Leah Munroe
Director- M.Mus, LRSM, LTCL
Leah has over 15 years experience teaching flute, piano and music theory at all levels with high standards of excellence. In addition to private teaching, she conducts for the award-winning North Shore Winds. Leah uses a practical, down‐to‐earth approach to teaching and learning, and she encourages a high level of personal responsibility in her students. Her students have been accepted to study at Auckland University, Victoria University (Wellington), Waikato University, Melbourne University and the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.
Leah studied at The University of Auckland, completing a Masters degree in Flute performance under Luca Manghi in 2014. She has performed with many orchestras as a freelance artist and engages regularly as a session musician and exam accompanist.
She is also an active composer and arranger, receiving several commissions for orchestral work and film and is the author of the popular Marimba Mix series.
Instruments taught: Flute, Piano, Piccolo, Recorder,
Kent Isomura
M.Mus
Kent Isomura holds a Master of Music with First Class Honours in Piano Performance at the University of Auckland under the guidance of Stephen De Pledge.
Kent has been a prize winner in numerous competitions including the prestigious Auckland Gala Concerto Competition (3rd Prize), Christchurch National Concerto Competition 2015 (2nd Prize), 2013 (3rd Prize), and Semi Finalist in the Malta International Music Competition.
As a collaborative pianist, Kent has performed with world renowned artists such as Alexander Gebert (Germany) and Martin Rummel (Austria). Kent Performed the Schubert Arpeggione Sonata with cellist Alexander Gebert (Prof. at Hochschule für Musik Detmold) at the International Akaroa Music Festival. In 2011, Kent collaborated with Cellist Martin Rummel, performing in the ‘Sofia Gubaidulina Festival’ which they received an outstanding review for their performance of Shostakovich’s Sonata in D minor. Kent collaborated once again with Martin Rummel for two occasions in 2013, in the Popper Centenary Concert and The University of Auckland Fermata Series performing some of the unexplored works of David Popper.
In 2015, Kent was chosen as one of four pianists to participate for the inaugural collaborative piano fellowship for the prestigious Heifetz International Music Institute in United States. Kent Received coachings from world renowned artists such as Timothy Eddy (Juilliard School/Orion String Quartet), Atar Arad (Indiana University Violist), Steven Doane (Eastman School of Music Professor of Cello), Hagai Shaham (Tel Aviv University), Lawrence Dutton (Emerson String Quartet Violist), Patinka Kopec and Nobuko Imai.
Kent has had concerto appearances with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, University of Auckland Symphony Orchestra. In 2017, Kent along with his brother/violinist Shauno (together known as the Isomura Brothers) embarked on a national concert tour with a special instrument the 'Tsunami Violin', which was made in remembrance of the deceased and hopes for the survivors of the 2011 Japan Tsunami & Earthquake. The concert at the Auckland Town Hall Concert Chamber was performed to a full house audience. Isomura Brothers had the privilege to tour with this special instrument for the first time in New Zealand.
Kent is currently the staff piano accompanist at the University of Auckland School of Music.
Instruments taught: Piano
Hye-Won Suh
M.Mus
Hye-Won Suh is a South Korean-born flutist of New Zealand. She gained her Master of Music degree from the University of Auckland under the tutelage of Professor Uwe Grodd before she moved to Boston to study a Graduate Diploma at the New England Conservatory of Music with Ms. Elizabeth Rowe (Principal Flute- Boston Symphony Orchestra).
Hye-Won has gained success in competitions including winning the KBB New Zealand Woodwind Competition, the Tauranga Performing Arts Competition, and was the youngest of four finalists at the Australian Flute Competition held in Canberra. She was the runner-up in the University of Auckland Concerto Gala Competition 2014, performing the Ibert Flute Concerto with the University of Auckland Orchestra in the Auckland Town Hall. Hye-Won was a recipient of the Alex Lindsay Award and was a fellowship student of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra with Principal Flutist, Bridget Douglas. She has performed in masterclasses with internationally acclaimed flutists including Marina Piccinini, Amy Porter, Eric Lamb, Bart Feller, Michel Bellavance, Lisa-Maree Amos, Peter Sheridan, and Robert Aitken. She has been principal flute of the Auckland Youth Orchestra, the University of Auckland Orchestra, St. Matthews Orchestra, the NZSO National Youth Orchestra, and the New England Conservatory Philharmonia.
