Our Teachers
Megan McCarthy
-Director-
Qualifications:
G.Dip Teaching (Secondary) Victoria University
Bachelor of Music (Performance and Music Education) University of Canterbury
Megan is our Karori Music Studio Director. She has worked as Head of Performing Arts at Naenae College, now as a Pastoral Dean, and is a professional Musician from Opera through to contemporary styles. Megan specializes as a professional Soprano alongside writing and recording her own original music. She has collaborated with local talent and is best known for her performance in the local scene under her project Megan McCarthy Band - Aka Rosé. Megan founded Wellington Musicians Network in school programme to support low decile schools and low income families to support access to music lessons for any child. Ask about how to become a member of our Angel investor programme to get in behind these local projects.
Caryl Stannard
Qualifications:
Bachelor of Music - French Horn performance (Victoria University)
Bachelor of Arts -Music History, Maths, English and Art History (Victoria University)
Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Secondary)
LTCL -French Horn (Trinity College London)
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Caryl has been working for the Ministry of Education for the last 18 years as an Itinerant music teacher.
She teaches Piano, French horn, Trumpet, Trombone, Singing, Flute and Recorder. She really enjoys teaching young people and especially seeing them reach their full potential on their chosen instrument. Her love of music expands to orchestral performance. She has played in many orchestras widely throughout New Zealand and in England. Caryl's students have had success at Excellence level NCEA study and Distinction with Trinity College of London examinations. Her teaching methods range from classical to contemporary with a student focussed approach to enjoyment of a wide variety of styles.
Sirisan Sirisan (Kwan)
Qualifications:
Masters of Music, Classical performance - Guitar (Victoria University/ New Zealand School of Music)
Bachelor of Music, Classical performance - Guitar (Mahidol University/ College of music, Thailand)
Sirisan (Kwan) teaches a variety of guitar music and specializes in finger-picking style, beginner-intermediate piano and music theory. His teaching methods are student focussed and includes a range of styles from classical through to pop/rock. Sirisan has a real talent for helping beginner learners unpack their skills to take on really satisfying pieces they will love.
Sirisan is originally from Thailand, moving to New Zealand to complete his Master's degree in Performance at the New Zealand School of Music (NZSM) under the guidance of Dr Jane Curry, Prof. Donald Maurice, and Owen Moriarty. He has performed widely throughout New Zealand and overseas, including Cuba Dupa and has recorded with Latin America CAPE. He has been awarded best performance of a New Zealand work from the Biennial New Zealand Classical Guitar Competition in 2020 and 2022. One of his collaborative pieces was with a New Zealand composer Jacob Barrett, both efforts won the Mathew Marshall prize for classical guitar composition in 2021 and 3rd prize for the Lilburn trust NZSM composers competition in 2021. Sirisan is currently studying towards his Doctorate at NZSM.
