Curriculum Vitae

Collaborative Pianist & Piano Instructor

Belle Toh

Four decades of performance, teaching, artistic leadership, and cross-cultural collaboration across the United States, Europe, Malaysia, and China.

Selected Work

Projects & Performances

Transformance Art

2024

Transformance Art project, The Meraki Project: Storytelling through Music, Art & Movement. Visit Transformance Art

Europe: Tokaj, Hungary

2015

Collaborative pianist for the Summer Music Festival at Crescendo Summer Institute.

United States: University of Tennessee, Knoxville & Nebraska

2023

Nuevo Tango - KnoxTrio performed chamber music arrangements of Piazzolla’s Argentine Tango on April 16.

2017-2020

Kibeka Trio cafe concerts featuring 20th- and 21st-century chamber works.

2015

Produced and performed a staged reading of Ted Nichol’s opera Pilgrim’s Progress at the Square Room, Cafe 4, Knoxville.

2014

Women’s Chorale concerts at Cox Auditorium.

2014

Viola Studio Recital, Cosi fan tutte, Cello Graduate Recital, Tennessee Cello Workshop, Cello Senior Recital, Clarinet Studio Recital, and Women’s Chorus concerts.

2014

Second Master Recital with professional violinist Myra-Lin from Phoenix, Arizona, and Genevan Trio.

2013

Cello Night Recitals, Chamber Ensemble Recitals, Clarinet Recitals, Senior Recital (soprano), and Voice Area Solo Class Recitals.

2013

First Master Recital with professional soprano Carla Hanson from Minnesota.

2013

Piano trio performances with Genevan Trio, selected to participate at the Chamber Music Institute Summer Festival in Nebraska.

2012

Chamber Ensemble Recital, Oboe Junior Recital, and Viola Celebration.

China: Kunming

2011

Piano Trio Concert with Li Qi (violin) and He Kan Ming (cello) at Nordica.

2011

Spring Classical Concert with Li Qi (violin) and Yang Li Xia (soprano) at Nordica.

2010

Produced and performed (piano and choir) Handel’s Messiah with the Miao Minority Choir and American soprano Emily Donaldson at the Minority Village in Kunming; 3,000 people attended.

2010

Musical Palace Opera & Yunnan Modern Folk Music with Canadian soprano Shi Ni at Nordica.

2010

Classical Music Concert with Dong Yi Hai (violin) and piano trio (Dong Yi Hai and He Kan Ming) at Nordica.

2009

New Songs for the Season, a fundraising project hosted at Nordica.

2009

Advent Christmas Benefit Concert, a fundraising project for earthquake victims in Szechuan province at Kunming International Academy and Nordica, with Swiss flutist Christian Studler of Crescendo.

2009

Flautissimo Recital with Christian Studler, professor at the Music University Bern, with performances at Nordica and Yunnan Arts Institute.

2009

Classic Meets Jazz with professional German soprano Uta Runne, featuring Lieder, arias, and jazz at Nordica.

2009

Yunnan Voice Competitions, a three-month event at Kunming School of Arts with German soprano Uta Runne, Latvian soprano Gunta Davidcuka, and local Chinese singers. The semi-finals and finals were broadcast live on Yunnan TV for two weeks.

2008

AIDS Benefit Concert with artists from Europe and Swiss flutist Christian Studler at Nordica.

2008

The Night of Classic Music with Chinese violinist Dong Yi Hai at Nordica.

2007

Violin Recital featuring Chinese and classical works with Chinese violinist Dong Yi Hai at Nordica.

2007

New Year’s Concert at Nordica.

2006

Song Recital with professional Danish soprano Marianne Nielsen at Nordica.

United States & Europe

1990

Schumann Piano Concerto with the Northern Arizona University Orchestra in Flagstaff, Arizona.

1988-1993

Accompanist for Northern Arizona University Chorale, Women’s Chorale, and junior, senior, and master’s vocal and instrumental recitals.

1987

Toured extensively for four months as a pianist with the Continental Singers, a nonprofit, interdenominational musical mission organization based in Ventura, California. Performed in 10 states and in England, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, and Germany.

Professional Practice

Teaching & Work Experience

1983-Present

Private piano instructor in an independent teaching studio, teaching all levels in Malaysia, China, and the United States.

1988-Present

Church pianist in England, the United States, and China, performing traditional hymns, gospel, and contemporary worship in Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, and nondenominational churches.

2023-Present

Founder and President of Transformance Art, a 501(c)(3) creative arts organization fostering transformational performing experiences.

2019

Piano Instructor at Bill Jones School of Music.