During her study at the University of Auckland, Hye-Won received numerous scholarships including the Anne Bellam Scholarship, John Baros Scholarship, and the Vice Chancellor’s Arts Support Fund from the University of Auckland to assist her study. She was also the recipient of the AIMES Music Award in 2014 which enabled her to travel around United States for her auditions.
Hye-Won has been teaching for over a decade and her students have gained distinctions in both ABRSM and Trinity Grade exams in flute and theory. She loves working with young students and is a passionate teacher in both solo and ensemble playing.
Instruments taught: Flute
Elizabeth Mandeno
MA
Elizabeth Mandeno is a 2017 Freemasons NZ Opera Artist. She has a BMus (Hons) in Classical Voice Performance with First Class Honours and a BA in Italian language and literature from the University of Auckland. In 2013-14, she was a Freemasons Dame Malvina Major Emerging Artist with NZ Opera, where she understudied mainstage roles as well as touring schools and mentoring young singers as part of the company’s education programme.
In 2015-16 she studied at the Wales International Academy of Voice under the tutelage of Dennis O’Neill and Nuccia Focile, receiving a MA (Distinction) in Advanced Vocal Studies. Elizabeth has extensive experience in both stage and concert performance, and regularly performs as a soloist with national and local opera companies, choirs and orchestras.
Instruments taught: Voice
Natasha Port
B.Mus (Hons), DipABRSM
Natasha has been playing the bassoon for 14 years and recently graduated from the University of Auckland with an honours degree in performance music.
Throughout her years of study Natasha has had the opportunity to do some part-time relief teaching as well as taking on a senior/tutoring role in several musical groups, some of which include the National Youth Symphonic Winds and the North Shore Youth Symphonic Wind Band. Natasha has also recently completed a four-year apprenticeship as a brass and woodwind instrument repair technician and is currently a full time technician at ABI Music.
In addition to her studies and work with ABI Music, Natasha has a wide range of orchestral and ensemble experience. She has played in temporary positions with the Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra, and Hamilton’s Opus Orchestra, as well as being a regular performer with Orchestras such as the Wairua Symphonietta, Auckland Youth Orchestra and the NZSO National Youth Orchestra.
Natasha is excited to be a member of Scherzo, and is looking forward to introducing the many challenges and rewards of the bassoon to her students.
Instruments taught: Bassoon
Yuhka Nagai
MA, PGAD, LRAM
A native of Japan, Violinist; Yuhka Nagai graduated in 2014 with an MA in Performance whilst under the tutorship of Professor Mayumi Fujikawa at the Royal Academy of Music, London where she also achieved an LRAM teaching qualification.
In 2016 she gained a Postgraduate Artists Diploma in Performance from the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance also in London. She was the recipient of Violet Wright (2014/15) and Alan Niekirk (2015/16) scholarships and completed an Independent Study Programme where she took music teaching study classes.
Earlier, in Japan she completed a MA Music degree (2010) from the Musashino Academia Musicae in Tokyo and obtained a teaching qualification that permitted her to pursue her passion for teaching at local high schools as a music teacher when she was a master student.
During the period from 2007 to 2010, Yuhka was selected as leader of the Musashino Academia Symphony Orchestra. She was also an active solo and chamber musician and in 2010 at the 1st Memorial Tokyo Art Chamber Music Competition, she was a member of the Piano Quartet; “Blüte,” that won third prize.
