South Island music educators are invited to a professional learning and development day for school ensemble directors on Dec. 1, 2026, at Otago Girls’ High School in Dunedin. Menza reported the information, noting that the Music Education Federation of Aotearoa, with support from MENZA, organized the event to help teachers establish, develop or refine school ensemble programs.
The training is designed for teachers of all experience levels, including full-time classroom teachers and itinerant instructors leading groups. The provisional program offers Jazz, Wind and Orchestral streams alongside General Ensemble Practice and a Foundations Hub, with sessions labeled Establishing, Developing and Refining to help educators select relevant learning for their schools.
Jazz sessions cover building functional programs and improvisation strategies. Wind sessions address starting bands, tone and balance, and repertoire selection. Orchestral sessions include score study, rehearsal mapping and intonation work. General sessions focus on sustaining programs, building independent student musicians and flex-band strategies for new groups.
Menza reported that the day centers on student musicianship, helping young people listen, understand rhythm and take ownership of their contributions. Previous attendees described the content as highly accessible and directly applicable to starting programs at their schools. The final schedule will be tailored based on expressed interest.
For more information, visit menza.co.nz.