Tag: music education
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Wellington Orchestra Festival (WOF) 2026
Register here for the Wellington Orchestra Festival! A one-day musical festival for Wellington primary school students (up to Year 8) Tuesday 27th October, 2025 Arrive from 9am Rehearsals start 9.30am, concert from 4 – 5pm Conducted by Mike Ashton, with arrangements by Richard Owsin Venue: Chilton St James School 124 Waterloo Road Lower Hutt 5010 Event…
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eNotes – 7th August 2026
In this issue of Enotes, there’s an update on Music Education and Curriculum issues and we’d like your feedback on what PLD you would like to see happening over the next 2-3 years. PPTA are reviewing and updating the ITM guidelines and developing additional resources and advice to support Itinerant Teacher of Music (ITM) Coordinators…
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Article: How Ukulele helps us all! – TMI, June ’26
The article is from Tune Me In, Volume 22, Number 1, 2026
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Article: From Festival to Framework
Strengthening Ensemble Teaching and Developing Student Musicians Through MEFA Professional Development. MEFA will be offering further PLD sessions in 2026 The article is from Tune Me In, Volume 22, Number 1, 2026
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eNotes – 17th March ’26
eNotes – 17th March ’26
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Letter to the Editor – Tune Me In Volume 21, Number 2, November 2025
Access the full publication here: Tune Me In Volume 21, Number 2, November 2025
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Editorial – Tune Me In Volume 21, Number 2, November 2025
Access the full publication here: Tune Me In Volume 21, Number 2, November 2025
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Leading the Way: What MENZA Has Been Working On
This was published from our recent TUNE ME IN Magazine – Tune Me In Volume 21, Number 2, November 2025
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Music therapy helping Auckland girl navigate neurodivergent life
Kiara did not like going to school. She had trouble sleeping and didn’t like initiating a conversation or speaking with strangers. So it’s hard to believe that she’s the same girl who jumps up to brightly greet me, inquisitively asks about my outfit and quizzes us about the muffler on the microphone she has got…
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A Celebration of Ukes in Schools!
The New Zealand Ukulele Trust | Te Rūnanga Ukurere o Aotearoa is passionate about empowering young people to reach their music potential via the ukulele. Our driving force is to make real the dream of Bill Sevesi that “every child in NZ would get the chance to learn to play the ukulele”. Want to explore…
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King’s Birthday Honours 2025
Congratulations to the following recipients in the King’s Birthday Honours for 2025 for their services to Music. Education, Music and Puoro. Companions of the New Zealand Order of Merit Ms Catherine Joy Andersen Ms Cath Andersen (Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga) has been Chief Executive of the New Zealand Music Commission (NZMC) since its inception…
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eNotes – 28th April 2025
In this issue: Read it: 28th May 2026
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Advocacy – Squeeze on arts education puts generation at risk
Dr Kerryn Palmer is an arts educator, freelance theatre director, producer and arts advocate. This piece was published in The Post on the 10th April 2025, with permission by Dr Kerryn Palmer OPINION: In 2024 the Government declared that arts in education are “nice to haves”. They did so while announcing new mandates of structured…
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Music Miniatures for Y1 to 8 – win a $200 MusicWorks Voucher!