In London, Yuhka had been a member of a variety of chamber music ensembles. She was violinist in the Kodo String Quartet that was selected for mentorship under the Caducci and Wihan String Quartets. This mentorship led to their selection for participate in the Richard Carne Intercollegiate String Quartet Competition 2015.
Yuhka learnt different approaches to improving musical performance/ teaching through mental training with Dr. Shuichi Tsuji and the Alexander Technique with John Crawford.
Followed on from her studies in London, Yuhka moved to New Zealand in July 2017 where she has completed Manchester fellowship program with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra (APO) and has continued working with the APO as a contractor.
She has performed at the Akaroa Music Festival in 2018 and since then she has been teaching at the Pettman National Junior Academy at the University of Auckland. Yuhka is also interested in performing early music and has been studying with Miranda Hutton from NZBarok.
She also studied Viola for a year with Richard Crabtree in London which led her to play with Devonport Chamber Orchestra as a violist and teaches both violin and viola.
Instruments taught: Violin, Viola
Felicity Than
M.Mus, ATCL
Felicity has over 15 years experience teaching piano, oboe, clarinet, and recorder. Growing up in a musical family, music has always been a part of her life and Felicity continues to enjoy sharing her love of music with the students she now teaches of various ages and stages. Felicity has been teaching the oboe, clarinet, recorder, and piano privately and at various schools around Auckland including St Kentigern College, Mt Albert Grammar, Westminster Christian School, and Milford Primary School. Felicity has had a number of students receive distinctions for their music exams and is committed to helping her students in their overall development as a musician.
Felicity studied at the University of Auckland, completing her Masters of Music in performance oboe, under Martin Lee in 2018. She received her ATCL diploma in Piano performance in 2007. She has performed as a freelance oboist with many orchestras around New Zealand including the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Opus Orchestra, Dunedin Symphony Orchestra, and Christchurch Symphony Orchestra as well as various smaller groups. She continues to maintain a busy performance schedule with different groups around the Auckland region and beyond as well as accompanying her students for their exams.
Instruments taught: Oboe, Piano, Clarinet, Recorder
Yvonne Wang
Yvonne started learning music at the age of 6 by just playing the piano back in Taiwan. When moving here she continued with her music, and also adding violin to her list. From middle school is when she found that she really loved playing the clarinet and has been playing for 6 years, achieving a Grade 8 distinction for ABRSM.
She's in her last year of high school, and is attending Rangitoto College. She participates in bands and orchestras held by the school and has earned both gold and silver at KBB. In 2017, Rangitoto Concert Band travelled to Hawaii for the Pacific Basin Music Festival and earned a silver.
She really loves the clarinet and would love to be able to share her passion of music to others so that they can also feel the joy of being able to make music at their fingertips.
Instruments taught: Clarinet
Ashleigh Fraser
B.Mus (Hons)
Ashleigh Fraser is a classical flute player who recently completed her BMUS in classical flute performance at the University of Waikato, graduating with First Class Honours in 2022. She is now busy studying towards her Masters in Flute Performance. Music has been a passion of Ashleigh's from a young age. She has achieved highly as a soloist and collaborative musician, and has been recognised by the University of Waikato for her achievements, receiving two University of Waikato Blues Awards and the Norah Howell Music Award. Notably, Ashleigh was selected to play with the NZSO National Youth Orchestra in 2020 and 2021.
Ashleigh has over five years of experience teaching students of all ages, both in group and private settings. She believes that musical education plays an essential role in development and is excited to share her love of music with aspiring musicians
Instruments taught: Flute, Recorder
Wey Jynn Thoo
DipABRSM
Wey Jynn started playing the piano in 2007 and has achieved several ABRSM examinations, most recently passing her DipABRSM exam with Distinction.
She has been involved in a number of school orchestras and chamber music groups, playing both the piano and violin. In particular, she was a semi-finalist at the NZCT Chamber Music Contest 2018, as part of an eight-hands piano ensemble. As a member of the Rangitoto College Orchestra, she also travelled to Hawaii for the 2017 Pacific Basin Music Festival where the group gained a silver award.
