I'm Kathryn
A New Zealand piano teacher, composer, and music educator, passionate about helping students discover their potential through music.
Based in Rotorua, I work in schools and specialise in teaching piano from my home studio in Springfield. I offer:
- Individual piano lessons
- A free online course to support Level 1 NCEA piano students studying Music 1.1
- An online learning programme to support Level 3 NCEA students studying AS 91421, Demonstrate Harmonic and Tonal Conventions in a range of music score
- Accompanying services to instrumentalists / vocalists periodically
I love helping students find enjoyment as they learn, while taking them to a level where they’re playing skillfully and able to participate in any area of music-making they choose—whether that's taking steps to pursue a professional career, playing in a local group, or simply sharing their music with family and friends for fun.
I bring over 30 years experience in Music Education to my teaching practice. Over my career I have worked as a Secondary Music Teacher, been a contractor to the Ministry of Education and NZQA and have held Head of Music Department roles. I’ve mentored several students who have won National Composition awards and have had the honour of working with young people who’ve gone on to do remarkable things in the music world. Past students include Celeste Oram, Claire Filer, Georgia Lines, Naomi Ludlow (Ny Oh), Anna Lee and Dominic Lee.
My own musical education is in classical piano and composition. I studied piano with Tamas Vesmas at Auckland University in the 1990s. I also pursued the study of composition, studying under John Rimmer, John Elmsly, Eve de Castro Robinson, David Hamilton, and John Psathas. Key achievements were having my piano composition selected to represent New Zealand at the 17th Asian Composers League Festival and Conference in Thailand, winning major prizes in the Lilburn Trust Composition Prize Concerts, and having my orchestral piece White Cat performed by the Auckland Philharmonia. During my time at Auckland University, I gained a BMus(Hons, 1st class), received the Hollinrake Memorial Scholarship for achieving the highest GPA across music papers in my year group, the Senior Music Prize and the Bishop Music Scholarship.
For the last ten years, I've loved being based in Rotorua, my home town. I am the accompanist for Heights Tira Waiata (Western Heights High School) and am a Trustee for Orchestras Central.
I've enjoyed concentrating my work on teaching piano and find it rewarding to see students achieve a level of playing that brings joy and confidence. I understand that learning the piano is not always easy, but that with the right support and encouragement students can make real progress, experience success and discover a love for music that will last a lifetime.
Ready to learn?
If you're interested in finding out more about piano lessons for yourself or your child, I'd love to hear fom you.