Sigma Alpha Iota

P A N P I P E S Summer 2020 9 T hey say music is a universal language. Truthfully, musicians know that while the system of notation is its own language, the terminology is straight out of Italy. But, as I soon learned, there are a few words that Americans use that differ from British English. In March of 2019, I started teaching for the New Zealand Modern School of Music (NZMSM). It is an organization that has its own system of teaching piano, guitar, ukulele, and recorder, as well as a few resources for drums and voice. It is a national group with 16 franchise-like areas. I specifically teach for a branch on the South Island in North Canterbury, very close to where I live. Somehow, in between learning piano at the age of five and earning my degree, and then teaching elementary music for two years, I missed the fact that there were other words for basic musical terms. In New Zealand (and as I later learned every other English speaking country in the Commonwealth countries— former and current British colonies), a quarter note is called a crotchet. A half note is called a minim, a whole note is a semibreve (I still don't know if I pronounce it right), and an eighth note is a quaver. Once I learned the last one, QuaverMusic made much more sense to me. Besides terminology, there are a few key differences between teaching music here in New Zealand versus in the United States. In New Zealand, the requirement for teachers is a bit different than in America. I earned my bachelor's degree in music education at the University of Kentucky. With that degree, I can teach pre-K through 12th grade music... in the United States. Here, teachers get a degree in education and then specialize, a bit like what middle and high school teachers do, where they get a degree to teach secondary science or math or English. So, if I wanted to teach music in schools like I did in the U.S, I would have had to go back to college for a few years, take more education classes, and then basically minor in music. Since that option didn't really appeal to me, I took a different approach. While NZMSM has a system of teaching certain instruments, the areas offer private lessons for all instruments and employ qualified teachers all over the country. Not all of them have a degree in music like I do, but before you can teach for them, you have to pass a theory exam. For someone like me who is not the greatest at theory, it took a bit of studying to brush up on some concepts (and to learn the new terms I didn't know before). My first term of teaching with them (a 9-week period), I had eight students over six instruments: two flutes, a clarinet, a recorder, a saxophone, a trumpet, and two pianos. I taught students in their homes and in two different schools. Aer that term, I slowly added more students. In October of 2019, I purchased the North Canterbury branch of the school. I still teach, but now I also manage the other eight teachers in the area. I support them, distribute students to them, plan recital opportunities, and provide materials and exams. Aer just over a year of starting here, as well as managing the teachers, I teach almost 50 individual students and direct three children's choirs across seven schools. You might be wondering how I could obtain so many students, as there are only about five million people in New Zealand and plenty of teachers across the country. In New Zealand, the primary schools (elementary) do not employ music teachers. (ey do not employ art or PE teachers, either.) e grade-level classroom teachers are expected to give students a well-rounded education that includes one term of music, one term of art, etc. is leaves a huge opportunity for people who can teach multiple instruments or even just one (there is a great demand for piano lessons). NEW ZEALAND continued on page 13 MUSIC EDUCATION Teaching Music in New Zealand

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