Back in 2013, Wanaka locals Shona Brown and Paul Tamati got talking about the difficulties facing young people who wanted to learn a musical instrument in Wanaka. 

Shona was looking for an instrument for her child and couldn’t find any affordable options to buy or hire. Paul, who was heavily involved in Stars in Your Eyes, came up with the idea of starting a musical instrument library and applying for a grant from Stars in Your Eyes.  

The grant application was successful and in 2013 the musical instrument library opened with ten flutes, ten clarinets, two cornets and two trumpets. 

With the musical instrument library, administered by Helen Carter, proving very popular, in 2015 Shona, Paul and music teacher Naomi Carleton started thinking about how they could make learning an instrument more fun and accessible for young people and affordable for families. 

“We came up with the idea of group lessons for children because we believe it’s more fun to learn in a group setting and it’s also much more affordable for families,” Shona said. 

With some more funding from Stars in Your Eyes, Aspiring Young Musicians became an incorporated society and in late 2015 started group music lessons after school at Wanaka Primary School. 

From these small beginnings, Aspiring Young Musicians has grown to become a Wanaka community success story. The not-for-profit organisation now has more than 95 young students enrolled in group music lessons in Wanaka, and runs lessons after school at Mount Aspiring College four days a week, where they have been for the past three years.  

Currently the lessons available include keyboard, ukulele, guitar, violin, cello, trumpet and percussion. There are also group lessons available in musical theory, an introduction to music for children aged five to seven-years-old, and drama and music action - a game-based lesson involving mime, improvisation and music.  

Lessons available include keyboard, ukulele, guitar, violin, cello, trumpet and percussion.

Mat Doyle, head of music at Mount Aspiring College, said he had noticed a significant change since Aspiring Young Musicians began offering group lessons in Wanaka. 

“There’s been a huge increase in the level of performance of our incoming Year 7 musicians,” he said. “I’ve been blown away by the number of good musicians coming through and I know that Helen Carter, who teaches Year 7 music, has found it invigorating to teach students who can play a much wider range of instruments than was the case in previous years. 

Because of Aspiring Young Musicians’ group lessons, we’re seeing a greater number of students with a high level of musical knowledge from the get-go, which gives us as teachers a real opportunity to expand on the basics.”

Shona credits the success of Aspiring Young Musicians to the support the organisation receives from the community. “If for any reason one of the music teachers is unavailable, we have some fabulous older members of the community who are happy to relieve for us on a voluntary basis.

We’ve also received a generous grant from the Wanaka Concert Society to grow our instrument library, continued support from Stars in Your Eyes, and great backing from Mighty Efficient Bookkeeping.”

As well as the adult music teachers, some senior Mount Aspiring College students have got involved in music teaching for Aspiring Young Musicians. 

“It’s great for them and great for the younger kids,” Shona said. “They get to showcase their musical talents and mentor the younger students, and the younger students get to see what’s possible if they keep practising.”

Paul Tamati, who is now chairperson of Aspiring Young Musicians, said he has big plans for the future of music in Wanaka. “My ultimate goal, and this might take 20 years, is that we would be able to contribute to the founding of Wanaka’s first symphony orchestra. All we need is passionate people who want to make a difference to our young musical community.”

Shona said that the organisation had been overwhelmed by the popularity of the group lessons, which are currently offered at $15 a lesson. “We’ve just grown exponentially - so we must be doing something right.”

PHOTOS: Supplied