Study Music at SIT

The Bachelor of Contemporary Music has been designed to prepare you for a professional career within the contemporary music sector.  Six practical studies papers are at the heart of the degree, and give you the option of specialising in any one of keyboards, electric guitar, bass guitar, voice, drums or singer songwriter.

These specialist papers are threaded through each year of the programme, supplemented by a number of other papers which give you insights into related areas of the contemporary music industry. These papers include world music perspectives, introduction to music technology, contemporary music theory, popular music since 1940, songwriting, music industry, music industry studies and contemporary style analysis.  A feature of the third year is an extended project, which enables you to undertake detailed investigation into a topic or area within the field of contemporary music.

SIT also offers students the opportunity to complete a double degree in the Bachelor of Audio Production and Bachelor of Contemporary Music after four years full time study. Graduates from this pathway of study will be well rounded musicians and sound engineers. They will be well versed in high quality studio recording and live sound work as well as having skills to pursue a career as performers or specialised instrumental teachers.

• Specialise in keyboard, electric guitar, bass guitar, drums, singer/songwriter or voice.
• Access to high quality instruments, equipment, studios and two performance theatres (both equipped with state-of-the-art audio equipment)
• Strong music theory and practical components, with a broad base of industry studies
• Students are provided weekly performance opportunities - a great way to hone skills and develop stage presence
• Complete a double degree in Audio Production and Contemporary Music in just 4 years!

The Graduate Diploma and Certificate in Contemporary Music are for students who already have a degree or similar qualification, but who are wanting to gain a further qualification in music.
Entry is by audition and students should already have some competence in reading musical notation.

This is an opportunity for students to develop further skills in contemporary performance, songwriting, or music education. An individual programme of study can be selected to suit each applicant’s needs.

Sally is Academic Leader for the Bachelor of Contemporary Music and Bachelor of Audio Production degrees at SIT and holds a PhD from the University of Otago in ethnomusicology and music education. Her primary focus in 2014 related to an initiative in the School of Music known as ‘Mix-Up Week’. ‘When I worked on the Committed Learners Project a few years ago it really made me think about the importance of engaging students right from the start of their studies,’ Sally explains.

Sally’s research involved an evaluation of ‘Mix-Up Week’ drawing on interviews with a small number of students from each year of the Bachelor of Contemporary Music programme. The interviews were carried out by a research assistant, who asked the students questions such as if the activities of ‘Mix-Up Week’ made them feel connected to the School of Music, and which activities were the best for getting to know the other students. The two activities that had the biggest impact on the engagement of the students were the staging of a Flash Mob and creating bands that mixed students from different years together to perform at the regular Friday concert. ‘They were also asked if they had any suggestions for future ‘”Mix-Up Weeks”,’ says Sally. ‘They had some really great ideas which we have been able to incorporate into our plans for 2015.’

Sally is also a published composer and 2014 saw her writing some short pieces for solo instruments and piano accompaniment. ‘I noticed that my children were struggling to find pieces to play in the local competitions for the New Zealand composer section,’ says Sally. ‘So I realised there was an opportunity here to write some music for instruments such as cornet and saxophone for students to play in this category.’ Songs from her previously written musicals were used as the basis for these new pieces. ‘I used melodies from some of my favourite songs I have written over the years and rearranged and rewrote them to suit the new context and the range and timbre of the particular instrument I was writing for. I also altered the piano accompaniment to suit the new context.’

Three instrumental pieces were completed in 2014 and named after the young performers they were composed for. ‘Finn’s News’ for tenor sax and piano, ‘Florence’s Nightlight’ for cornet and piano, and ‘Pirate Jack’ for trombone and piano were published by SOUNZ (Centre for New Zealand Music) and have all been performed on many occasions such as the Invercargill competitions and for NCEA assessments. Sally intends to write more such pieces in 2015 and has plans to get her compositions for solo brass instruments performed at the provincial and national brass band contests.

Each year the Bachelor of Contemporary Music Year 2 students join the Bachelor of Audio Production Year 1 students to put together the live performance Epic Jam. Jason Sagmyr examines the value to student engagement in this project-based assessment.

Jason teaches on the Bachelor of Contemporary Music and Audio Production programmes. He is responsible for teaching first year ensemble, singer songwriter classes and music industry papers in both programmes. In 2012 Jason combined his research and teaching interests and designed a research study that would focus on Epic Jam, a concert organised and run by year one and two students on the Audio Production and Music programmes. Jason felt that while the concert provided valuable, real-world learning opportunities for the students, the process of putting the show together proved emotionally demanding for some students. ‘I had students bursting into tears in my office, so I needed to know there was valuable learning involved, and I wasn’t being too demanding,’ Jason explains.

