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Shirley District Music School

From its base at Shirley Intermediate School, the Shirley District Music School (SDMS) has served primary school students in the Shirley community for over 45 years. Core funding, covering tutors' remuneration, is  provided by the Ministry of Education. In 2001 SDMS was reconstituted as a trust with a new board providing direction.   Janet Simon is the Director of SDMS.  
The contributing schools to SDMS are:  
Banks Avenue, St. Francis of Assisi, Marshland School, Waitākiri Primary, Mairehau Primary, Shirley Primary and Shirley Intermediate. Students from other schools may also participate but are charged an extra fee. 
Shirley Intermediate School (SIS) acts as host school for most lessons, concert venue and for administrative purposes. It provides SDMS with a dedicated music teaching studio.

Enrolments are now open for 2020

Please see below for enrolment information and how to register online for 2020.
Enrolments close on 21 February 2020.

Enrolments are closed for keyboard, piano, guitar, violin, percussion/drums.

There is still room for tuition in viola, cello, double bass, cornet, trumpet, trombone, flute, clarinet, saxophone, recorder. If you wish to enrol in any of these please do so this week as classes start next week.

Tuition

SDMS offers tuition for children from year 2-8 on a range of instruments:    
  • Strings: violin, viola, cello, double bass 
  • Brass: cornet, trumpet, trombone 
  • Woodwind: flute, clarinet, saxophone, recorder 
  • Other: guitar, piano/keyboard, percussion/drums
Some instruments are not appropriate for smaller children. Check with SDMS director first. 
Lessons take place in small groups of 2-6 students for 20-30 minutes per week (sometimes individual 10 minute lessons when appropriate) with qualified and experienced instrument tutors. Some lessons may occur during school time at different primary schools depending on the availability of the instrument tutor and a minimum enrolment number at the school. Otherwise, students are expected to attend lessons in assigned rooms at SIS. Most of these classes are after school.
Performance Ensemble
Thursdays 3.30 - 4.30pm at Shirley Intermediate School
Free for enrolled students. SDMS students learning an orchestral instrument are expected to participate after a year of tuition or in consultation with the SDMS director and their tutor. Parents will be contacted.
Music Theory
Wednesdays 3.30 - 4.30pm at Shirley Intermediate School
Free for enrolled Year 5 - 8 students. Students will work independently and in groups.
Concerts
Performances and concerts are an important part of learning an instrument. SDMS provides performing opportunities as they arise, including the End of Year Concert and Area Music Festival. 

Costs

Instrument Hire 
SDMS subsidises 25% of the cost of the instrument hire from Sedley Wells for brass and woodwind. Other instruments are hired out from SDMS. Fees differ from instrument to instrument but range from $150 to $320 (saxophone) for the school year. Read the SDMS information 2020 file for more details about the specific cost for each instrument. This can also be downloaded from the Links module on this page.
Resources fee: The resources fees are set each year by the Trust Board. They are: 

Full Year
  • $180 for first year with SDMS on an instrument (includes tutor book) 
  • $150 for returning SDMS students on the same instrument

Community Service card - 20% discount
  • $144 - (first year with SDMS)
  • $120 - (returning students)
Ensembles
These are free to students enrolled in SDMS. Students need to have been learning for at least one year unless recommended by a Tutor.

Enrolment and Payment of Fees

Payment of fees
Full fees must accompany the enrolment. Please pay online by direct credit to our bank account 03-1700-0180043-00 with your child’s initial and surname as the reference. If this isn’t possible, please come into the Shirley Intermediate School office where you can pay by EFT-POS or cash.
Please read/save the SDMS information 2020 file first and the instrument information file.

Please CLICK HERE to register online.

Enrolments close on 21 February 2020. Classes commence about the beginning of March and finish at the end of November. SDMS advertises in participating schools' newsletters. More information is available from the participating schools, Shirley Intermediate and the SDMS Director.

Host School

Shirley Intermediate School
Cnr North Parade & Shirley Rd
PO Box 27-028, Christchurch 8640
Phone: 385 2229
Fax: 385 2335