ABOUT MONSTER MUSIC
Our Story
Monster Music was officially founded in 2019 by Dan Hitchens, who wanted to create the kind of music program he wished he had growing up. Dan envisioned a way to make learning music fun, with plenty of chances for kids to show off their skills. He knew that kids need goals to work towards to stay motivated and feel a sense of purpose while practicing.
However Monster Music originally started brewing in 2017 when Dan started teaching music by himself at a few local schools (Harewood School, Paparoa Street School and Dorie School).
Dan knew the importance of a strong, structured, fun, learning curriculum for kids to work through. In the early days, he invested all of his time, outside of the classroom, into developing resources, songs, exercises and games that aligned with how kids best learn music. Kids were attracted to this fun, new way of learning an instrument and his roll quickly grew from 60 students to well into the hundreds (more than Dan could teach by himself!)
In 2019, Monster Music was officially born and Dan started recruiting a solid team to help him achieve his newly set vision of becoming Christchurch’s coolest and biggest music school.
By 2022, Monster Music had a total of 500 students enrolled each week with a team of 10 amazing tutors. Things were definitely starting to pick up, but Dan was adamant to take things further!
Today, Monster Music is the biggest in-school music programme in the South Island. We have a team of 23 amazing staff who teach over 1200 students across 33 Christchurch Schools!
THE MONSTER MISSION
AND OUR VALUES
Why Monster Music Exists
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Fun and Relevant Lessons
One of our main missions at Monster Music is to deliver lessons that are both fun and relevant! Gone are the days of teaching children nursery rhymes in order to learn an instrument. We aim to create a fun learning atmosphere where children will learn what they need to know and have fun in the process.
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Performance
Performance and learning an instrument go hand in hand. At Monster Music we teach our students music with performance in mind. We strive to give our students as many regular performance opportunities as possible. Concerts, busking and school shows are all things on offer while being part of the Monster Music family.
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Community
Community is is a key part of learning an instrument and being surrounded by like minded people can really help on the road to being that rockstar you have always dreamed of. Through the lessons themselves, concerts, fun days and fundraising you will have the chance to meet new people and make new friends that are on a similar journey to you.
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Integrity
At Monster Music, integrity is at the heart of everything we do. Our tutors are dedicated to teaching with honesty and care, ensuring that each student receives a high-quality and enriching experience. This commitment extends beyond the classroom; from an administrative perspective, you can expect integrity to be embedded in our communications, responses, and the way we handle every situation. We believe that maintaining a high standard of integrity fosters trust and creates a positive environment for both our students and their families.
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Reliability
Reliability is key at Monster Music because we know how important it is for students and parents to trust us. Our professional tutors consistently provide high-quality lessons, making sure each student gets the attention they need. We always reply to your emails promptly, and if we say we will do something, you can rely on us to get it done. With a steady curriculum and regular performance opportunities, you can always count on Monster Music to deliver a dependable and fun musical education.
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Authenticity
We are genuine people who take pride in our authenticity and down-to-earth approach. While some of our communications may be automated, you can be confident that when you reach out with a question, a real person who genuinely cares will respond. Our tutors share this dedication to authenticity and are deeply committed to your child's education and learning experience. They strive to create a supportive and engaging environment where every student can thrive.
Schools that we work with
Aidanfield Christian School
Avonhead School
Ararira Springs School
Broomfield School
Burnside Primary
Casebrook Intermediate
Clearview School
Cobham Intermediate
Cotswold Primary
Christ The King
Emmanuel Christian School
Tūora Fendalton School
Harewood School
Heaton Intermediate
Hillview Christian School
Hoon Hay School
Ilam School
Marshland School
Merrin School
Our Lady of the Assumption
Ouruhia Model School
Paparoa Street School
Papanui Primary School
Parkview School
Prebbleton School
St Joseph’s School
St Martins School
St Albans School
St Patrick’s School
St Peter’s School
Te Ara Koropiko West Spreydon School
Te Ara Maurea Roydvale School
Thorrington School
Westburn School
Do you want Monster Music
to take lessons
in your child’s school?
We’re always excited to welcome new primary and intermediate schools into the Monster Music community! If we’re not yet in your child’s school, we’d love the chance to discuss bringing Monster Music there. Here’s how you can help make it happen:
Step 1 - Share Our Page: Point the head of music or school principal to this page on our website (https://www.monstermusic.nz/info-pack-for-new-schools) , which has all the information they’ll need about how we work with schools.
Step 2 - Send Us a Quick Email: Drop us a line at office@monstermusic.nz once you’ve reached out to them. This lets us know to follow up, too!
Step 3 - Get Other Families Involved: Encourage other families from the school to do the same. The more interest we have, the more likely the school is to consider partnering with Monster Music!