“Budgets are always tight so we go to them and take all the gear with us.”
Around 20 schools across Ruapehu, South Taranaki, Whanganui and Rangitīkei onboard for term one next year.
All going to plan, Paul will be visiting Ngakonui Valley School.
It has 85 students and is located about 10 kilometres out of Taumarunui.
Principal Heather Dallas said it was an area that got “lost a little bit” regarding expert tuition.
“It’s a long way to come from Waikato and it’s a long way to come from Whanganui, especially with petrol being so expensive.
“You just don’t have access to specialist people. To get this offer, with minimal or no cost to us, is something we will grab with both hands.”
Students will make music in a rock band format and leave with a recording of a song they made together that day.
Dallas said it was great students had “something they can be proud of” to take home.
“This is something they wouldn’t normally have the chance to do.”
Paul said the initiative was aimed at 6 to 10-year-olds and he would spend a day at a time at each school.
“It’s going to be intense but judging by how pumped the Pātea kids were, it’s totally do-able.
“All of a sudden, they are in a rock band making music together and working up a song.
“Hopefully, we ignite something for the future.”
He has taught music for 14 years and completed a Bachelor of Music with first-class honours.
Outside education, he has played alongside members of the Black Seeds, Trinity Roots, the Phoenix Foundation, Bic Runga, Mara TK, Twinset, Sol3 Mio and James Morrison.
Raetihi Primary School principal Josie Hagger said some families didn’t have the money for private music lessons.
The school would welcome a visit from Paul, she said.
“When I first started teaching, music was part of your weekly curriculum but now it’s less. It seems to be drying up.
“We have a few learners here at school. One was playing the piano the other day and I had no idea he could. That came from watching ‘how-to’ lessons on YouTube.”
National Park School principal Melissa Brown said it was a struggle to attract teachers at the best of times, let alone those with a passion for music and the arts.
The school has 40 students.
What Paul was offering was “an amazing opportunity”, she said.
“At school there are 15 ukuleles, a piano, bucket drums, and the other day someone donated an electric guitar and and an amp.
“We’ve got the equipment but not necessarily the right people in our area to teach them.”
Ruapehu College band Out Of Order won this year’s Whanganui Smokefreerockquest competition.
“Some of our ex-students were part of that win,” Brown said.
“There is definitely some talent here and our children are passionate about music.”
Members of the public can support Community Music Aotearoa through its Givealittle page www.givealittle.co.nz/cause/communitymusicaotearoa.
Money raised will go towards a vehicle for the initiative.
Mike Tweed is an assistant news director and multi-media journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present, his focus is local government, primarily the Whanganui District Council.
