Annie Huang Finds Purpose Helping Young Musicians in Toronto 重譜第二人生：黄靜
ENGLISH 英 : Xiao He | CHINESE 中 : Linda Tse 謝慧玲. With Edits From: Deirdre Kelly.
Location: Steinway Piano Gallery Toronto
Photography: Alex Lam, George Pimentel Photography • Assistants: Karin Kutaragi, Yuen Ying Chan
Art Direction: Deborah Lau-Yu • Videography: Fête Chinoise Team
Fashion & Styling: Lisa Fang • Makeup & Hair: Satine Yang
Acknowledgements: Alex Thomson, Joyce Liu, Phoebe Cheng
“Oh, by the way, I love that cabinet behind you.”
The Zoom call had only just begun when Fête Chinoise editor-in-chief Deborah Lau-Yu made this lighthearted remark. Several of us – writers and editors – were gathered online to interview Annie Huang, co-founder of the Canada Academy of Music and Arts.
On screen, Huang sat in a softly lit room at home, framed by an intricately carved wooden cabinet, its surface etched with ancient figures and traditional buildings. She smiled, glanced back at the cabinet and let the moment linger.
Off camera, one can imagine that cabinet, rich with the charm of Chinese design, has witnessed many changing seasons since her arrival in Toronto from Shanghai nearly a decade ago. It seems to speak for itself: solid, silent and carrying its own history into a new country where Huang has built a new life.
Before our scheduled meeting, I knew Huang by her impressive list of achievements: she’s a top graduate of a leading Chinese post-secondary institution and a former deputy general manager at Deutsche Bank Shanghai.
Besides her more recent work in music and the arts, earlier this year she completed an Executive MBA at the Rotman School of Management in Toronto. This achievement reflects her commitment to continuous learning and her drive to bring new perspectives to the cultural community she now helps shape.
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訪問那日，加拿大音樂藝術學院（Canada Academy of Music and Arts）聯合創辦人 Annie (黄靜)坐在光線柔和的房間裡，身後是一座雕工精細的木櫃，櫃面刻有古樸人物與傳統建築。那是十多年前她從上海移居多倫多後，與她一同度過無數寒暑的家具。堅實、沉靜，帶着自身歷史來到這片新土地，見證 Annie 在本國開創新生活的歷程。
Annie 是中國頂尖學府的高材生，曾任前德意志銀行上海分行副行長，擁有令人敬佩的履歷。
近年她投身音樂藝術領域，年初更完成多倫多大學 Rotman 管理學院的高階管理人員工商管理碩士（EMBA），充分體現她持續學習的精神，同時展現她致力為本地文化社群注入新視野與動力的決心。
The Past: Symphony of a Grand Era
It’s hard to imagine now, but there was a time when Huang caught flights at dawn, revised proposals late into the night and moved from city to city without pause. After graduating from Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 2001, she joined an international consulting firm. Those were years of relentless motion: long hours, constant travel and an unyielding pace. Shanghai itself was changing: subways expanding, skyscrapers rising, global firms arriving, financial institutions taking root. The city roared, and Huang was at its heart, chasing results.
“I always envisioned myself as a career woman…I was a workaholic…expected to be someone big.”
But it wasn’t just personal ambition; it was a shared dream among her generation: best education, best company, the highest position. Huang remembers it as a time of possibility, when global projects opened doors that once seemed out of reach.
“As long as you’re willing to work hard and achieve, you will always get opportunities.”
大時代的精英
人生就如同一首交響樂，澎湃的序幕就如 Annie 事業的起點：上海交通大學畢業後，她加入一家國際顧問公司，展開一段全力以赴的歲月：長時間工作、頻頻出差、節奏緊湊地過着黎明即起趕飛機、深夜改方案、馬不停蹄穿梭城市的日子。
那時的上海正值劇變之中：地鐵系統擴張、摩天大樓拔地而起、跨國企業紛紛進駐、金融機構迅速扎根。城市轟鳴向前，而她身處核心之中，不斷追逐成果。「我是事業女性，亦是個工作狂，期望可有一番成就。」這不僅是她個人抱負，更是她那一代人的共同夢想：接受最卓越的教育，步入最優秀的企業，攀登職業生涯的高峰。
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When Crisis Hits
Life can change without warning. When her son Ryan was born in 2010, he developed a severe case of pneumonia. His lungs were 95 per cent infected and he was unable to breathe on his own. His oxygen levels were dangerously low and the hospital could not provide a cure. “I almost lost him,” Huang said.
