Music at Hutt Valley High School
Hutt Valley High School offers high quality, free tuition on a wide range of instruments. Students taking music instrumental lessons through school will be expected to take an active part in at least one co-curricular music group at HVHS. Through these activities students use the skills learned in lessons and improve at a faster rate.
Beginners are welcome on all instruments. For general enquiries please email the Music Department at music@hvhs.school.nz
Register Now for Music Lessons in 2024
Registrations for music lessons are open year-round. Beginners are welcome on all instruments. Please see the list of instruments offered below. Registrations for music lessons in 2025 will open on Friday, 22 November. We’ll let our school community know via our bi-weekly school newsletter.
Instruments Offered
- Bass Guitar
- Cello
- Clarinet
- Classical Guitar
- Double Bass
- Drums
- Flute
- French Horn
- Guitar
- Percussion
- Saxophone
- Trombone
- Trumpet
- Viola
- Violin
- Voice
Music Lessons
- Tuition is free, the only costs are for hiring orchestral instruments.
- The hire costs for these instruments are $25 per term (where applicable).
- All students learning an instrument or voice lessons at HVHS are expected to be involved in at least one HVHS music group for the year.
- Students will undertake to catch up on any classwork missed during tuition.
- Students will undertake to practice regularly and attend lessons and group rehearsals every week.
- Tuition in the Music Programme will primarily be in pairs or small groups.
- Lessons are 30 minutes each week during the normal school day. To minimise disruption, times are rotated so students do not miss the same subject each week.
- Any instrument hire fees are to be paid before tuition commences.
Music Ensembles, Choruses and Bands
Chamber Music
Staff contacts – Jhan Lindsay & Katriona MacDonald (music@hvhs.school.nz)
Chamber Music ensembles are typically trios or quartets that play traditional music, and players are often Grade 5 or above in ability. Most groups will enter the regional festival and perform in both our annual St Mark’s lunchtime concert and the department Acoustic Concert. Please register your interest and ability, then groups will be formed by a teacher of similarly skilled players.
Flute Choir
Staff contact – Gemma McIIroy (music@hvhs.school.nz)
Flute choir is for flute students who have been learning for at least a year. This group often breaks into smaller ensembles as required and performs in both our annual St Mark’s lunchtime concert and department Acoustic Concert, as appropriate.
Guitar Orchestra
Staff contact – Owen Moriaty (music@hvhs.school.nz)
Guitar orchestra is for students who already play guitar and can read either TAB or traditional notation. Students can use the school acoustic guitars for rehearsal, and will learn guitar repertoire and group skills in a supportive environment.
Jazz Ensembles
Staff contacts – Jhan Lindsay & Katriona MacDonald (music@hvhs.school.nz)
Students interested in forming jazz ensembles can do this either as their own group, or register their interest and ability with the staff contact. Jazz ensembles tend to focus on improvisation from lead sheets, rather than being focused on note reading.
Orchestra
Staff contacts – Jhan Lindsay & Katriona MacDonald (music@hvhs.school.nz)
The full orchestra is an exciting experience for those participating in music. It is run over a short period of time, usually in Term 3, and is made up of members from other ensembles such as String Orchestra and Wind Ensemble.
Tangata Beats Bands
Staff contacts – Jhan Lindsay & Katriona MacDonald (music@hvhs.school.nz)
Students interested in forming Tangata Beats Bands can do this either as their own group, or through classroom music classes, or register their interest and ability with the staff contact. Bands should be including one or more elements in their music; language of the Pacific, Aotearoa specific content, traditional Pacific instruments, traditional Pacific dance elements.
Rock Bands
Staff contacts – Jhan Lindsay & Katriona MacDonald (music@hvhs.school.nz)
Students interested in forming Rock Bands can do this either as their own group, through classroom music classes, or register their interest and ability with the staff contact. Rock bands through school are working on original creative material in a small group environment.
Stage Band
Staff contact – Chris Buckland (music@hvhs.school.nz)
The Stage Band is an invite only group, however you can register your interest and ability with the contact teacher. It is a group for our best saxophone, trumpet, trombone and rhythm students in the jazz genre. It is based on chart reading, so players must be able to read music.
String Orchestra
Staff contacts – Jhan Lindsay & Katriona MacDonald (music@hvhs.school.nz)
String Orchestra is for those who have been learning violin, viola, cello or double bass for at least a year. It is an opportunity for string players to learn in a group where the focus is on string technique and repertoire, and the keys of the music are suitable for the players.
Wind Ensemble
Staff contacts – Jhan Lindsay & Katriona MacDonald (music@hvhs.school.nz)
Wind Ensemble is for those students who have been learning flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon or saxophone for at least a year. It is an opportunity for wind players to focus on technique and repertoire in a group setting.