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Enriching lives through
the gift of music
Our mission
To provide a fully funded and inspiring performance music programme to young New Zealanders with limited opportunity.
To foster diligence, nurture confidence, celebrate aspiration and achievement.
Together discovering the joy of music making with others.
Our music programme
We partner with ten primary and intermediate schools in Papatoetoe and Mt Wellington to deliver a challenging, rewarding and fun instrumental music programme to 1000+ students from years 3-8. Each year we start our programme with 500+ year 3 & 4 students in Musicianship classes. The idea is to build ‘tacit’ musical skills, prior to starting an instrument. These classes combine singing, movement and speech to develop children’s innate musical abilities.
We then provide a four year course of study for band instruments from Year 5 in flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone and percussion and five year course of study for strings from Year 4 in violin, viola, cello and double bass.
Band instruments are taught at Papatoetoe West, Puhinui and Papatoetoe North Schools and stringed instruments at Papatoetoe East, South and Central Schools. At Bailey Road School and Stanhope Road School in Mt Wellington the string programme is taught from Year 4 through Year 8. The band programme continues at Kedgley Intermediate, and both the band and string programmes continue for Years 7 and 8 at Papatoetoe Intermediate.
Students participate in weekly small group lessons and ensemble rehearsals delivered by skilled and enthusiastic professional instrumental tutors who maximise music learning and literacy.Regular performance opportunities are provided throughout the year and students are further motivated through exposure to uplifting performances by professional musicians. Outstanding students are identified as early as Year 4 to receive scholarships, which fully cover the costs of private instrumental tuition throughout their high-school years.
Our management
Veronica Dale
Veronica started her journey with music at the age of 4. Based in Singapore, she started learning the Suzuki Method for violin with the acclaimed violin teacher S.C Lauw, the only Singaporean Suzuki Teacher who was trained by Dr Shinichi Suzuki himself. Upon her return to Aotearoa she continued her Suzuki training and completed Book 10 at the age of 14. At age 16 she was accepted as a student of David Nalden at Auckland University School of Music. She won the Gerry Wise Young Performers Scholarship and in 1995 started her music performance degree.
Veronica recently completed her Suzuki Method teacher training. She is passionate about this philosophy and incorporates the methodology into her lessons.
"It is in our power to educate all the children of the world to become a little better as people, a little happier." ~ Shinichi Suzuki
Hanna Wiskari
Hanna Wiskari Griffiths is a Swedish musician and educator, based in Aotearoa since 2016. She studied the saxophone at the Academy of Music and Drama in Gothenburg and graduated from the Royal College of Music in Stockholm with at Bachelor degree from the Folk Music Department. Hanna has 20 years of experience as a freelance musician with numerous bands and projects and extensive tours both in Scandinavia and abroad.
Alongside her playing Hanna has always been a passionate educator, teaching both youth and adults. Since 2010 Hanna has worked as an Artistic leader for Ethno, an international organisation with the aim of to celebrate diversity and to learn music from musicians from all around the world. When Hanna moved to Aotearoa she decided to bring Ethno here as well and is now organising Ethno NZ together with a dedicated team. Both as a musician and a teacher Hanna is strongly driven by how music connects people, no matter age, experience and cultural background.
Our Board
Peter Hubscher
Peter Hubscher graduated from Massey University with a degree in Food Technology from where he entered the N.Z wine industry in Hawke's Bay. He joined Montana Wines in 1973 as the company's Chief Winemaker; there his role grew to that to that of Managing Director. In that position he was awarded national recognition as Marketer of the Year and Executive of the Year. Under his leadership Montana became the country's leading commercial sponsor of the arts This investment brought great benefit to the company and helped artistic groups throughout the country reach a wider audience. He has held governance positions at Board level with a range of commercial and artistic organisations. These include The Ports of Auckland, Auckland Regional Holdings, The N.Z School of Music, The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, The N.Z. String Quartet and the World of Wearable Arts. His family background in music, with his father being a foundation member of the NZSO and an itinerant string instrument teacher in Auckland, contributed to Peter's shared initiative with his wife.
Tom Hamill
Jonathan Tommy
Jonothan is a professional engineer with experience in the food industry as a project manager and general manager. He has also served as a member and chairman of Kelston Boys High School Board of Trustees.
Pam Hubscher
Pam’s vocation in life has been in providing educational opportunities for people with few advantages, whether as a primary school teacher, teacher of English for migrant and refugee women, parent and foster parent. It was in these roles that she came to see what a powerful effect music could have in nearly every aspect of learning, and how being involved in musical activities brought so much joy to the participants. The concept of a performance music programme for children who would not otherwise have this opportunity seemed to fill a need in many primary schools, as well as combine Peter and her own particular interests. Pam's own involvement in music is as a keen listener rather than a performer.
Barbara Glaser
Barbara has been the CEO of the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra since April 2006. She holds a B Mus and B.A. from the University of Melbourne, majoring in music performance and art history. She has taught music and been involved with orchestras for all of her professional career beginning by heading the brass department at PLC Melbourne and simultaneously founding a chamber orchestra.
Murray Rutherford
A graduate of Victoria University (Commerce), Murray began is career as a Chartered Accountant. He has had roles in various financial advisory positions and most recently retired after 25 years with JBWere as a Private Wealth Advisor.
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