Three years later, her daughter Emily was born and she too developed pneumonia. While her illness wasn’t as severe as Ryan’s, it was still serious enough to require regular hospital visits. These back-to-back health crises forced Huang to make a difficult decision: to leave China and start over in Canada, putting her children’s health and future first.
“I made the decision to leave China to start afresh in Canada, even though it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Leaving my parents, extended family and all my childhood memories behind filled me with dread.”
Yet the move marked a real turning point. In Canada, Ryan’s recovery and talent flourished. Today, he is recognized as a Steinway Young Artist and a Lang Lang Foundation Young Scholar. He has performed internationally, from Carnegie Hall in New York to Shanghai Symphony Hall, and has won top prizes at major competitions. The word prodigy would apply.
Emily, meanwhile, has become one of the top girls’ hockey players in North America for her age and, according to her mother, also excels in lacrosse and cello.
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By coming to Canada, Huang opened a new life for her children. She also changed her own direction. Instead of returning to banking, she stayed home with her children, began volunteering at their school and co-chaired the parents’ association.
Her involvement deepened when she joined the Canadian Music Competition, a longstanding charity supporting young musicians. Today, she chairs the CMC Ontario Board and serves on the national steering committee. “It’s all volunteer,” she said. “But I get so much from it because I feel fulfilled.”
驟然變奏轉向
然而，人生有時在無預警下驟然轉變。2010年，Annie 的兒子 Ryan 出生後 ，即罹患嚴重肺炎，肺部 95% 被感染，無法自主呼吸，血氧飽和度極低，醫院也束手無策。「我差點失去了他，」她說。三年後，女兒 Emily 出生也同樣患上肺炎。雖然病情不如哥哥嚴重，仍須定期前往醫院治療。孩子們接連經歷健康危機，讓 Annie 不得不做出一個艱難的決定：舉家遷往加拿大。
「這是我人生中做過最困難的決定。要離開父母、親人，還有所有童年的回憶，讓我感到萬分不安。」
然而，這次遷徙旅程成為她人生真正的轉捩點。在加拿大，一對兒女不僅康復，更展現卓越天賦。如今兒子 Ryan 已是施坦威青年藝術家及郎朗國際音樂基金會青年學者，曾於紐約卡內基音樂廳、上海交響樂團音樂廳等地演出，並在多項國際青少年鋼琴大賽中奪得最高獎項。女兒 Emily 亦同樣優秀，躋身為北美同齡頂尖的女子冰球運動員之一，且在棍網球與大提琴方面也展現出色才華。
移居加拿大後，Annie 為子女開創新天地的同時，也改變了自己的人生軌跡。她暫別銀行業，留家專心陪伴子女成長，在學校擔任義工，並被推舉為家長委員會的聯席主席。
加入支持青年音樂人才的慈善機構「加拿大全國音樂大賽（Canadian Music Competition, CMC）」後，她更擔任 CMC 安大略省董事會主席，並擔任全國指導委員會成員。
「這些全都是志願工作，」她說。「但我從中獲得許多，也感到非常充實。」
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A Platform for Every Child
In 2019, Huang and Olga Chichova, a music educator, co-founded the Canada Academy of Music and Arts to create a professional platform for young musicians. While Huang’s corporate experience was useful, what stands out most is the personal reward. “There are so many emotional parts of it,” she said. “Their smiles, the excitement in their eyes – that’s what inspires me. These are the moments I never expected.”
She remembers a child with special needs, withdrawn and barely speaking at five, who later walked onto the recital stage alone, confident and at ease. Other students, once unsure, now beam as they win their first medals. “Those are the moments that make everything worth it.” Helping children build confidence and working closely with parents, Huang learned how to connect in new ways. “It has never been just a business,” she said. “It’s a shared journey of growth.”
