Kia ora tatou,
I am writing this ‘newsletter’ type blog post specifically for my students and those who are interested in studying creativity and music with me this year. I am organising myself a little differently in 2017.
I have some important dates at the bottom of this newsletter and a request for students whom I have worked with for some time.
I escaped from the University of Auckland in 2010 to run away with Awakening Circus which ended up taking me out of the country for several years. The last 3 or so years however I have settled into something of an uneasy truce with the city of cars : Auckland. I have a great studio there and many contacts who make my life fun and filled with special moments. Most of you know my magic tardis at the bottom of the garden in Te Atatu.
However this year I will be basing myself in Paekakariki, on the Kapiti Coast, to study Te Reo Maori at Te Whare Wananga o Aotearoa and to enjoy living in a different location with my friends: musician Matiu Te Huki and his whanau including Erica and baby Manuariki. We sing a lot together, we dance around the living room and have a lot of fun.
Skype lessons will continue, and for some of you this will be a valuable way to keep working regularly. I plan to commute to Auckland, and Thames at least once a month ( sometimes twice ) to teach and be with my family in Tamaki Makaurau.
I will also be taking group workshops again, YAY! I love group work – it’s heaps of fun as we can bounce off each other and also try out our new songs and working songs with each other.
I’d like to find the best ways to stay in touch with you all, perhaps a blog like this could work if you sign up to wordpress so you can make comments in the box below. Alternatively we could have a facebook group, or a traditional email – newsletter. There may be other ways to that you could tell me about.
Available ‘one to one’ lesson dates are below to show when I will be in the North. I will sort out a Google calendar ASAP ( The rest of the time I will be in the Kapiti area) :
- February 23rd – 26 – Thames
- February 26 – March 6th – Auckland
- March 13 – Thames
- March 27th – Auckland
- Marh 31st – April 3rd – Auckland
- April 2nd – Creativity and Music workshop – Soul Centre, Titirangi.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1832634080283477/ - April 14-16 Thames
- April 16 – 23 Auckland
Finally I have a request for those of you who I have known for a while – could you please write me a ‘testimonial’ for my teaching work? I’d love to be able to share with prospective clients what it is that student’s most like about my work and what sorts of benefits this work has been for you.
For example you might include some of the following :
How long have we been working together?
What was your original reason for coming to me?
What sorts of things we have done together?
What do you like best about my approach?
Have we worked together on Skype and how has it been to work in this way?
What benefit our work has been for you musically?
Have you noticed any additional benefits?
I’d also love to hear what you think I might be able to do better as your teacher 😉
Thank you. I value our time together and wish you all the best for a fabulous new cycle of growth in 2017.
arohanui
Karena
kāren hunter 