More info

All of the lessons are half an hour in duration and are taught during class time on a rotating timetable. Lessons begin in February and finish in November. 

Because the school pays for the students tuition fees the students do have some obligations to the College if they choose to enrol in these classes.

These obligations are:

• To attend all scheduled lessons from February through to November unless the student has a scheduled internal assessment or is absent from school for a valid reason ie. illness, bereavement, school trip.
• To advise the College in advance or on the day if they are unable to attend a lesson for any reason. The message needs to include the name of the itinerant teacher and the reason for the absence.
  This can be done by:
  - phoning the College Office and leaving a message for Miss Geor or
  - emailing [email protected]
• To rehearse the set music between lessons.
• To bring their instrument and music to each lesson.
• To catch up on any subject work that is missed.
• To leave and return to subject classes in a timely manner.

Missed and wasted lessons are a cost to the school and in keeping with our school values of participation, respect and pride we want to emphasise the importance we place on students meeting the terms of the contract. Students who repeatedly do not attend lessons or do not notify the school Music Department of their absence will lose their place in the system.

To enrol in the free lessons please complete the on-line Itinerant Lesson Enrolment Form and Contract on the school website and then pay the itinerant lesson fee/s ($20 per instrument) into your child's school account at the same time.

To enrol in singing or individual piano lessons,please complete the on-line Itinerant Lesson Enrolment Form and Contract on the school website, but you do not need to pay any money. You will be sent an invoice for the term at the first lesson in each term. The payment should be paid directly to the student’s teacher at or before their second lesson in each term.

Applications close on February 9th, 2024.

If you do not have access to the internet, an enrolment form can be collected from the Music Department and returned after it is signed and the fee paid.
Lesson timetables will be shared with the students via Google Classroom in the week of February 12th- 16th, and lessons will begin that week.

The school is able to organise rental instruments should you require them. Instrument rental from the school varies between $80.00 -$180.00 per year depending on the instrument. Instruments can also be rented from private companies such as KBB Music, Auckland Band Instruments, Rockshop, Musicworks and Shearers Music.

Should you require any more information about the Itinerant Instrumental Tuition programme please email ([email protected]) or phone Miss Geor at the College. Please also contact her if you are having difficulties meeting the payment deadlines. There are systems in place to support students with this.

More info about Music Groups

Bangers and Smash and Flying Sticks Percussion Ensemble

There are currently two percussion ensembles running at lunch breaks - one for more experienced musicians and another for those that are new to the art form. Any student who can read music and likes the idea of artistically banging and crashing their way through their lunch hour is welcome to apply for a place in these groups.

Big Band

The Big Band is a prestigious jazz group at TGC that has been running for over 20 years. The group is composed of brass, saxes and a rhythm section. Historically, the group has done extremely well on a national level, even taking out the award for the best big band in the country back in 2011!

Chamber Music

Small ensembles of between 3 - 9 instrumental players of similar experience are formed each year. The range of music played by these groups varies widely depending on each groups preferences and the skill of its members. These groups rehearse once a week at various times and perform at school concerts and community events. The chamber groups often compete in the regional competitions and over the years have accumulated an impressive collection of awards.

Choir

The choir is a great group for beginners in singing who are looking to improve their vocal technique or even singers who are just starting their singing journey. If you want to get into singing this is the group you! You decide what songs you want to sing as a group so you will always be singing something you are interested in no matter what genre it is.

Funk Band

The Funk band is similar to the rock bands except that they play music which is a merge of jazz, soul, r ‘n’ b and rock. If you are a singer, guitarist, drummer, keyboard player or bass guitarist who visualises themself as NZ's own Stevie Wonder or James Brown, then this might be the place where you find your groove.

Jazz Combo

The jazz combo is a small 5 piece group. The instruments included in this group vary from year to year depending on the skills and interest of the students involved. The current group is composed of a vibraphone, guitar, bass, drums and a vocalist. This group performs a range of pieces within the jazz realm from the classics to the hits. This group has done extremely well in the past couple of years, winning many titles at the national youth jazz competition including the award for the best jazz combo in New Zealand.

Luminosa Armonia Chorale

The Luminosa Armonia Chorale is a high caliber choir of around 35-40 singers. The group learns a large repertoire of songs, often involving foreign languages and its singers are dedicated to developing an advanced level of vocal technique and musical skill. The chorale annually competes in the WBOP regional Big Sing competition where it often features amongst the recipients of the days top awards. The chorale has also travelled overseas several times to compete internationally and has come away with Gold awards on each occasion. The last trip was to Sydney in 2016 where the group had the honour of performing at the Sydney Opera House.

Production Band

Each year Tauranga Boys' and Girls' Colleges combine to produce a stage production. A student band supported by professional musicians accompanies the acting, singing and dancing in each production. The instruments required changes depending on the choice of production. Sitting alongside professional musicians is a fabulous way to learn the art of playing as a pit musician. If you are a proficient instrumental player and you would like to be part of the pit orchestra, make yourself known to the music staff.

Rockbands

Whether you’re a singer, guitarist, drummer, keyboardist or bassist, there is a place for you in a TGC rock band! Each band is entirely unique and performs a wide range of songs of their own choosing. The bands have the opportunity to compete at the annual rock fest alongside other rock bands in Tauranga which is a yearly highlight. TGC bands have taken out some top awards in the past and hopefully will continue to do so!

Sax Combo

The saxophone combo is a small group made up entirely out of saxophones with a rhythm section backing. The group is known for their funky and groovy sound that is not traditionally seen on stage. The combo performs in local concerts and competes at annual regional competitions where they have done extremely well. If you have been learning sax for a few years then check this group out.

String Ensemble

A small group of the schools string players meet once a week after school to hone their musical skills and enjoy the experience of playing together. Senior students support the up and coming violinists, viola players and cellists as they learn a variety of music and prepare for concerts and festivals. Many of these students go on to play in the school shows or community and youth orchestras.

Symphonic Band

The symphonic band is a distinguished group at TGC, made up of musicians who play a large range of orchestral instruments. This group is the largest of the music groups at TGC, and can be seen at concerts and competitions playing classical pieces, movie soundtracks and show stoppers as well as modern pieces. This group consistently excels at competitions and often compete at national level.

The LBD’s (Senior Contemporary Choir)

Named after their performing uniform, the LBD’s is Tauranga Girls' Colleges answer to Glee! This show choir is made up of 12 senior singers who perform contemporary and musical theatre songs. Backed up by a live band, this choir incorporates the same high level technique as the Chorale but also involves choreography. This group is a favourite amongst audiences. The LBD's annually compete at regional competitions and at community concerts and like the Chorale, they have a long string of awards to their credit.

Tonal Eclipse (Junior Contemporary Choir)

Tonal Eclipse is the junior school's answer to the LBD’s. Like the senior group it is composed of 12 singers accompanied by a live band, who focus on musical theatre and contemporary pieces. The group serves as a training ground for junior students who are looking to learn vocal technique and improve their singing ability but want to sing in a more contemporary style.