Music Lessons

The following classes will be offered in 2019:

• Group guitar ($10/wk)
• Individual guitar ($31/wk)
• Individual electric guitar ($31/wk)
• Group ukulele ($10/wk)
• Group (2 students) drums ($20/wk)
• Individual drums ($31/wk)
• Group keyboard ($10/wk)
• Individual keyboard ($31/wk)
• Group violin ($10/wk)

• Individual violin ($31/wk)

Some of our students will be required to purchase music books to aid their progress in lessons and home practice sessions. Invoices will be added to a student's account as and when a music book, or next level music book, is required.  

Guitar and Ukulele

Students can learn guitar with Phil Hope. Phil has years of experience as a musician and songwriter and he aims to teach new students to have fun playing music. Phil also offers individual lessons in electric guitar. Find more information on Phil here.

Violin

Both individual and group violin lessons are available at all levels. A limited number of violins are available for hire for $20/term. Tutor, Alex Vaastra, studied performance violin at Otago University and established a successful career in Dunedin as a violin teacher and performer. In 2015, Alex moved to Wellington and studied primary teaching at Victoria University.  

Keyboard

Both individual and group keyboard lessons are available at all levels. Our keyboard teacher is Anna Jewitt. Anna is a teacher and workshop leader from Northumberland, England. After completing her MA in Music and Drama from the University of Manchester she worked as a freelance music leader and theatre facilitator for the Hallé Orchestra, Manchester Camerata Orchestra, Opera North and the Royal Exchange Theatre, as well as becoming Area Leader for the Greater Manchester boroughs for Sing Up, the UK’s national singing programme. Throughout 2014 she lived in Wellington and worked in the education department for NZ Opera. Upon returning to the UK, she continued work in London for the Royal College of Music and English Touring Opera, as well as giving private and peripatetic piano, keyboard and guitar lessons. She is thrilled to be back in Wellington and working at Amesbury School!

Drums

Group (2 students only) and individual drum lessons are available, taught by Jack Gosling. Jack is young and ethusiatic and has learned and played a number of musical instruments since a very young age, having also studied at Trinity Music College in London. He has taught a wide range of music primarily to children aged from 4 to 16. 

Drama Lessons

In 2019, we have the following drama classes available, taught by Maneesha Fonseka:

• Group speech and drama ($10/wk)
• Group communications skills ($10/wk)

Maneesha has been a student of Drama & Speech since she was four years old. After successfully completing her teaching diploma with Trinity College, London Maneesha pursued her passion of being an educator of Speech & Drama. Maneesha is an eager drama enthusiast who is keen to impart her learning and knowledge to young artists and bring out the talents in them. Find out more about Maneesha here. 

Speech & Drama

Speech & Drama lessons are designed to help children develop their confidence, self esteem, social skills and conversational ability. They will learn to appreciate literature and enjoy presenting it for an audience. Drama is a wonderful way through which they can channel their energies to find innovative methods of creating and expressing. At Amesbury, Speech & Drama lessons are grouped by age, with Junior classes covering Years 1-3 and Senior classes covering Years 4-6.

Communications Skills

Communication Skills lessons are designed to teach children to develop and refine expertise in different forms of communication through the spoken language. We teach correct pronunciation, build vocabulary and a clear sense of practical usage of the English language. Improving listening, reading, and speaking skills and fine tuning their communication skills are the primary focus of these lessons for our students.