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 are open school year round for music lessons. Beginners are welcome on all instruments. Please see below for the list of instruments offered.
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 Groups
Music Groups are open to all students. We have a number of groups running, so there is something for everyone. We welcome all new singers and players, but expect instrumentalists to have been learning their instrument for at least one year.
Our music groups perform in the school community at assemblies, prizegivings and events as well as performing to the community at lunchtime concerts St Mark’s Church and Woburn Apartments.
These regular performances help students and music groups who are participating and competing at events including the NZCT Chamber Music Contest, The New Zealand Choral Federation’s Big Sing and Barbershop competitions at a regional and national level.
If you would like to form your own music band or chamber group then speak with Jhan Lindsay or Katriona MacDonald or email music@hvhs.school.nz
Music Groups’ Timetable for 2024
Latest updates for students:
- Brand new to music performance? Consider joining the Percussion Ensemble (hand drumming, percussion, learn rhythms and ensemble pieces), Vocal Ensemble (singing, diverse repertoire, contemporary and classic, musical theatre and waiata) or Barbershop Chorus (four part harmony singing in the barbershop style).
- Drum Ensemble, Vocal Ensemble and the Barbershop Chorus groups are open to all students, please come along to the rom listed in the timetable below and sign up.
- All Comers Concert Band is open to all staff and students who play woodwind, brass or percussion.
- String Ensemble is open to violin, viola, cello and double bass players.
- For Chamber Music, If you would like to establish an ensemble please email Performing Arts Coordinator, Jhan Lindsay at music@hvhs.school.nz – new ensembles can occur throughout the school week and will tutored by one of our super talented itinerant tutors.
- Experienced pianists and violists, places are available to perform, please contact Jhan at music@hvhs.school.nz for more information.
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.
HVHS Musical – Sweet Dreams
In term three of this year, we will be performing the musical Sweet Dreams. We need actors, singers, dancers, musicians and combinations thereof. Auditions are open to all year levels.
For your calendar, the key dates are:
- Wednesday 20 March – Auditions Meeting, Interval (11:00am) in the Hall
- Monday 25 March – Singing Audition, Lunchtime (1:30pm) in S1
- Tuesday 26 March – Dance Audition, Lunchtime (1:30pm) in S1
- Thursday 28 March – Drama Audition*, Lunchtime (1:30pm) in S1
*Read the Drama Audition Scripts by clicking here
For any questions, please email Bernard Beckett at bernard.beckett@hvhs.school.nz
