I am an active musician in Hawke’s Bay and I’ve been playing trombone since aged 11. I’ve been a music teacher in High Schools for over 20 years in NZ and the UK, and have played in and conducted a wide variety of ensembles – from Brass Quintets to Big Bands, Symphony Orchestras to Duets. Recently, I’ve been teaching brass instruments in schools around Hawke’s Bay and conducting a number of schools based groups as well as adult bands in the community. I have a busy performance schedule as I play for a wide variety of ensembles in Hawke’s Bay.

When teaching brass, I aim to meet the student where they are and move them forwards at a pace that they will find rewarding in a supportive atmosphere. Each student has different needs, challenges, motivations and aspirations, so a ‘one size fits all’ approach would not work. My students are encouraged to develop their range of musical experiences through tackling diverse pieces in differing styles and genres. ​​​​​​​

(BMus)​​​​​
I am a local musician and saxophone and clarinet tutor. I strive to make my lessons enjoyable and often compose tunes for my students that I think might appeal to them. I try to give my students a certain musical freedom on their instrument, so they have the ability to make music away from the written page. I also try to create a strong aural/instrument connection - an awareness of the sound they produce and their facility to change it.

(QSM, BA, LTCL, NZIRMT)
Learning an instrument is like doing an apprenticeship, you start at the bottom learning basic skills and through practice and guidance. On guitar we start learning basic chords, strumming patterns, how to read music, and how to play in time with other musicians. Once the basics are learnt, we can start learning more advanced techniques and different genres of guitar music. I teach and play rock, jazz, classical, flamenco, folk and pop styles and encourage versatility. Performance-wise, there is one guitar/ bass guitar performance evening later in the year for all my students at which the parents get to hear their sons in a concert situation.

Players can progress to school rock bands, NCEA performance credits, music competitions, chamber groups, jazz band and other school ensembles that require a competent guitarist. Trinity College, London classical guitar exams are encouraged once the student can read music. Lessons are on acoustic guitars to minimize volume and setup time. Both group and solo lessons are available.  I believe that learning to play an instrument is a great lifetime skill to have. Playing music for/with friends, family or social groups gives a lifetime of fun and friendship.

​​​​​​​I've been drumming for 50 years, and I enjoy teaching all age groups and watching students grow through playing the drums. It's fun, it’s smart and rewarding. I've been teaching drums since I was 11 years old, through high school and beyond. My formal training was in pipe band drumming, and I was a NZ A-grade champion at the age of 18. My students have the opportunity to enrol in Trinity College music examinations if they wish. I have a 100% pass rate so far. I have composed chamber music compositions and my students have reached the finals on more than one occasion. My approach is simple: tell and show someone in such a way they can understand exactly what it is they need to do; be clear and make it fun.

Drums have been an important part of my life since the age of five. I have played in many different genres of bands other the years including both the NZ Army and the Royal NZ Navy Bands. Duties for both bands included performing in New Zealand and internationally. This included rehearsals for diplomatic arrivals, balls, military tattoos and parades, recordings, TV appearances, or the backing of New Zealand and international artists: all part of being a musician in the NZ Armed Forces.  I have been teaching drums privately and as an itinerant teacher in Hawke’s Bay for the past 30 years and have I been teaching drums at Lindisfarne College for the past 22 years.  I teach using a combination of different styles and systems. This offers a broad range of knowledge and helps in the development of students at different levels and learning styles.

My piano teaching philosophy has always been to see students develop a lifetime love of music and be equipped with the skills to support this. Lessons include technical work, sight reading, a practical understanding of music theory as well as developing a repertoire of pieces from a wide variety of musical styles.

I use the NZMEB examination syllabus for students wanting to sit exams. This syllabus provides a wide choice of graded piano pieces from traditional to contemporary composers, as well as many New Zealand works. I like to help students develop confidence in performance and interpret their pieces in a musical style.

German born Simona, studied music in Bavaria at the University of Würzburg. For eight years, she was active as vocal coach and choir director within the Würzburg Cathedral music programme (Dommusik Würzburg) for young singers. On moving to New Zealand in 2017, she began directing the Havelock North Intermediate School choirs, and has since started teaching classroom music and voice tuition. At Lindisfarne, Simona successfully started the Junior Vocal Ensemble in 2019. She is passionate about helping the students to develop their voices and enjoys watching them grow in confidence as young musicians and performers.  The Junior Vocal Ensemble is for all Year 7 – 9 boys interested in developing their singing and having fun in a group.  

(BM Violin, BTchg Music)
I have been a dedicated violin/viola teacher for over 18 years and hold a teaching degree in Art Education (Music) and a Bachelor of Music (Violin Performance) from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. I have also been a registered violin teacher of the Suzuki American Association since 1999.

I encourage my students to achieve natural movements with a more expressive sound when playing the violin/viola. I also use a technical approach through the gradual introduction of repertoire. This allows, in a dynamic and pleasant way, the development of the appropriate skills for handling the instrument and the improvement of the performance.