Klarinet Archive - Posting 000110.txt from 1998/03

From: Stephen Nichols <stevenic@-----.nz>
Subj: Re: Music in Schools (New Zealand)
Date: Mon, 2 Mar 1998 21:33:57 -0500

> How is it in other areas of the world? I know we have members from
> South America, Japan, and Europe...and perhaps elsewhere.

Well here in New Zealand we have an 'itinerant' music scheme.

Depending on the roll of the High School (years 8 to 12 (13yrsold to
17yrsold)), the Ministry Of Education allocates paid 'hours' to provide
music tuition *in* the school. Its up to each schools HOD of Music to
decide how they are going to use these 'hours'. Some split them evenly
between different sorts of instruments while some schools crosssubsidise
them. For example you might receive free lessons during school time on
oboe, violin, clarinet etc but might have to pay extra to have elec
guitar/bass/drum lessons. This depends very much on the socio-economic
level of the school and the strenghts of its individual music department
and the demand for music tuition in certain instrument areas.

The HOD's will employ specialist instrument teachers to come into the
schools and take these students for their lessons (usually during class
time). There are a couple of organisations which provide itinerant
teachers for all instruments which some schools use.

School emsembles can be run by the music teachers or the itinerant
teachers. Most schools will have some sort of choir, orchestra and/or
concert band. The larger schools will have jazz ensembles/jazz
bands/brass bands/pop bands etc. There are no marching bands here in NZ.
The closest we get are marching pipe bands at some of the private
schools with a srtong scottish connection.

However this itinerant teaching scheme is constantly being threatened by
cutbacks in the Ministry of Education to save money.

How does this compare to other places in the world?

Steve

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