Music Miniatures for Y1 to 8 – win a $200 MusicWorks Voucher! We know that time to teach music is often challenging to find, so we are on a mission to share miniature music lessons for students between Years 1 and 8 – activities up to ten minutes long that you can do with your students.…
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eNotes – 25th November 2024
In this issue: Upcoming Professional Learning Opportunities Read eNotes: 25th November 2024
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2025 MENZA Conference
7-9 July 2025 The MENZA Conference will be held at Massey University in Wellington, from Sunday 6 July – Wednesday 9 July 2025. Over the three days there will be opportunities to connect with music educators and institutions, to share knowledge and resources. And of course a conference dinner and social activities which you are welcome to attend…
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eNotes – 29th October 2024
In this issue: Upcoming Professional Learning Opportunities Resources Read eNotes: 29th November 2024
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Beat Back Burnout
Sir, does it matter if I get a Not Achieved on the practice exam?” “No. Nothing matters.” “….ok thanks, Sir. See you tomorrow!” It’s hard to trace the exact point where my Year 11 Music class began morphing into the existential -nihilstic grumblings of a sad old man, but there was a very clear moment…
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Advocacy – Arts and music are essential, not nice to haves
Dr Kerryn Palmer is a theatre practitioner who has worked as an arts educator for 30 years. OPINION: One of the most consistent and enduring challenges I face as a long-time arts educator is how to convince people that the arts have deep and immeasurable value to society. Educating through the arts teaches core skills and…
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Integrating music
It is my belief that a musically enriched classroom deepens and forms connections of one’s internal and external world. Music grows the developing brain. Can we teach a mainstream class with music seamlessly integrated into our learning journey? I believe so. Let’s integrate and find joy in music everyday! Here are some simple ideas integrating…
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Creativity & Inclusivity: Lessons from “To The Front”
Term 1, Week 1. A fresh batch of students enters your music department with wildly different experiences, musical backgrounds, abilities and tastes. Imagine you had just one week to organise them into bands, teach them an instrument, write a song, and then they would perform that song in a concert in front of friends and…
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Empowering Students Through Product Design at Pāpāmoa College
At Pāpāmoa College, Product Design Technology isn’t just about crafting projects for the sake of it; it’s about empowering students to become real-world inventors and designers who can solve tangible problems. Technology teacher, Mike Wright, is the driving force behind the Technology programme at Pāpāmoa College. As a dedicated educator with a passion for innovation…
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Unearthing Talent and Tradition: Far North Got Talent 5-day Wananga
Hapaitia te ara tika, pumau ai te rangatiratanga, mo nga uri whakatipu Foster the pathway of knowledge to strength, independence and growth for future generations. In the rugged, picturesque landscapes of New Zealand’s Far North, talent blooms like the vibrant flora that dots its terrain. Amidst the rolling hills and crystalline waters, a remarkable event…
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Band & Orchestral Programmes In Schools
As brass and wind specialists, we have had the pleasure of working with Band and Orchestral Programmes in Auckland schools over the last 6 years. We have both taught classroom & instrumental music and have worked with a range of school ensembles since becoming registered teachers. In this article, we would like to share with…
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Students’ Independent Song Release
As a teacher at Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu, a trend I had noticed is the increase in music ākonga submitting release – quality songs for assessment purposes. It seemed apparent to me that, in the modern music environment, there was no reason why they couldn’t go to the next step and release their…
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Producing “Stairway to Heaven”
The Prizegiving finale for St Andrew’s College in 2023 was a musical performance of “Stairway to Heaven”. While we often video and record our Prizegivings, this is the first time we recorded the audio properly. We are glad we did as the video has since had over 1.3 million views across our school’s social media…
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Tips For The Sound Industry – Future Pathways
Embarking on my career as an audio engineer, little did I know that the journey would be a myriad of challenges and growth…
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Musical play: The Art Of Following The Child
Musical Play is a universal, sensory, relationship-based language of the emotions. It is the first language of children. It is an intuitive part of our humanity based on physical and acoustic laws. This is why we need to give children many opportunities to listen, watch, explore, interact, and be inspired to create their own music…
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eNotes – 5 July 2024
In this issue: Read eNotes 4th July 2024
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Māori Principles Into our Teaching Practice
Article written by Benjamin Lau As a kaiako tauiwi, (non-Māori teacher), I am manuhiri (a visitor) to Te ao Māori. At our recent MENZA conference, I presented on the topic ‘How to Incorporate Māori Principles into Your Teaching Practice’. Some of the principles I discussed were having a deeper understanding of Whakapapa, Whanaungatanga and Manaakitanga.…
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In the News
MENZA Chair Ben Lau speaks to Emile Donovan at Radio New Zealand about his journey with Taonga Puoro and how we are supporting teachers on their journey. RNZ Nights: Whakataukī of the Week with Benjamin Lau
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eNote – 21st May 2024
In this issue: Read eNotes 21st May 2024
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In the Media
Ben Lau (MENZA) speaking to different media providers about how we are supporting kaiako around Aotearoa New Zealand with their journeys into Te ao Māori and building understanding of Puoro Māori. Te Ao News Radio Watea
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Using NZ Music to Support Teaching
Article written by: Brenda Oakley MENZA MAG NOV v8 SinglePg 16.11 Music teachers are already doing an amazing job of using New Zealand music to support their teaching and link with the curriculum, with the most common way to engage students being to prepare performances of New Zealand artists’ work. This type of learning is…
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Nurturing Musical & Expressive Musicians
Article written by Edith Poon
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A Taste of Orff – Hayley Hunter
MUSIC & MOVEMENT LESSON: “Wonderful Weather” Here are some simple ideas integrating music, dance /movement, literacy and science concepts using the Orff Approach. Students will use speech, singing, instrumental music and movement to explore and understand different types of weather and changes in weather conditions. To finish reading the article. Log into the Website.
