Kelston Music Centre operates from Kelston Primary School on 5 Archibald Road, Kelston, Auckland.
The centre provides Ministry of Education subsidised music lessons for primary and intermediate age school students.
Our Music Centre began in 1968 and offers a range of instrumental tuition options, as well as the opportunity to gain ensemble and orchestral experience. The social and educational benefits of learning a musical instrument and participating in music-making are well documented.
Vision - To provide a structured and inspiring musical education for young children taught by qualified and experienced tutors. To set these children on a lifelong path of creativity and love for music allowing them to express themselves through their art. We also offer caregivers and parents the opportunity to learn alongside their children if they so desire. This can be of extreme benefit in helping the child move forward on their chosen instrument.
Music is a fundamental component of a child's education.
• Learning a musical instrument improves children's abilities in other academic areas and social skills.
• Regular attendance and practice, along with parental involvement will provide the necessary basis for good progress to be made.
Instruments taught cover string and keyboard – musical literacy (being able to read and play an instrument from standard musical notation) is a key component of the tuition. With the younger students, parental involvement is also a key component in organising and guiding children’s home practise. The discipline of a regular, structured practice routine will ensure the student engages with the chosen instrument and experiences the enjoyment of developing an ability and moving forward.
Due to size and/or technical challenges, some instruments require a minimum age of children before commencing tuition on these. It is recommended that primary school children beginning music education learn either the recorder or keyboard initially before starting a more challenging orchestral instrument.
If you're not sure what sort of instrument you'd like to learn, here is some information below.
The Cello
The cello is a member of the string family (like the violin) and is the second largest bowed string instrument in a symphony orchestra (after the double bass).
It is quite a large instrument but cellos do come in several sizes. We recommend that your child is 8 years, or 7 years with previous musical experience.
Your Teacher will be Ruth Allan.
The Guitar
The guitar is a string instrument, plucked with fingers or played with a pick. The current form of the guitar dates from the middle of the nineteenth century in Spain and was created by Antonio Torres. The Lute, with its almond shaped body, was the dominant plucked-string instrument played prior to this reaching back into antiquity. This instrument has enjoyed a marked revival in the twentieth century.
Please note that for these lessons, the Don King approach is used for tuition. A nylon string, classical style guitar is required for these lessons – steel string guitars are not suitable.
Please follow the link to the Don King Guitar Books and Music website to understand what is involved in this approach to the guitar.
Minimum age: 8 years
Your teacher will be Danielle Singh.
The Violin
The violin is the smallest member of the string family, and is common in a wide range of ensembles in both Eastern and Western music.
Sound is produced by drawing a bow across one or more strings (which may be stopped by the fingers of the other hand to produce a full range of pitches), by plucking the strings (with either hand), or by a variety of other techniques.
Children as young as 6 years can begin learning the violin!
Your teacher will be Ruth Allan.
The Keyboard/Piano
Our keyboard and piano lessons provide a good introduction to learning and reading musical notation. Lessons provide a suitable background and foundation for those who wish to advance to perhaps private tuition or more concentrated one on one lessons post intermediate school.
Keyboards allow rhythms, styles and various voices to be used along with chords in the left hand (reading one stave (set of lines) of musical notation) while piano has 2 separate staves (one for each hand) to read music from.
Although, keyboards are not weighted like piano, it is a suitable instrument to practice on (for both piano and keyboard) as you can get touch sensitive keys on keyboards. Keyboard Requirements/Guide to buying (for beginners):
• Full sized keys
• Run on power
• Various voices and rhythms
• At least 5 octaves (61 keys)
• Touch Response (if possible)
Ask your teacher for more details.
Minimum age: 5 years
Your teacher could be Sabrina Ou, Monique Farry, Florence Matau'aina Mase or Liam Ferguson.
Because music classes are subsidised by the Ministry of Education, tuition is $160 per year per instrument for Primary & intermediate school students. We have a limited capacity to take Secondary and Adult students. However, tuition for these is not covered by the Ministry of Education subsidy and the costs are reflected in this.
We offer this to the community to allow parents who wish to learn alongside their children to do so and thus support the child’s learning. We also cater to secondary students for whom there is no itinerant music offered in their high school and who have previously been students of a music centre.
Tuition for Secondary age school students is $280 per year per instrument class.
For Adult Students, tuition is $320 per year per instrument class.
Students also have the option of taking part in the Orchestral Ensemble, please contact Ruth Allan with regard to details.
All fees must be paid before the start of classes unless by prior arrangement with KMC administration. If the enrolment is for a secondary school student or adult and you are unable to meet the full amount for the year at enrolment, please contact the centre management to discuss the fees being paid by term.
We prefer payment by internet banking, please pay your fees to bank account 12 3051 0010296 00 or by deposit into the Kelston Music Centre bank account at any ASB branch. Please use your child’s name and instrument as reference for the payment.
Fees are non-refundable after a student has attended their first three lessons.
Kelston Music Centre has some instruments available for hire.
Our hire fees for the year (February – December) are $90 for the following instruments:
• Cello
• Violin
In addition to the hire fee, we charge a $90 bond which will be refunded to your account when an instrument is returned in an undamaged state.
We are not able to hire guitars or keyboards. Speak to your music tutor or Kelston Music Centre co-ordinator, who may be able to assist in the purchase of these instruments.