Epic Jam is a two-hour show of original music. The Music students take responsibility for organising and structuring the concert, which also acts as a fundraiser for a local charity of the students’ choice. They organise who will play, resolve artists’ logistical issues, organise the venue, attract sponsorship, promote the gig and oversee any financial aspects. The Audio students are responsible for the live sound, lighting, stage layout, stage safety and any other technical aspects of running of the show. The students must work together to make the event happen. The concert itself is not assessed but the process and the learning that occurs throughout it forms a major element of the students’ assessments for the BCM200 Music Industry Studies and BAP120 Music Industry papers.

Jason’s research grew out of his own enjoyment of teaching the industry papers as Epic Jam is one of the highlights of the year for him. The assessment is designed to allow students to develop the key skills they need to attract work in the music industry. ‘It is always a challenge but I enjoy seeing the students working through the processes of putting the show together,’ says Jason. ‘The research context allowed me to assess the process from a teaching point of view and it gave me the opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of the assessment.’

The results show that the project is a useful and pertinent piece of assessment. ‘I found out that the assessment does work,’ says Jason, and that it does equip students to step into various employment roles.’ Jason’s methodology used both questionnaires and focus groups. Students were asked if the project based assessment of Epic Jam had provided them with learning opportunities not normally found in a classroom environment. Some of the comments from the students were: ‘what you learn sticks, rather than talking about doing,’ and that it was a ‘test of initiative’. Some of the results were rather mixed, with both positive and negative responses to the question of whether the assessment had allowed them to become more involved in their own learning. One student said that it was easy to be passive if you weren’t actively doing something, while another response was that self-direction enabled learning.

Jason is excited at the prospects of incorporating the results of his research directly into his teaching. ‘I will be able to apply the findings to my teaching practice when I next teach the industry papers,’ he explains. He is planning to incorporate a lecture on group management techniques into the course outline, as this was an area highlighted in the research as one where the students lacked knowledge and understanding. ‘What also came through in the results is that I need to set clearer boundaries for the students on where their responsibility for the Epic Jam concert lies and where my teaching responsibility starts.’

Jason presented his findings in a presentation at the SIT Staff Research Symposium and the National Tertiary Learning and Teaching Conference in 2013.

• Sagmyr, J. (2013). Are we having fun yet? ‘Six minute solution’ presentation at the National Tertiary Teaching and Learning Conference, Invercargill, New Zealand.

Antonio is an Ex Music and Audio Graduate from SIT that left Southland to pursue his career as a drummer and working musician, which led onto and included  progressive touring, both nationally and internationally as well as recording with numerous outfits and bands along the way. Throughout the years away he also attained a Post Graduate Diploma in Education at the University of Otago and has been combining  his passions for music, education and teaching ever since. "It's a pleasure to be back at SIT and I feel privileged to be standing now as the teacher to what I was once a student of. I hope I can be as much of a knowledgeable and positive influence as my tutors were onto me."

Dhanesh is a multi-instrumentalist from Dunedin who has performed in many bands throughout his years studying music and teaching in Wellington. With a background in music education through various music academies and private tuition facilities, along with years of performance experience in New Zealand and abroad, Dhanesh specializes in creating an exciting and vibrant platform for students to learn the finer points of professional music.

Jeff is the Programme Manager for the School of Music and also maintains a busy schedule of teaching, research, and creative practice. His research interests include the cultural and technological associations inherent in sampling, the role of producer as composer, and practice-based/practice-led creative research methodologies within popular music. He has published in Organized Sound and written a number of book chapters on popular music analysis. He has presented at conferences in New Zealand, the United States, and Europe. In addition to teaching and writing he is an active composer, producer, and performer. He gained his PhD and Masters degrees from Waikato University and his Bachelor of Music from Berklee College of Music.

Deb Wattes is no stranger to finding an outlet to celebrate, with singing featuring heavily in her life. Having a performance artist streak since she was a toddler, Deb’s parents would place her on tables to perform at parties and her and her young friends would put on dance and singing performances. Having always had the urge to sing, it hasn’t been until the last few years that Deb has taken it up in a serious way. Adult responsibilities and a position as an Administration Manager put singing on the backburner, but now that she has the time, Deb is making it a priority and has never been happier.

Prior to committing to her art and making it into something more professional, Deb’s only previous experience with public performance was to pick up the karaoke microphone. After one such performance, she was told she shouldn’t be singing karaoke as it wasn’t for professional singers. This comment stuck with her and became a part of the fire that propelled her to enrol in the Bachelor of Contemporary Music. In her third year studying at Southern Institute of Technology (SIT), she maintains that without the opportunities the course has offered her, she couldn’t imagine where she would be.

