Dr. Jackie Yong, a versatile Malaysian pianist, serves as Assistant Professor of Piano and Coordinator of the Keyboard Division at Palm Beach Atlantic University. Approaching music teaching and learning as a form of discipleship, Dr. Yong emphasizes student-centered, comprehensive and sustainable methods that encourage a thorough and practical understanding of music.

As a celebrated performer, Dr. Yong is recognized for his thoughtful programming and ability to engage audiences with repertoire that spans from Bach to Bernstein, Boulez to Bright Sheng, captivating listeners across Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Germany and the United States. He has excelled in numerous international competitions, winning awards at the Rockwood Piano Competition, Asia-Open International Piano Competition, Charleston International Piano Competition, ASWARA International Piano Competition and Young Person’s Piano Competition. A passionate advocate for new music, he has premiered works by living composers and performed at major events like FSU’s Biennial Festival of New Music and UTK’s New Sound Concert Series. His artistry has been featured in broadcasts and interviews, including on WUOT 91.1 FM’s UT Concert Hall Series and 988 FM.

In scholarship, Dr. Yong’s research covers a range of topics crucial to today’s music educators and performers: teaching collegiate piano literature, recital programming, musical hermeneutics, performance techniques, historical pedagogy and career development for musicians. He regularly presents at national and regional conferences organized by the College Music Society, the Music Teachers National Association and the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy. A two-time recipient of the David Z. Kushner Paper Award from the CMS Southern Regional Conference, Dr. Yong’s commitment to academic excellence is reflected in awards like the FSU Dissertation Research Grant and UTK Diversity Enhancement Fellowship, along with inductions into the honor societies Pi Kappa Lambda and Phi Kappa Phi.

An MTNA-certified adjudicator, Dr. Yong has judged numerous events, including the Tallahassee Sonata and Sonatina Festival and he is frequently invited to lead masterclasses and workshops on topics ranging from piano technique to hymn playing and improvisation. Beyond the concert stage and classroom, Dr. Yong is deeply involved in church music. Since becoming a Christian as a teenager, he has served as a pianist, organist, conductor and worship leader across various denominations, including Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian and non-denominational congregations. His dedication to outreach is evident in his workshops and lectures on hymn playing, where he aims to make music accessible and meaningful to diverse communities.

Dr. Yong earned his Doctor of Music degree in Piano Performance from Florida State University, along with three specialized certificates in Piano Pedagogy, Music Theory Pedagogy and College Teaching. He also holds a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from the University of Malaya and a Master of Music in Piano Performance from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. His training with esteemed mentors, including Dr. Read Gainsford, Dr. Diana Dumlavwalla and Dr. Chih-Long Hu, as well as masterclasses with Jerome Lowenthal, Hung-Kuan Chen, Bernd Goetzke, Robin McCabe, Craig Sheppard and Angela Cheng, have shaped his holistic approach to teaching and performance.

Prospective students will find in Dr. Yong a dedicated mentor who combines a rich performance background with a passion for education and community, offering a uniquely inspiring environment for musical growth and discipleship.