In addition to the piano, she began learning the violin in 2015 and has since passed ABRSM Grade 7. She is also now aiming for an ATCL diploma on the violin.
Wey Jynn believes that music has the ability to connect people of all backgrounds and hopes to spread her love of music through teaching.
Instruments taught: Piano
Jonathan Lau
Jonathan is a dedicated and enthusiastic piano teacher with a passion for music education. His qualifications speak to his love for music, having achieved a Grade 8 certification in each from ABRSM in both piano performance and music theory. His interest in the music field lies in composition, being the winner of the 2020 APO Secondary School Composition competition. He is currently in his second year of a Bachelor of Music majoring in composition at the University of Auckland, and is committed to advancing his knowledge in music.
Also a confident performer, Jonathan currently is a percussionist for the North Shore Winds and occasionally for the Auckland Symphony Orchestra.
Jonathan is passionate about providing his students with the tools and resources they need to succeed, including technical skills, music theory, and a strong foundation in musicality. He strives to instill in his students a lifelong love of music and the skills they need to become confident and capable musicians.
Instruments taught: Piano
Tahee Kim
MMus, Master of Teaching and Learning
Korean-Kiwi Cellist Tahee Kim, an alumni of the Pettman National Junior Academy and the University of Auckland, holds a Masters in Music Cello performance and a Masters of Teaching and Learning in Education. Tahee has performed and participated in various solo, chamber and orchestral collaborations with international artists; such as Clio Gould, Torleif Thedéen, Robert Cohen and more.
Over the years she was invited to play with artists at the Het Loo Palace in Apeeldoorn, Netheralnds alongside Philippe Graffin and Martti Rousi. Her Trio won the Royal Overseas League (ROSL) Arts Chamber Music Scholarship, where they were invited to perform in festivals and concert halls across the United Kingdom. While she studied at the University of Auckland she was a recipient of multiple scholarships in 2016,2017,2018, 2019 and 2020, with her trio winning the Auckland Chamber Music Society competition in 2018 and her quartet in 2019.
She was also awarded the University’s Donny Charitable Trust travelling scholarship where she was given the opportunity to experience music and perform in Germany.
Tahee currently works with the APO and ACG Parnell and hopes to engage the next generation in great music making.
Instruments taught: Cello
Alexander Pilchen
M.Mus
Alexander Pilchen has been teaching since 2014, as a private teacher and at the state music school in Konstanz, Germany.
He graduated from the Moscow P. I. Tchaikovsky Conservatory in 2012 and went on to study at the Music Conservatory at UiT Tromsø (Norway), from which he then graduated with a Master of Music in violin. From 2014 to 2016 he studied at HFM Trossingen (Germany) in the class of Professor Anton Steck, where he received a second Master of Music (Concertmaster of Baroque Orchestra).
In 2015, he co-founded the Werther Quartett, a string quartet that plays music on historical instruments from late Baroque to Romanticism. With this quartet, Alexander won the 2nd prize at the international competition Gebrüder-Graun-Preis (Bad-Liebenwerda, Germany) in 2016, and in 2017 the 1st prize at the international Iris Marquardt competition (Trossingen, Germany).
Alexander has performed with many orchestras including regular performances with the Moscow Ensemble "Academy of Ancient Music" under the direction of Russian violinist Tatyana Grindenko. He has played in various European baroque orchestras, such as "Bern Consort" (Switzerland), "Das Neue Orchester" (Köln, Germany), "Sinfonia Concertata" and "Bremen Baroque" (Germany). He has given masterclasses in Kaohsiung, Taiwan and at the LNMA named after M. Lysenko, Ukraine.
He is an active composer and is currently studying towards a master of composition with Professors Markus Hechtle and Wolfgang Rihm.
Instruments taught: Violin, Piano, Guitar