Hello!

My name is Dorothy, although many of my students know me as Locy Lee. I am a Cantonese and music educator based in London, specialising in early childhood education and creative curriculum design that combines language learning with music.

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Growing up in Hong Kong, I began my musical journey at Yamaha Music School — an experience that deeply shaped both my life and teaching philosophy. Although I was not born with perfect pitch, I developed strong relative pitch skills through Yamaha’s musicianship training. This inspired my belief in teaching music through listening and singing before reading notation — allowing children to experience and internalise music naturally and joyfully.

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I loved the Yamaha Music classes and later continued with traditional one-to-one piano lessons, progressing through music grades while developing a passion for Cantopop music and songwriting.

I later moved to the UK to study music composition, completing both my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in the field.

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After graduating, I began teaching music and Cantonese playgroups in London. Many of my pupils come from Cantonese-speaking families whose parents hope to give their children greater exposure to the language and culture in a joyful and meaningful way.

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While teaching, I searched extensively for high-quality materials that could teach music in Cantonese — and Cantonese through music. Although there are many excellent music education methods and curriculums available, very few are written in Cantonese. This inspired me to create my own bespoke teaching materials, drawing on my background as a composer and educator.

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To further develop my teaching practice, I also trained in the Kodály approach to music education. The Kodály philosophy is a child-developmental approach that develops musicianship through singing, folk music, movement, and active participation. It places strong emphasis on “sound before sight” — an approach that closely aligns with my own teaching values and musical experience.

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Today, I continue to explore the relationship between language and music, writing new songs and educational materials for children and families to learn Cantonese and music together — while creating joyful memories through shared musical experiences.