Dr Choong Hueyuen

Dr Choong Hueyuen

  • Senior Lecturer
Department of Film and Performing Arts
Google Scholar ORCID Scopus Web of Science
SDGs Focus
Quality Education
Sustainable Cities and Communities

Biography

Dr Choong Hueyuen is a popular music scholar, music educator and drummer. After completing BMus and MMus degrees in music performance as a drummer in Malaysia and the UK, she worked as a music lecturer before commencing my PhD journey. With research interests primarily revolving around the music-learning cultures of popular musicians, her PhD work explored the impacts of learning histories on the music-making practices, attitudes, dispositions, and musical proficiencies of popular musicians. Her latest research examines this subject matter within the Malaysian context, and future research plans include a closer examination of HPME, and the disturbances that such modes of becoming popular musicians are causing within the popular music-making cultures.

Academic & Professional Qualifications

  • PhD (Music), University of Westminster, United Kingdom (2021)
  • MMus (Music Performance), Kingston University, United Kingdom (2014)
  • BMus (Hons) – Contemporary Music, UCSI University, Malaysia (2012)

Research Interests

  • Popular music learning
  • Higher popular music education
  • Formal and informal learning

Teaching Areas

  • Popular Music History
  • Popular Music Studies
  • Music performance
  • Research Methodologies
  • Drums

Courses Taught

  • Music History
  • Research Methodology
  • Research Project
  • Applied Musicianship

Notable Publications

Scopus/WoS-indexed Journal Articles

  1. Choong, H. (2024). The applicability of Anglosphere-based popular music learning culture characterisations to a Malaysian context. International Journal of Music Education, 42(3), . https://doi.org/10.1177/02557614231179221 
  2. Choong, H. (2023), 480-494. The learning experiences and musical proficiencies of formal and informal popular musicians in Malaysia. International Journal of Music Education, 41(3), 358-370. https://doi.org/10.1177/02557614221107917 
  3. Choong, H. (2022). An  evolutionary  narrative  of  popular  music  learning cultures: A case study of the United Kingdom. Malaysian Journal of Music, 11(1), 126–144.  https://doi.org/10.37134/mjm.vol11.1.8.2022   

Conferences

  1. Choong, H. (2024). Reimagining popular music education: A blueprint for decolonisation. Paper presented at the Human and More-than-human Entanglements: Popular music performance, education, and technologies Conference, Bangkok, Thailand.
  2. Choong, H. (2023). Opening the can of worms: The banes of Malaysian higher music education. Organised and moderated roundtable at the Navigating (un)sustainability Conference, Penang, Malaysia.
  3. Choong, H. (2023). Formalisation of popular music learning: The divergences of popular music learning practices. Paper presented at the Divergences in Music Symposium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
  4. Choong, H. (2022). Surviving COVID-19: Malaysian musicians’ response to the pandemic. Paper presented at the IASPM XXI Conference: Climates of Popular Music, Daegu, Korea.
  5. Choong, H. (2020). K-pop in Malaysian popular music education: Yae or Nay? Paper presented at the 7th IAPMS Conference, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
  6. Choong, H. (2020). The learning culture of Malaysian popular musicians. Paper presented at the 2nd IASPM-SEA Conference, Manila, Philippines.
  7. Choong, H. (2019). Formalisation of popular music learning: The diminishing tradition of popular music learning culture. Paper presented at the IASPM-SEA Conference, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.  

Achievements & Accolades

  • 2023 – 2025
    Sustaining Orang Asli Indigenous Musical Heritage through an Enculturation Model Relevant to Future Required Skills 
    Fundamental Research Grant (Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia). Co-Researcher. [RM119,514.00]
     

Professional Associations

Selected Committee Roles

  • (2024 – Ongoing) Secretary, International Association for the Study of Popular Music – Southeast Asia (IASPM-SEA)
  • (2024) Member and Webmaster, Conference Organising Committee, IASPM-SEA | IAPMS Joint Conference
  • (2023) Webmaster, Conference Organising Committee, IASPM-SEA | ICTM Malaysia Joint Conference
  • (2022 – 2024) Media Manager, International Association for the Study of Popular Music – Southeast Asia (IASPM-SEA)
  • (2021 – 2023) Social Media Committee Representative, International Association for the Study of Popular Music (IASPM)

Membership

  • International Association for the Study of Popular Music (IASPM) 
  • International Council of Traditional Music and Dance (ICTMD)