Whakawhanaungatanga Hui in Wellington
2025-03-23 14:30 (Pacific/Auckland) | Southern Cross Garden Bar Restaurant, 39 Abel Smith Street, Te Aro, Wellington, Southern Cross Garden Bar Restaurant, 39 Abel Smith Street, Te Aro, Wellington, New Zealand
Whakawhanaungatanga Hui in Wellington at Southern Cross Garden Bar Restaurant, 39 Abel Smith Street, Te Aro, Wellington. All teachers welcome, food provided. A good chance to catch up with your local network of music teachers. Please register here.

Working with Neurodiverse Students
2025-03-23 14:30 - 17:00 | The Village Community Centre https://villagechurch.nz/bryndwr/
Yiyi Ku and Julie Wylie Sunday 23rd March, 2.30pm – 5.00pm
The Village, 362a Ilam Road, Bryndwr
$20 IRMTNZ members
$30 Non members
Please register using the link below.
Working with Neurodiverse Students
The neurodiversity paradigm is a framework for understanding human brain function that considers the diversity within sensory processing, motor abilities, social comfort, cognition, and focus as neurobiological differences. This diversity falls on a spectrum of neurocognitive differences. The neurodiversity paradigm argues that diversity in neurocognition is part of humanity and that some neurodivergences generally classified as disorders, such as autism, are differences with strengths and weaknesses as well as disabilities that are not necessarily pathological. Neurotypical individuals are those who fall within the average range of functioning and thinking. 2.30 – 3.00 Yiyi Ku – My Journey with Kodi Lee – How I became his piano teacher, how I taught him, and what teaching him has taught me.
3pm Afternoon tea break
3.30 – 5.00 Julie Wylie – Working with Neurodiverse students
Julie will talk briefly about the neuroscience of musical play, key aspects of understanding the sensory needs of a person with neuro-diversity and how teachers can adapt their music to suit their students’ needs.
Julie will then present three case studies of children on the spectrum. Each one is very different but provides a clear understanding of how music can be used to help these children to make sense of their world and to restore order from what is often a very unpredictable and chaotic world.
She will then give short interactive improvised examples with other players on the keyboard showing ways that teachers can play alongside their students, giving rhythmic and melodic support to whatever the student creates.
Julie will then show us some simple improvisational techniques of how she has supported students she has worked with over the years at the Champion Centre.
Yiyi Ku is a pianist and teacher. She grew up in Christchurch, studied with Maurice Till and Deidre Irons, and received a Master of Music with Distinction from University of Canterbury. After graduating, she taught piano at Rangi Ruru and St Margaret’s College, before moving to the US in 2005. Yiyi also holds LRSM, Permanent Certification from Music Teachers National Association (USA), and Advanced Certification from Royal Conservatory of Music (Canada). While living in the US, Yiyi pursued extensive professional development, attending numerous state and national conventions on piano pedagogy, teacher training courses, including Dalcroze Institute at The Juilliard School, as well as private lessons with master teachers. She was also an active collaborative pianist, and was Principal Pianist at Temecula Valley Symphony Orchestra for many years. One of Yiyi’s former students is NZ composer Salina Fisher. Most recently, Yiyi has taught another world famous student – Kodi Lee, a blind and autistic musical savant who won America’s Got Talent. Yiyi moved back to Christchurch with her husband and daughter in 2022. She continues to teach many US students online and has a thriving local studio.
REGISTER HERE
