INFO PACK FOR WAIRAKEI SCHOOL
Lessons on offer at Wairakei School
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Guitar Lessons
Guitar lessons are taken in small groups (4 max), with students at a similar age and ability. Grab a buddy and learn with them!
Private lessons are sometimes available on request, however these are generally reserved for students with previous experience.
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Drum Lessons
Drum lessons are only taken as private lessons. You will have the option of a 20 minute private lesson or a 30 minute private lesson. There are no group lessons for drums!
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Keyboard Lessons
Keyboard lessons are taken as private or small group lessons (3 max). You will have the option of a 30 minute small group lesson, a 20 minute private lesson or a 30 minute private lesson.
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Ukulele Lessons
Ukulele lessons are taken in small groups (4 max), with students at a similar age and ability. Grab a buddy and learn with them!
Private lessons are sometimes available on request, however these are generally reserved for students with previous experience
FAQ’S
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We do recommend that students have their own instruments to practice with, however the answer to this question varies between instruments
Guitar/Ukulele - Students that are learning guitar or ukulele will be required to have their own instrument that they can a) bring to their lessons and b) practice with at home.
Keyboard - While we highly recommend students have their own keyboard at home to practice on, it’s not compulsory. We will have keyboards in lessons that students can use.
Drums - While we highly recommend students have their own drum kit at home to practice on, it’s not compulsory. We will have a drum kit in lessons that students can use. We usually recommend getting a drum kit within 4 months of lessons.
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Yes! If you would like to hire an instrument, please check out this page and input your details :)
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Monster Music has a great relationship with Music Planet Christchurch (Riccarton Road). They are able to supply any current Monster Music student with a sweet discount! If you are looking to buy a new instrument, give Music Planet a visit and they will help you choose the perfect instrument for your child.
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The lesson fees are listed below. Please feel free to check out our full page of lesson fees here!
$92 per month for 30 minute small group class (between 2 and 4 students)
$105 per month for 20 minute private lesson
$136 per month for 30 minute private lessons
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All lessons are paid via credit card on the opus platform. Other than the first month of lessons (depending on the start date) everything will be auto paid on the 1st of each Month.
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Opus is our online platform. After we have secured a lesson time for your child we will send you some more information on how you can access this platform. You will be able to do things like….
- See all your upcoming lessons and classes, along with time, location, teacher, room etc.
- Add a debit/credit card for payments
- Keep your contact information up to date
- Submit absences & book Monster Make Up classes
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We have a couple of ways to help children remember when it is time to head over to their lesson! During their first lesson, we will give them a lanyard which will have their name and lesson time on it. Also, you can ask their classroom teachers to help them remember. One of the policies at Monster Music is that students will be able to make it to their lesson by themselves. The Monster Music tutors will usually be able to go and get them from class if they haven't shown up... However this isn't ideal as it will cut into precious learning time!
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If your child misses a lesson due to an explained absence, you will be offered a Monster Make Up workshop to make this lesson up! These Monster Make Ups are held throughout the term and during the school holidays. Make sure you cancel your child’s lesson on the opus platform before 8am!
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Lessons are generally held during the school day (9-3pm) however we may have some availability for before/after school lessons too! Lessons are held at school. Once we have the timetables set, we will confirm with you the exact location/classroom.
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Monster Music lessons are held weekly, during the school term (there are no lessons in the school holidays).
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If you still have questions, feel free to check out the "parents handbook". This page is designed for parents that already have children enrolled in music lessons, but it has heaps more information about Monster Music and they way that we do things!
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We always give the school offices a list of students and when their lesson time will be and this is generally passed onto teachers. However we always recommend giving your child's classroom teacher a heads up that they have signed up for music lessons.
This will also allow your child's classroom teacher to make you aware of any potential clashes with important school curriculum!
Want to hire an instrument? Check it out!
Monster Music has a cool and exciting wristband system in our curriculum. The idea of the wristband system is to have levels that students can work towards. Students can earn different colour wristbands (similar to karate!) as they meet certain checkpoints and pass challenges assigned to them by their tutor. Each student will receive a "wristband roadmap" in their music lessons which outlines the key skills needed to gain each wristband.
Curriculum
Your child will be working through one of the Monster Music curriculum books as they learn. This has all of the information, exercises and resources needed to turn them into an absolute rockstar! The curriculum books are well presented and easy to follow which means that Monster Music parents can even follow along if you choose to do so.
** Please note, our keyboard curriculum book is still in the making. This means that keyboard students will be receiving handouts as opposed to a physical book.
Check out our cool curriculum books!
Understand Our Key Terms and Conditions
Absences need to be submitted on Opus before 8am on the day of the lesson in order for it to be deemed an “explained absence”.
Lesson withdrawals are only accepted on four dates per year. In 2025 these dates are 11th May (12 weeks after lessons commence), 3rd August, 5th October and 7th December.
Lessons are paid for monthly, via credit card on our online platform, “opus”.
Enrolment automatically rolls over each year unless cancelled.
Student's are required to make their own way to lessons at their set time. Getting a watch with an alarm is a good idea!
If you miss a lesson due to an “explained absence”, a Monster Make Up workshop will be offered. Monster Music only offers 1:1 make up lessons in rare circumstances!
Performance
We help kids gain confidence through performance!
At Monster Music, we believe that performance is a very important part of being a musician. Playing instruments in front of people is a great way for the students to gain confidence both as a musician and also outside of their musical activities. It can be scary for a start, but feel free to check our performance tips pack which will help get your child prepared! Check out some of the performance opportunities that we offer our students!
Mid Year + End of Year Concerts
We host two main concerts each year, a mid year concert and an end of year concert. These events are open to ALL students that learn with Monster Music. Even if they have only been learning with us for 1 school term, the student's tutor will help them choose a simple and practical song to perform on the day. We try to keep the concerts as lighthearted and informal as possible to make sure the kids have loads of fun on the day. There are epic performers, giveaways and we know your kids will love it! The concerts obviously are not compulsory, however we do encourage our students to take part as we know that it is great for their confidence as a developing muso. These concerts are generally held at a cool music venue called “A Rolling Stone” which further adds to the exciting experience!
Specialised Showcases
Monster Music also puts on exciting performances known as showcases. These events cater to our advanced students and focus on specific instruments. We love to book trendy locations like Fat Eddies, Joe's Garage, Two Thumbs, MoveX, The Bog, and The Cranford Ale House for these showcases. Attending these showcases can be a fantastic motivator for your child to strive towards in their music journey.
Lunchtime Jams at Schools
During the school year, our primary aim is to coordinate engaging lunchtime concerts at each school that hosts our music lessons program. These concerts serve as a stage for every student, regardless of their skill level, to exhibit their musical abilities. These events offer our students a great chance to display their advancements to their fellow classmates in a lively and encouraging setting. These lunchtime jam sessions are particularly advantageous for students seeking to boost their confidence in performing at different occasions.
The Buskers Club
The buskers club is a fun chance for your child to "get out there" with their instrument. We have fortnightly busking gigs that our students are able to take part in. These are usually held at local markets, locations in the CBD or supermarkets and we have found this is a great way for the youngsters to gain some confidence and make a bit of pocket money at the same time! Feel free to check out the buskers club info pack if you would like to know more about this.
FREE TRIAL LESSON OFFER!
Guess what St Josephʻs School families? We are running an exclusive offer to get your child a FREE trial lesson before committing to lessons in 2025!