為每個孩子打造舞台
2019 年，Annie 與音樂教育家 Olga Chichova 共同創辦了加拿大音樂藝術學院（CAMA），致力於為熱愛音樂的學生與年輕音樂家提供一個專業且充滿支持的平台。她在職場上累積的經驗無疑為學院發展提供不少支援。另外，她與家長們緊密合作，用新方式連結與引導孩子。但她自言最大滿足卻是「孩子們的笑容、眼中閃爍的興奮，這些才是激勵我不斷前行的力量，也是我當初始料未及的驚喜與感動。」
她至今仍清晰記得一位特殊學童，五歲時沉默寡言、總低着頭躲在角落，數年之後卻會步履堅定地走上演奏台——那一刻，她宛如這個舞台上的女王。那種由心底綻放出的光芒，是任何獎項都無法比擬的。
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還有那些曾經怯生生、不敢直視觀眾的孩子們，在拿下人生第一枚獎牌時，臉上綻放出比獎牌更耀眼的笑容。那些見證成長，自信，對音樂熱愛的時刻令她感動不已。「正是這些時刻，讓一切的努力、付出都值得。」
「這從不只是一門生意，」她說。「而是一段彼此共同成長的旅程。」
Music and Us
For Huang, music began as an extracurricular pursuit for her children, but over time it became something transformative – a way of connecting, learning and finding meaning for all of them.
She recalled taking her son to a competition in Russia during the pandemic, walking five kilometres each day through snow to find a piano. Despite nosebleeds and frozen fingers, Ryan never complained. At one point, mother and son accidentally entered the wrong venue for the livestream round, a mix-up that left Huang in tears. “He was really, really calm about it. He said, ‘Mommy, it’s okay. The worst case is that next year we come back, then we will get there.’” With no time to warm up and his hands still red from the cold, he still managed to score full marks. “That whole experience showed me what music education is truly about: teaching resilience, composure and how to face challenges,” Huang said.
Though she never studied music formally, she was present for every practice and competition her son faced. “Music brought us so close together. I didn’t just watch him study – I learned alongside him.” Her daughter’s growth has also left a mark. Once unable to sit still, Emily went on to win the Overall Prize at the Steinway Junior Competition (Age Category I). “Music taught her how to focus and use her time well,” Huang said. “It brings something different to every child, helping them overcome anxiety, build resilience and grow in confidence. Above all, it gives them a foundation to appreciate both music and life. That, to me, is the real goal.”
“It (music) brings something different to every child, helping them overcome anxiety, build resilience and grow in confidence. Above all, it gives them a foundation to appreciate both music and life. That, to me, is the real goal.”
For her, the true success of music education isn’t measured in grades or awards, but in the shared moments between parents and children as they discover music together. Sometimes, a simple moment can bring everything rushing back. Hearing Chopin’s Scherzo No. 2 on the radio while driving, Huang was transported to a summer camp in Italy with Ryan. “Music is like magic,” she reflected. “It brings you back to memories.”
音樂與成長的鍛鍊
對 Annie 而言，音樂一開始只是子女的課外活動，後來卻演變為讓一家人學習、連結，並一同找尋人生的意義。
疫情期間，她帶着 Ryan 赴俄羅斯參賽，每日冒雪步行五公里找鋼琴室練習。縱然冰冷及鼻血直流、手指凍僵，兒子從未抱怨。
有一次，母子誤闖了錯誤的賽場直播間，讓 Annie 急得落淚。兒子卻鎮定地反過來安慰她說：「沒關係，最壞情況就是明年再來，我們總會做到的。」當時他雙手凍得通紅仍來不及暖手，最後依然考獲滿分。
「這經歷讓我真正理解音樂教育的真諦：它教導我們如何面對挑戰、保持冷靜、培養韌性。」Annie 表示自己從未正式學習音樂，但陪伴兒子走過每一場練習與比賽，讓他們變得更親近。「我不只是看著他學習，而是與他一起學習。」
女兒的成長同樣讓她感受深刻。曾經難以安坐的 Emily，後來奪得施坦威青少年鋼琴大賽（第一年齡組）總冠軍。
「音樂教會她如何專注、如何善用時間，」她說。「它賦予每個孩子獨特的禮物：克服焦慮、培養韌性、建立自信。最重要的是，它讓他們懂得欣賞音樂，也學會欣賞生活。這才是音樂教育的真正目標。」對她而言，音樂教育的成功從不在於分數或獎項。
有時，一個簡單的瞬間，足以喚起所有記憶。就像有一次駕車途中，電台播放了蕭邦的《詼諧曲第二號》，她的思緒立刻飄回了和兒子一同參加意大利夏令營的那些日子。「音樂就像魔法，」她感嘆。「可以帶你回到記憶中的那個時刻。」
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Parenting Between Worlds
Huang has often considered the values she hopes to pass on. As a mother navigating life between cultures, her priorities have shifted from achievement to growth.
