You are old-fashioned to assume that an erhu player is old-fashioned - in Cheung Sam and always melancholy. Without losing the gentleness of an academic youth, Wong Hae is energetic with a quick mind. Instead of seriousness of a professional musician, he projects sunny temperament and friendly enthusiasm. Same in music, besides traditional Chinese style, some of Wong's works demonstrate modern pop taste and are so pleasant that anyone would love at the first hearing.

Wearing long hair and in designer labels, Wong's Japanese idol alike image accompanies perfectly with the new, easy but exciting ensembles with others, even electronic instruments. He simply sets a new definition for erhu, an instrument of so simple the physical structure but so complex the emotional expression, and its player.

Wong Hae is frank that he hesitates about such image at the beginning because it is not what is established. No one is sure about the impact. However, in order to build up a young image for erhu music and erhu playing, he made the move which has proven to be a success."I feel good after getting started and it really attracts young audience and beginners. I am excited to see it,"he said.

Currently Wong has over 100 students aged between 7 and 78, with a majority of 30 to 50 years old. He is encouraged when there are parents letting their children learning the instrument rather than the dominant piano and violin. And the kids love to learn too. Moreover, many young ladies wish to play erhu, totally by their own initiatives.

In Wong Hae's teaching experience, amateur students come to have fun rather than to get serious knowledge. They are also so different that elder students may have no music foundation while the young ones may have a lot of interests but no serious attitude towards any subject. His teaching approach is, therefore, flexible. Even conducting classes in an adaptive and comparatively easy manner, he, however, insists in the establishment of a solid foundation of skills."With strong and skillful fundamental techniques, difficult pieces are made easy!"

He especially encourages those pursuing music as a personal interest, regardless of age or time, which are in fact the most abused reasons of not-doing. "Playing music is fun. Simply enjoy it yourself and it's not necessary to entertain others."

On the other hands, Wong leads formal and professional music lessons in Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Hong Kong University, Chinese University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong Baptist University. He teaches almost everyday and his another daily routine is practicing his own skills, to which he admits,"I practice less now, but I think more, in order to find out the right way of practicing. Brainless practice is futile. I also have more administrative works to handle now."

Those administrative works include not only educational affairs but also a series of music activities of different formats and scales. Wong said that he enjoys being busy because slowing down makes him feel lonely. Comparing to his homeland Beijing, Hong Kong is obviously more suitable for such a vital guy! Residing in the territory for 9 years, from a student in the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts to a lecturer, a conductor, a composer and having his own album released recently, Wong is more and more indulged in the music culture as well as industry of Hong Kong.

In spite of the tight schedule of works and plans, Wong's mind is flowing of countless new ideas. If among those there is one to be the most expected, it should be his"ultimate goal"- to jam music with a rock band! In fact, Wong has been cooperating with artists from different music genres such as sophisticated producer Chris Babida and pop singer Zoe Ki. The item right next on the list would likely be the innovative electronic erhu which is under active R&D and would definitely pioneer the standardization in audition and performance of the instrument.