Background
She was born in Amoy, Fukien, China in 1894.
She was born in Amoy, Fukien, China in 1894.
Mrs. S. M. Woo graduated from the Amoy Normal School for Girls in 1911. She taught in Amoy for one year studied in McTyeire School in Shanghai, China in 1912-1914. Then she succeeded in the first Tsing Hua scholarship examination for girls in 1914. Then Mrs. S. M. Woo graduated from Bradford Academy, U.S.A. in 1915 and Radcliffe College in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States in 1919. She studied voice and piano at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston in 1915-1919. She also studied choral conducting at the Music School for Teachers in Cornell University, the summers of 1917, 1918, and 1919.
Mrs. S. M. Woo studied social work in the New York School of Social Work and music in the New York College of Music in 1919-1920 and voice under a French Professor in Strassbourg, France, the summer of 1920.
Woo-chiu Siokan worked as a teacher at Kwangtung Provincial Normal School for Girls 1921. She was engaged in various social work activities in Shanghai, China in 1922-1924 and taught singing in McTyeire School in Shanghai, China in 1925. She was also a research fellow in Chinese Music at the Amoy University and teacher at Amoy Normal School for Girls in 1926-1927.
Mrs. S. M. Woo made second trip to America with family, and studied voice under Professor Minetti, head of Vocal Department of Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore in 1927-1928. She taught singing in McTyeire School in 1928 - January 1930, and led the McTyeire Junior Choir to win the first prize in the International Contest of Schubert's 3ongs at the Schubert Festival in Shanghai, China in 1928, was a head of the vocal department of the National College of Music in Shanghai, China in 1929, member of the Committee on Music Education of the Ministry of Education, member of the Music Committee on the Preparation of a Union Church Hymnal for China, contributing editor of the "Child Education Monthly" and composer of "A Song Book for Children" .