Canterbury

MENZA is always happy to hear from members in this regions regarding PLD ideas or needs.

MENZA regularly emails all members on the current database about future events – so join up now if you haven’t already. Remember first year teachers and full time teacher trainees gain free membership to events.

Welcome to MENZA Canterbury – Music Education Canterbury – MEC

Music Education Canterbury or Society For Music Education (Canterbury) was formed in 1974 and became a registered company on 16 Jul 1985. It became a registered charity in 2008 then merged as a charity with MENZA after the charities law changes in 2026.

We are a collaborative and diverse group of music educators, interested in supporting music educators and events in Canterbury and providing professional learning and development in a range of music areas. We have hosted world-class guest presenters as well as run our own workshops, and at other times collaborate with other local providers.

Our friendly exec has representatives from IRMT, University of Canterbury, ARA, CSM, CWSMTA, Musical Parenting, the Muse and specialist music teachers in primary schools.

We meet once a term and can be seen meeting over coffee or at workshops, festivals, concerts and conferences in between.

We run Strum Strike and Blow, a festival for ukuleles, marimbas and recorders, which sees 1,500 students perform together in the Wolfbrooke Arena with the support of the Christchurch Civic Music Council. This has three workshops leading up to it.

MEC has hosted national MENZA conferences in 1985 (Music’85), 2009 (Music’09) and 2019 (Music’19) as well as numerous workshops and events.

The 2026 MEC exec are: