Instruments and Age Restrictions

  • Music Appreciation: 5 and 6 year olds

  • Ukulele: from 7 years old

  • Recorder: from 7 years old

  • Piano/Keyboard: from 8 years old

  • Guitar: from 8 years old

  • Violin: from 8 years old

  • Flute: from 9 years old

  • Music Appreciation

Music Appreciation is an introduction to music course in half hour sessions using untuned percussion instruments (eg hand drums, shakers), singing, basic note notation.

The aim is to make the class fun and as hands-on for the children as possible. Different kinds of percussion instruments are used to play along with different styles of music. Where possible, other instruments are introduced as well (eg keyboard, ukulele) and the children are taught a little bit about them. Where possible, they are able to use these too.

The children get to hear different styles of music to listen to (eg folk, blues, jazz, world, classical), so that they can begin to learn to “appreciate” it. We discuss the different instruments that we can hear being played, whether the music is fast/slow, happy/sad, etc. Some basic music theory (eg what some of the notes are called) is also covered.

In recent years, the classes have done things like … use of poi to accompany the “Poi E” song, used real drum sticks on buckets to introduce timing/rhythm (heaps of fun!), took the front of the piano off to look inside it, practised listening too and copying rhythms ...

Fees and Hireage

Lessons at Mana Music Centre are $25 per term. Yes you have read correctly!
Payment must be paid on the first day of term.
We also hire out violins and flute at a cost of $20 per term.

Centres and Lessons

Maraeroa School Centre
47 Driver Crescent
Cannons Creek
Porirua 5024

Tuition at Maraeroa School Centre on Saturdays (9:00 am - 12:00 noon)

Piano/Keyboard
Recorder
Guitar
Ukulele
Violin
Music Appreciation
Flute

Discovery School Centre
Pullen Lane
Whitby
Porirua 5024

Tuition at Discovery School Centre on Wednesdays & Thursdays: (3:30 pm – 6:30 pm)

Piano/Keyboard
Guitar

Tuition at Discovery School Centre on Thursdays: (3:30 pm – 6:30 pm)

Guitar

Term Dates

Mana Music Centre operates during the following term dates:

Maraeroa School Centre - 2026 Saturday Lesson Term Dates

Term 1: 14 February - 28 March

Term 2: 2 May - 27 June, NO LESSONS on Sat 30 May (King's Birthday Weekend)

Term 3: 25 July - 19 September, Sat 12 Sep is the concert rehearsal ; Sat 19 Sep is the concert

Term 4: 17 October - 05 December, NO LESSONS on Sat 24 Oct (Labour Weekend)

Discovery School Centre - 2026 Wednesday Lesson Term Dates

Term 1: 11 February - 25 March

Term 2: 06 May - 24 June

Term 3: 05 August - 16 September

Term 4: 21 October - 02 December

Discovery School Centre - 2026 Thursday Lesson Term Dates

Term 1: 12 February - 26 March

Term 2: 07 May - 25 June

Term 3: 06 August - 17 September

Term 4: 22 October - 03 December