Since beginning her study, Deb’s confidence has skyrocketed. She credits her tutors with imparting all their knowledge and being especially generous with their time, which has allowed her to come out of her shell and be able to enjoy the experiences the course offers. Some of her fondest memories of the past couple of years’ study include, singing in the choir, the mix up week and flash mobs.

“Bringing the entire music department together as a cohesive unit was so much fun and as a beginner, what you learn during this process is invaluable.”

Some of the bonuses she has experienced through studying at SIT include, using the SIT Sound Studio and networking with other departments. The SIT Sound Studio is accessible to students and allows them to create their own music at very low cost. Through the networking opportunities, students have the chance to create music for the film students’ assignments and do some acting. Deb has also been able to get a music video produced by the film students, which is an exciting prospect and something that would be hugely expensive without the assistance of the SIT students and equipment.

Deb is also the lead singer for the ‘Get Some Jazz in Ya’ jazz band which is performing at Jazz at Louie’s on Friday nights. Not content to stop there, she is also putting together another jazz band which is currently in its infancy, but hoping to be playing a couple of pieces at Louie’s by the end of April.

Deb’s enthusiasm for her future jazz career and her current enjoyment of her course at SIT are infectious and her musical plans are ambitious, hoping to tour New Zealand as a jazz singer and perhaps even the U.S.A.

One of New Zealand’s top reggae bands ‘Tomorrow People’ has recently recruited two Southern Institute of Technology (SIT) Bachelor of Contemporary Music graduates.

Hamo Dell and Daniel Sugrue were both recommended for the band by an SIT audio tutor.

“Sometimes it's who you know not what you know,” says Daniel.

“I would never have made the connection if it weren't for the people I met during my study.”

Both Daniel and Hamo were initially drawn to SIT due to the Zero Fee scheme, but another big selling point for Daniel was the credibility of the tutors taking the course.

“There was a strong focus on learning to read and understand the theoretical side of music, which I wanted to learn first and foremost,” he says.

Daniel invested the majority of his time and energy in his final years at high school on music, therefore a career in the industry was inevitable.

“The most enjoyable thing for me would probably have to be the amount of time we got to spend performing live and playing with other people,” he says.

“Learning an instrument is one thing, but learning to play it musically with other people is a whole different thing and I enjoyed how the course factored this in.”

Hamo was based in Invercargill, so for her, SIT was the obvious choice.

She had always loved music, singing and performing, but knew very little about it.

“Starting the course was the perfect opportunity for me to get a better understanding of all that’s involved with contemporary music.”

Hamo said the course was perfect for her, touching on many aspects of music, singing, performance, the industry and a whole lot more.

“It teaches the fundamentals of music and the industry, it is then up to the student to expand on those teachings.”

“The most enjoyable aspect of the course for me would definitely be the performing,” she says.

“Throughout the course you’re given the chance to watch or perform with people who have experience in the music industry and I enjoyed being able to learn from that.”

Hamo is the female vocalist for Tomorrow People and says since joining she has been exposed to a range of exciting experiences that she has learnt from.

“In five years’ time my biggest hope is to be travelling the world performing and living off original music.”

Daniel plays the drums in the band and says the most exciting thing that has happened since joining the band is meeting some of his idols in the New Zealand music industry.

“Every experience is new and exciting and often I am ticking things off my goal list.

“Notably though would have to be recording an album with other talented and well known musicians and hearing it play on the radio.”

“That is always something special.”

An interest in anything musical was the main driver behind Stephen Garton enrolling in a double degree in Audio Production and Contemporary Music with the Southern Institute of Technology (SIT).

“I have always had a tremendous love and passion for anything to do with music, including composition, recording and performance,” he says.

When Stephen first began writing songs and playing instruments as a young boy he says he wasn’t all that great, but he is a firm advocate of hard work paying dividends.

“I would even go so far to say that it plays a much greater role in success than talent ever will.

“Hard work shows commitment to your craft, and if you have to put in hours upon hours upon hours of effort to be good at something then chances are you will appreciate it far more than if you were simply “born with it”.

Stephen originally planned to study classical composition at Victoria’s School of Music in Wellington, but then heard about the double degree in Audio Production and Contemporary Music offered by SIT.

“The option to learn about audio and play music at the same time—with zero fees to boot!—was too good to pass up, and the more I thought about it the more excited I was to give it a shot,” he says

“Next year (2016) will be my fourth year studying at SIT, and to think that it is possible to attain two bachelor degrees in just four years with a minimal student loan seems like a no-brainer for fast-tracking your career.”