Kelston Music Centre instruments are serviced before being hired out. The instrument you receive will be in ready to play condition. During the year, any necessary repairs resulting from damage will be assessed by qualified repairers. You will be liable for any repair costs and we request that you pay these promptly.
Reasonable wear and tear on an instrument is expected and will be paid for by the music school. Instruments requiring repairs or maintenance must be returned to your Music School tutor. We do not accept responsibility for unauthorized repairs.
If the instrument is lost or stolen, please report to the music tutor or co-ordinator straight away. You must provide a police report for insurance purposes.
If the instrument is unable to be located or is returned in a damaged state, then the bond will not be refunded.
Instruments can be held over the summer school holidays provided you have paid for the hire of the instrument for the following year.
The following terms and conditions apply to all enrolments:
• The Kelston Music Centre operates from Kelston Primary School on Saturday mornings during school term time. The hours are 8.30am – 12.30pm. Once your enrolment has been completed and accepted you will receive an email confirming a place for the lessons you have enrolled in. You will receive a further email with class times once the tutor has organised these.
• Most instruments taught have a minimum age required before a child can start receiving tuition. Please take note of this when enrolling – this is included in the information for each instrument.
• Class places are not held over from one year to the next. A new enrolment application must be made each year.
• If classes for an instrument you wish to enrol in are full/closed, you may enrol your child on a waiting list for that instrument. Should a place become available you would be notified.
• If you withdraw your child from a class, you must notify the tutor or KMC. The place would then be offered to a student on the waiting list.
• All fees must be paid before the start of classes unless by prior arrangement with KMC administration.
• Payment of enrolment fees may be done by Internet Banking or payment made into the Kelston Music Centre Bank Account at any branch of the ASB – please use your child’s name and instrument as reference for this.
• The enrolment fee covers the cost of your child’s tuition for the year enrolled in.
• Fees are non-refundable after a student has attended their first three lessons.
• KMC takes responsibility to ensure that classes run according to their listed timetable. However, in some instances, it may be necessary to employ a relief-tutor to teach a class. If a relief-tutor cannot be found to take a class in absence of the regular tutor, that class would be cancelled for that session.
• The class timetable for any instrument may be changed if necessary. Participants would be notified in advance of any necessary changes.
• By enrolling in lessons, you are agreeing to ensure your child attends all classes they are enrolled for. If they are unable to attend through illness or unforeseen circumstances, the tutor/ KMC must be notified.
• Please ensure your child is on time for their lesson so your child feels part of the group and the tutor does not have to repeat what may have already been taught.
• Photo images of students may be taken on class/concert days. Any use of these in KMC newsletters and on the website, would be with parental consent.
If you have any concerns regarding your child’s lessons, please contact the tutor in the first instance. KMC administration can be contacted if the issue remains unresolved.
This web site is owned and operated by Kelston Music Centre and will be referred to as “KMC”, "We", "our" and "us" in this Internet Privacy Policy. By using this site, you agree to the Internet Privacy Policy of this web site (http://www.kelstonmusic.org.nz), which is set out on this web site page. The Internet Privacy Policy relates to the collection and use of personal information you may supply to us through forms completed on the web site.
KMC reserve the right, at our discretion, to modify or remove portions of this Internet Privacy Policy at any time. This Internet Privacy Policy is in addition to any other terms and conditions applicable to the web site.
KMC recognise the importance of protecting the privacy of information collected through our web site, in particular information that is capable of identifying an individual ("personal information"). This Internet Privacy Policy governs the manner in which your personal information, obtained through the web site, will be dealt with. This Internet Privacy Policy should be reviewed periodically so that you are updated on any changes. We welcome your comments and feedback.
Personal Information
1. Personal information about visitors to our site is collected only when knowingly and voluntarily submitted. For example, KMC may need to collect such information to provide you with further services or to answer or forward any requests or enquiries. It is our intention that this policy will protect your personal information from being dealt with in any way that is inconsistent with applicable privacy laws in New Zealand.
Use of Information
2. Personal information that visitors submit to our site is used only for the purpose for which it is submitted or for such other secondary purposes that are related to the primary purpose, unless KMC disclose other uses in this Internet Privacy Policy or at the time of collection. Copies of correspondence sent from the web site, that may contain personal information, are stored as archives for record-keeping and back-up purposes only.
Collecting information on signing up to our newsletter and/or enrolling students
3. As part of signing up and/or enrolling with us, KMC collect personal information for the primary purpose of providing you with music tuition and information on music classes offered. To do this it may be necessary for you to provide additional information to us as requested on our enrolment page. 4. Signing up to our newsletter
This is completely optional and may include submitting your name, email address, address, telephone numbers, option on receiving updates and other information.
Disclosure
4. Apart from where you have consented or disclosure is necessary to achieve the purpose for which it was submitted, personal information may only be disclosed when KMC believe in good faith that the law requires disclosure.
Access to Information
5. KMC will endeavour to take all reasonable steps to keep secure any information which we hold about you, and to keep this information accurate and up to date. You have the right to access and to request correction of any of your personal information provided to KMC in connection with your enrolment in the KMC classes and/or use of this Site. To access and/or update the information we hold, please contact us by email at info@kelstonmusic.org.nz.
Problems or questions
6. If KMC become aware of any ongoing concerns or problems with our web site, we will take these issues seriously and work to address these concerns. If you have any further queries relating to our Privacy Policy, or you have a problem or complaint, please contact us by email at info@kelstonmusic.org.nz.