“I keep telling my kids not to compare themselves to others. The real challenge is to be better than the person you were yesterday.”
When Emily worried about not winning a competition, Huang encouraged her to focus on the experience: learning a new piece, stepping onto the stage, listening to fellow students. With Ryan, setbacks became opportunities to learn. For Huang, what mattered most was not the outcome, but the lessons along the way. She stepped back, choosing to listen rather than direct. “This is their life, not mine.”
As her children grew more independent, Huang found new ways to support and connect with them, especially with Ryan. Last year, mother and son launched the Harmony Horizons Foundation, a family-led fund established under the Oakville Community Foundation to support music education. With her support, Ryan helped register the initiative and plan its first activities. “You can lead me. You can be my leader,” she told him.
Working together on the project led Huang to reflect on her own journey. Life, she realized, can’t be planned decades ahead. Her focus now is on finding meaning and value at each stage, shaped by her experiences as a mother, educator and immigrant.
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穿梭文化之間的教養之道
作為一位在文化之間穿梭的母親，Annie 對下一代的期望早已從「成就」轉向「成長」。「我常告訴孩子們：不必與別人比較。真正的挑戰，是超越昨天的自己。」
當 Emily 因比賽結果而感到焦慮時，Annie 鼓勵她專注於過程：學習新曲、踏上舞台、聆聽與欣賞同儕演奏；當 Ryan 遇到挫敗時，她視之為學習的契機。最重要的非結果，而是沿途所得。
隨孩子逐漸長大並變得獨立，她選擇退後、傾聽，而不是主導。「這是他們的人生，不是我的。」
Annie 也開始尋找新的方式與他們保持連結，特別是與兒子的關係。去年，母子倆共同創立了 Harmony Horizons Foundation，該基金獲得安大略省奧克維爾社區基金會的行政協助，專注支持音樂教育。在她的支持下，Ryan 負責基金的設立與活動籌劃。
「你可以引領我，成為我的榜樣。」她對兒子說。
From Behind the Cabinet
From finance in Shanghai to music education in Toronto, from personal ambition to public service, Huang’s story is one of continual reinvention – a search for where identity, values and action meet.
The carved cabinet behind her has witnessed each change: a daughter crawling beneath the piano, then sitting upright to finish her first piece; a music school taking shape at home; urgent calls between kitchen and table to salvage a cancelled competition; evenings spent with her son, planning their family initiative.
These everyday scenes now set the rhythm of Huang’s life.
“What I gain most from shifting from Shanghai to here is that I feel my life has become more meaningful.”
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櫃子背後的故事
從上海金融業到多倫多音樂教育，從個人抱負到公益服務，Annie 不斷重塑自我。經歷過母親、教育者與新移民的不同身份，她領悟到人生無法預設數十年後的模樣，真正重要的是深耕當下，勇於尋找自己的意義與價值。
她身後那座雕花木櫃，見證了每一場轉變：女兒從鋼琴下爬行，到坐直彈奏第一首樂曲；音樂學院的雛形在腦海中逐漸成形；在廚房與餐桌間，討論如何挽救陷入困境的比賽機構；以及與兒子共創基金會時，那些深夜的對話。
這些日常場景，如今譜寫 Annie 生命的節奏。
「從上海轉換至此，最大得著是——人生變得更有意義。」
More from Fête Chiniose
On screen, Huang sat in a softly lit room at home, framed by an intricately carved wooden cabinet, its surface etched with ancient figures and traditional buildings. She smiled, glanced back at the cabinet and let the moment linger.
Off camera, one can imagine that cabinet, rich with the charm of Chinese design, has witnessed many changing seasons since her arrival in Toronto from Shanghai nearly a decade ago. It seems to speak for itself: solid, silent and carrying its own history into a new country where Huang has built a new life.