Performing Arts

Stephen has been a staple of the New Zealand jazz scene since his return to NZ in 2000 after spending a few years performing and studying music in Europe and the USA.

As an alto and soprano saxophone specialist, he has performed and recorded regularly with many of Auckland's leading jazz musicians. Stephen has performed at many national festivals and has been part of the headline acts several times at the annual Tauranga Jazz and Blues Festival.

A passionate educator, Stephen has managed music programmes and conducted a large range of ensembles at prestigious Auckland schools. He has a passion for musical theatre and believes that involvement in the arts is of great value to all students.

Driven by a desire to create better performance opportunities for secondary age students, in 2013 he founded the Auckland Jazz Competition in association with the Auckland Jazz and Blues Club and Pete McGregor Music.

Michael has been a teacher at St Peter’s since 2010. He is passionate about the integration of Music Technology with traditional music making mediums in the classroom and the opportunities this creates for students.

As a percussionist and drummer, Michael has performed in a wide range of groups, from orchestras through to rock bands. Alongside his classroom teaching, he has been involved in the creation of co-curricular groups such as Petra Uke (ukulele ensemble), Impact (senior percussion ensemble), and has grown the Prep Rock Band programme to encourage opportunities for younger students. In the past ten years he has been more involved in Musical Theatre for Hamilton Operatic Society and various other local groups.

He has a Bachelor of Media Arts in Commercial Music with Honours from WINTEC and a Graduate Diploma in Secondary Teaching from The University of Waikato.