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Catch a Song – Maria Winder
A summary of how we can support beat keeping experiences from 0 to 3 and why it is important, particularly in regard to language. Zoltan Kodály stressed the importance of beginning music education early and of using songs of the children’s native language as the earliest learning materials. Parents and early childhood carers play a…
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Sound Investigation in an Infant & Toddler ECE Setting – Greta Bull
A great body of New Zealand and international early years musical learning literature is focused on singing or instrumental play, within early years musical learning with less discussing the importance of sound play. In this article, I will highlight the importance of sound play through sharing a six-month sound investigation within an infant and toddler…
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Arts Funding in Aotearoa – Annie Hill
As those working in the arts sector know, it’s difficult to raise money for creative projects and the small pool of funding means that sometimes very worthwhile initiatives lose out. However, ensuring you make the very best job of writing your funding application will increase your chances of success in a competitive market. I have…
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Te Ara Puoro – MENZA Discourse Info
Te Ara Puoro – MENZA Discourse is now live. We invite you to join Te Ara Puoro, MENZA’s Discourse community, to support teachers in Aotearoa and beyond in the field of music education. Please visit the MENZA Discourse Information Page to gain a basic understanding of the platform. It differs significantly from Musicnet, and you will need…
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MENZA CONFERENCE 2023 – Overview
From 1-4 October 2023 around 130 teachers from Early Childhood up to Tertiary spent time together at the MENZA conference 2023.
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The Tool of a Musical Mind
Often you hear about students having different tools in their kit or skills to cope with different situations, but I first heard this phrase at the Kodály Course in Christchurch this summer. I was excited to hear how we can develop a student’s musical mind to help them learn an instrument well and understand that…
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Ear Training for the ‘Tech’ kids
I have to start with an apology for this ‘click-baity’ title. As much as possible I don’t try to differentiate my students between those that are ‘techy’ and those that are not. Or even worse… the tech vs classical kids. I truly believe that incorporating a variety of tools such as recording software, MIDI sequencing,…
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eNotes – 24th July 2023
In this Newsletter PLD sessions coming up Call for Research Participants
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eNotes – 23rd May 2023
In this Newsletter Newsletter: eNotes – 23rd May 2023
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eNotes – 16th March 2023
In this Newsletter Board Update In-Person Workshop announcement: FREE PLD – Primary School: Chase Across the Waves and Te Koha a Tāne SNEAK-PEEK into current NEX PROJECTS Newsletter: eNotes 16th March 2023
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ISME Update – March 2023
ISME (International Society for Music Education) would like to draw your attention towards upcoming dates and information. Click on the link below to open the Information Document ISME Update March 2023
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Postponed: MENZA October 2022 Wānanga
Kia ora e te whanau Our October wānanga has been postponed due to the many marae renovations happening in Kirikiriroa. We will update you on our next Wānanga when a suitable date and location are available. We deeply apologise for this. We were excited to offer this opportunity to our members. However, it was not…