MENZA
Music Education New Zealand Aotearoa
Mātauranga a Puoro o Aotearoa
MENZA’s Story ...
The original NZSME structure of 1983 served the membership well for twenty years. However, in 2003 it was decided by the Board after lengthy and important internal debates about the long term viability of NZSME, to establish a Futures Group to make recommendations on the society’s future. This group reported their progress to the Board, which, after further consultation with the regionally based membership, recommended major constitutional changes to the July 2004 AGM. A new vision and structure emerged in the interests of being better placed to support quality music education in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Three new, but closely connected entities were recommended -MENZA, METANZ and MERC. All were soon brought into being.
MENZA (Music Education New Zealand Aotearoa)
This is the renewed NZSME organisation with the same basic aims of the original society, but with an improved operational, financial and professional structure. As a national entity that traditionally depended solely upon the voluntary goodwill of individuals, it was time to move to a structure that supported the employment of an administrator so that we could continue to justify our position in a more professional manner as the national subject association. This significant and important change has for example, allowed us to successfully gain contracts and funding that we otherwise would not be eligible for.
METANZ (The Music Education Trust of Aotearoa New Zealand)
Its two main purposes are “to promote and advocate the importance of education in music, and education through music, to groups and individuals within New Zealand Aotearoa; and to support actions by others aimed at promoting and advocating music education within the arts in New Zealand Aotearoa.” One of the key reasons for establishing this charitable advocacy trust, is that it makes possible effective lobbying from a professionally independent position.
MERC (Music Education Research Centre)
Effective advocacy needs to be founded on sound information and research. The recommendation to establish a national research body was taken up by the University of Canterbury, which set up MERC as a research centre within the School of Music, and is strongly supported by the university’s College of Arts. By now it has become established as the hub of research networks in music education in New Zealand, The National Music Education Research Database, the online publication Sound Ideas, the UNESCO Arts in Education Asia Pacific Observatory, research projects on the NEMP Studies in Music, and the Ministry of Education E-Mentoring in Online Real-time Music Tuition Project, are just some of MERC’s current activities. Details can be found on the MERC website.
MENZA (Music Education New Zealand Aotearoa - Mātauranga a Puoro o Aotearoa) is the national subject association representing the interests of all involved in professional music education in this country.
MENZA works to support live music-making opportunities for teachers, and to represent music education on curriculum and professional development decision-making organisations.
MENZA Board
Chair/President:
Errol Moore Otago
Errol Moore is a senior lecturer and subject leader in music education at the University of Otago College of Education. He works mainly in curriculum courses in primary and secondary education, as well as, more specialist courses in community musical leadership, conducting, studio teaching and brass tuition. He is co-author of the resource Malaysian Stopover and has taught courses in world music for education for many years. As an instrumentalist he has won many awards playing euphonium in national and international solo and ensemble events in the brass band world. He is a regular conductor with the Otago Symphonic Band. His goal while involved with the MENZA board, in an environment in which we are seeing cutbacks in MoE support function, is to help re-build the strength of regional societies with reciprocal benefits for the national and local scene. His focus includes community and mainstream education activity, training and advocacy.
Board:
Sally Bodkin Southland
Sally Bodkin-Allen is the Academic Leader for the Bachelors of Contemporary Music and Audio Production at the Southern Institute of Technology in Invercargill where a highlight on the calendar is the performance of rock concerts for over 2000 primary and preschool children. She completed her doctoral thesis at the University of Otago in the area of Early Childhood Music Education and is also on the Board of METANZ (Music Education Trust Aotearoa New Zealand). She also writes musicals and her musical Pete and Hook for primary schools has been published by Mad Hatter Publications in Australia.
Grace Davey Wellington, Correspondence Secretary
Mrs Grace Davey is the HOD Music at Hutt Valley High School.
She has performed in many regional and national groups on her chosen instruments, trombone, piano and voice, and enjoys being an active musician. She is passionate about music education and sharing that love with her classes, and
co-curricular groups.
Stephanie Lees Auckland
Stephanie is currently the Education Manager at the NZ Music Commission, government funded charitable trust which was set up in 2001 to ‘grow’ the NZ popular music industry both internationally and domestically. She joined the NZMC after 17 years of teaching both Economics and Music in secondary (as well as working for some years as a Primary music specialist, ITM, private music teacher and accompanist). Stephanie believes a strong subject association is imperative for Music teachers to have a political voice, professional development opportunities and collaboration between music educational sectors to ensure all NZ students have access to quality music education.
Jennifer Moss Manawatu
Jennifer Moss is a musician, composer and educator with many years of experience. She has sung as a classical soprano with the Australian Opera, Sydney Symphony Orchestra and The Song Company. She wrote and performed the popular Baby Proms concerts with the Auckland Philharmonia and Vector Wellington Orchestra, and has won two ‘Tui’ awards for her children’s albums at the NZ Music Awards. Jennifer is currently the Music Specialist at Russell St School, a visiting Lecturer at Massey University, and works as a freelance music consultant for primary schools in Manawatu. She is President of Music Education Manawatu (Manawatu’s music education body), enjoys singing in the brilliant Manawatu Overtones and writing children’s books. Jennifer is committed to passing on her passion for music to others.
Julian Raphael Wellington
Julian has a passion for World Music, and is involved in Community Music Making around Wellington. He directs Global Vocal and Drum Circle workshops, teaches jazz choir and world music to students at the New Zealand School of Music and is leader of the Wellington Community Choir. He has published resources such as World Percussion in the Classroom, an inter-cultural resource for teachers, as part of his company Community Music Junction.
Celia Stewart, Canterbury
Celia has been involved in music education for many years as a primary and early childhood teacher, lecturer in Early Childhood at the Christchurch College of Education, primary music adviser in Canterbury with UC EdPlus at the University of Canterbury and National Facilitator in Primary Music for the Ministry of Education. She is currently a self-employed music educator and consultant whose most recent roles include managing the education programme for Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, an on-line facilitator for Arts Online and supporting schools in their music programmes. Celia is a flute player and is currently doing a Masters in Orff Schulwerk music education through Waikato University. She is married to a baker and has five grown-up kids, a naughty beagle, 6 cattle and 4 chooks to keep her busy in her spare time!
Maria Winder Auckland, Minutes Secretary
Maria is a trained classroom teacher and has worked as a music adviser to primary schools for the last 7 years, initially for Victoria University and now for TEAM Solutions at the University of Auckland. Maria is a trustee of the NZ Ukulele Festival Trust. Maria is an experienced choral singer and musical director. She has been a member of several of New Zealand’s leading choirs, including Tower Voices NZ, Auckland Chamber Choir, Viva Voce and Auckland Dorian Choir. Maria has conducted many school choirs and choral festivals. She is currently a musical director for the APPA Music Festival and The North Shore Children’s Choir.
MENZA Administrator
Bronwyn Pou Wellington
Kia ora Koutou, Ko Bronwyn Pou taku ingoa. Ko au te whaea o toru nga tamariki, Hannah, Isabelle rawa ko Thomas and a lovely husband, Kelvin. Kei te whanganui-a-Tara toku kainga. I began the administrator role for MENZA in February 2007. I enjoy this role particularly because of my interest in education and music for young people. In addition to this, I am a full time mother, and am the part-time office administrator for the local catholic primary school. I enjoy spending time with my family, coaching netball, reading, playing in the surf with whanau and singing.
About MENZA