2017-2020

Church pianist at Fourth United Presbyterian.

2016-2017

Piano Instructor at Concord Performing Arts Academy.

2015-2020

Piano Instructor at Knox Music Studio.

2015

Opera and song coach at Crescendo Summer Institute, Tokaj, Hungary.

2014-2016

Artistic Director at Arts of Faith International and staff minister at Artists in Christian Testimony International.

2014-2015

Pianist for the Women’s Chorus and freelance accompanist at the University of Tennessee.

2014-2015

Piano Instructor at Mount Olive Music Academy.

2012-2014

Collaborative Pianist and Graduate Teaching Assistant at the University of Tennessee.

2009

Accompanist at Kunming School of Art and Yunnan Arts Institute.

2006-2011

Music program coordinator and pianist at TCG Nordica in Kunming, China.

1992-1993

Staff Accompanist at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona.

1981-1995

Dance and ballet accompanist using the Royal Academy of Dancing syllabus at Federal Dance Academy in Malaysia and the Northern Arizona University Dance program in Flagstaff, Arizona.

Academic Foundation

Education & Training

Education

2012-2014

M.M. in Collaborative Piano (Honors), University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

1992

B.M. in Piano Performance (GPA 3.75), Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona.

1986-1987

Studied with piano professors at the Royal Academy of Music, Trinity College, and Guildhall School of Music in London, England.

1981

Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music examination, Grade 8 (merit).

Principal Teachers

  • Dr. Kevin ClassDirector of Collaborative Piano and Music Director/Conductor of the Opera Theatre, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
  • Pee-Yaw Lim-WilkesLRSM, LRAM, ARCM, GRCM; Flagstaff, Arizona
  • Dr. Frank ScottProfessor, Northern Arizona University; Flagstaff, Arizona
  • John BiggProfessor, Royal Academy of Music, UK
  • Anthony LindsayProfessor, Trinity College, UK
  • Anthony GreeningProfessor, Guildhall School of Music, UK
  • Tan Eng HueyB.M. (Hon.), LRSM, LTCL; Malaysia

Master Classes

Janina Fialkowska, John Browning, Gabe Dobner, Arlene Shrut, Ilya Kaler, Formosa String Quartet, Escher Quartet, and Shigeo Neriki.

Honors

Special Awards & Recognition

2012-2014

Graduate Assistant

Collaborative Pianist, University of Tennessee

1992

Honors Award

Northern Arizona University

1990

Concerto Competition Winner

Northern Arizona University

1988-1992

Full Piano Scholarship

Northern Arizona University

Beyond the Piano

Other Experience

2023-Present

Ballroom dance competitor.

2020-Present

Frame drummer.

2019-2020

Founder of Just Essential, an artisan line of natural, cruelty-free perfume oils.

2018-Present

Certified Aromatherapy Coach. Certified in Raindrop Harmonics, a vibrational therapy using tuning forks, gemstones, essential oils, and color-light.

2014-2015

Music Coordinator for Knoxville International Network multicultural worship events, Missional Nights, in Knoxville, Tennessee.

2011-2012

Pianist with local Chinese musicians in Berakah Worship Band, Kunming, China.

2010-2012

TCG Nordica steering committee member - organizing, producing, promoting, performing, and creating music projects in Kunming, China.

2009

Created and directed the first string orchestra among expatriates and homeschoolers, the Kunming Home-school String Orchestra.

2009-2012

Formed Tehillim Piano Trio with local musicians in Kunming.

2000-2012

Homeschool mother. Taught all subjects to her daughter and son using Accelerated Christian Education and Advanced Training Institute.

2000-2012

Co-managing director and founder of Coffee Shoppe International in Kunming. Trained local staff to serve multicultural cuisine to the Kunming International Academy and local and foreign communities.

2006-2010

Taught flag and tambourine dance using Shachah Ministries resources.

2000

Developed and pioneered Kunming’s first homeschool cooperative for children and mothers.

1996-2012

Leadership team member with Target Ministries, church planting among unreached people groups in southeast China.

1993-1995

Mary Kay Consultant, managing her first in-home business in the United States.

1991-1997

Co-managing Director of Coffee Shoppe International in Flagstaff, Arizona. Established a nonprofit Christian social-services street outreach program using music in a multicultural setting, serving international communities and subcultures including single parents, runaways, international students, and people with special needs.

1981-2012

Taught ballet to elementary students using the Royal Academy of Dancing syllabus in Malaysia and Kunming. Studied ballet for 12 years using the RAD syllabus.

Interested in Studying with Belle?

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