Coming from a non-musical background with parents who played no musical instruments themselves, his only wish then was to hone his skills for his own self-enrichment.

Fast forward to over a decade later, and Ooi, now 24, has made Malaysia proud with his musical talents and his efforts to improve the standard of music education in the region.

During this year’s Australia Asean CoLab, he was one of 20 participating social entrepreneurs, and the only Malaysian among them.

Ooi has certainly come a long way. Once a novice trumpeter in the Penang Chung Ling High School Wind Orchestra, he has since graduated from several prestigious institutions of music.

In addition, he has showcased his talent onstage in various orchestras and chamber groups internationally.

In 2019, he was one of two Malaysians selected to perform with the Asian Youth Orchestra that went on a concert tour throughout the continent.

His list of achievements is long and needless to say, he has brought much pride to the country by representing Malaysia many times over on the international music stage.

He has also never forgotten his roots.

He established The Rondo Production, a social enterprise that aims to transform Malaysia into a top-notch music education and performance centre.

Speaking to FMT, Ooi expresses his surprise and excitement at being accepted to participate in the Australia Asean CoLab 2020.

He says his enthusiasm largely stems from meeting many like-minded social entrepreneurs looking to change the world for the better.

“I think it is essential to learn with people working in different industries, so that we can spark innovative and creative solutions in each of our focus areas,” he says.

“In this era of technology, it makes connecting across countries easier and simpler than ever. It is going to be fun meeting wonderful people and creating solutions for a better tomorrow.”

He explains that unlike the usual understanding of the word “entrepreneur”, social entrepreneurs strive not to earn profit but to better society socially or environmentally.

While in secondary school in Penang, he says, access to music resources were limited, and he had to travel frequently to Kuala Lumpur for music lessons.

He learnt from the best in the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, and eventually, became an established music student in his own right, attending international music festivals.

Yet, a question still remained.

“Through these experiences, I wondered why similar events were not available in my homeland,” he explained.

He began to feel that more could be done to promote the teaching of musical arts in Malaysia, and thus, set out to do just that.

“My hope is to inspire the younger generations to see the possibilities in furthering their music study and career, and for the community, to understand a bit more about music appreciation.”

While many dismiss music as a skill of little importance especially in education, Ooi believes this is so only because it is a non-exam or non-compulsory subject.

“Music education should serve as a medium to promote our own identity and traditional heritage,” he says.

He acknowledges that while meaningful changes can only come about with government intervention, the private sector can do their part to help inspire and engage students with music outside school.

By establishing The Rondo Production, Ooi hopes to introduce good community-based music educational programmes and initiatives, while promoting inclusivity and diversity.

Not only will students be afforded opportunities to expand on their musical knowledge, but local musicians will also be given the chance to shine in front of a local audience.

“Our goal is to present an annual season that comprises different workshops, concerts and festival productions with local and international artists,” he said.

Ooi is also working to ensure that music education is made accessible to more students.

“Music does not belong to the middle- and upper-classes. It should be made available to everyone in the community, regardless of profession, age, race and gender,” he said.

The promotion of arts and culture ultimately requires financial backing from those in the public and private sectors.

But in order for this to happen, he says, people must appreciate the role music education plays in corporate sustainable development.

He says the first task is to change the perception the average Malaysian has about music in general.

“Music is an important part of life. It constitutes the fabric of our society, from the alarm ringtones that wake us up in the morning, to announcements in malls and airports, to background music in movies, and finally, the music we listen to on Spotify, YouTube and even better, concert halls.”

He quotes studies that show music helps immensely in child development as it helps develop the left side of the brain, allowing for better reasoning and language and coordination skills.

Music also improves a person’s self-esteem and helps them manage stress and anxiety better, Ooi says.

“We live in a world where we are under constant pressure to achieve academic excellence in the face of constantly moving goalposts and expectations.

“Equipping ourselves with musical knowledge and skills does not imply that we have to become full-time orchestra musicians, but instead, these skills become hands-on when we enter the 21st century workforce.”