.04.2012)
Saxophone Quartet for performance at Chinese National Competition of Performers (China, Beijing, June 2012)
D’Art Ensemble for performance at Kota Kinabalu String Music Festival (Malaysia, Kota Kinabalu.18.07.2014)
Arrangement of the National Hymn of Ukraine, for the event of Ukrainian culture at the Consulate of Ukraine in Shanghai. Public performance by chamber string ensemble from Hangzhou city. Conductor – V. Batanov. (China, Shanghai,12.07.2014)

Additional information

Since 2015 till July, 2022, I was an organist in Yiwu Rome-Catholic Church. Leading Holy Mass in English and Spanish languages.

Since 2017 till July, 2022 – organized and continue to teach private singing lessons for adults. Annual concerts of vocal classes took place every 6 months.

(All videos and photos from concerts are kept in my private archive)

March-August 2018, June-August 2021 – was working as a pianist in the Arabic (5 stars luxury) restaurant “Beyti”. China, Yiwu city. (part time job)

Since 2016 till 2018 I was organizer and supervisor of Russian and Ukrainian Folk Music vocal ensemble.