Stephen says his study has proven very challenging, and advises anyone thinking about completing the four year program, that good time management is your best friend.

“The tutors are world class and genuinely want to see you succeed and do well,” he says.

“If you put the effort in, they will equally match it with a drive to send you out as the most professional, well-rounded candidate for work possible.”

Stephen says winning the Fletcher Award, the Research Award and Top Student this year was a tremendous honour and also a very personal milestone.

“To come from such humble beginnings in both areas and attain the overall “Outstanding Progress” award is a huge honour and I am very proud of the large amount of work it took to achieve it,” he says.

All students in their third year of degree-level study must do a major research project, and the Three Minute Thesis competition is a part of the research paper. It is a globally recognised challenge that involves the student presenting their entire thesis in three minutes using one Powerpoint slide (without notes or slide animation).

“This can be quite challenging as it is essentially a summary of four thousand plus words,” Stephen says.

When he graduates next year, Stephen is undecided between post-graduate study in music education and full-time work in the industry.

“The myth out there is that there is no work as a musician or audio engineer in New Zealand,” he says.

“This could not be further from the truth, and it is entirely possible to make a living from either of these two professions.”

He says in a country as small as New Zealand, the importance of networking during the process of your degree is crucial to being successful once you leave, and suggests this is the biggest key to success in the industry.

“One of my tutors would often say that the degree is essentially one long job interview, and your performance and professionalism is under constant monitoring not just from the tutors, but other key people in the industry as well—Invercargill is a small town and word travels fast of your reliability or lack thereof!”

“Often at times your classmates will also end up being your co-workers, and something as seemingly simple as being reliable and punctual to band practices day-in, day-out, can be a huge factor towards success after graduating.”

Stephen says he would highly recommend both the audio school and the music school at SIT to anyone seeking to become a professional in the industry.

“SIT excels at bringing in beginners in their craft and giving them the necessary training and experience to send them out as working professionals.”

Father and daughter duo Brad and Gabbi MacClure have recently completed a Bachelor of Contemporary Music at the Southern Institute of Technology (SIT) and they’ve had plenty of fun along the way.

A piano technician for 30 plus years, Brad also played the guitar for 40 years and has gradually added more and more instruments to his repertoire.

“Now I play many, including mandolin, fiddle and keys,” he says.

Daughter Gabbi, who grew up surrounded by music, says the decision to pursue a career in the industry was a natural choice.

“Growing up around music certainly helped set me in the right direction.”

Brad was running a music store when Gabbi was born and travelled overseas several times with the likes of ‘Pipin’ Hot’, playing mostly keys, and a little acoustic guitar.

In the early 90s he was involved in the folk scene and learnt tunes to play ceilidhs or barn dances.

“I went on to play ‘plastic paddy’ music for a while, Poguesy type stuff, and still play in a covers duo that has a little bit of a strand of that to it.”

He is interested in many other types of music too and has been known to play the fiddle in a jazz group from time to time.

Gabbi on the other hand is both a singer and songwriter and plays the guitar, bass and keys. She has big plans for her immediate future.

“I'm heading up to Wellington after Christmas to pursue teaching opportunities, and to keep up with my songwriting and performing, which will eventually lead to producing an album sometime in the future.”

Both found their studies thoroughly enjoyable and rewarding, with Brad saying as a musically literate old person most of his study wasn’t overly challenging, but it was inspiring.

“The research project and the well-designed GEN200 paper that led into it, were really inspiring for me.

“Also the mass culture/postmodernism…etc was very interesting.”

Gabbi was just 17 when she first came to SIT, so it has been quite a journey for her with ‘some ups and downs’ along the way, but she’s thrilled to have graduated.

“I have learned and grown so much and am ready to take on the world,’’ she says.

The pair were comfortable studying together with Brad saying they treated each other like classmates.

“We didn’t cross paths study wise that much, except when I played for her third year concert, which I enjoyed doing very much.”

Gabbi says her father has always been quirky and a lot of fun, so studying together was a cool experience.

“A little bit of extra motivation and moral support with assignments didn't hurt either,” she says.

Brad says the degree programme is well balanced and designed and he has been blown away at the quality of some musicians now emerging from the course.

He would like to study music more, perhaps towards a Masters, but his reasons for more study would not be to get another job.

“I just enjoy learning so much,” he says.

Gabbi is taking a leaf out of her father’s book by making an effort never to lose the sense of fun in anything.

“While there's always hard work, and he always encouraged us to be better, that quirky sense of fun will always stay with me,” she says.

“What's the point if you don't enjoy it, and make plenty of puns along the way?”

Contemporary Music graduate Joanna Buchanan has studied the Bachelor of Contemporary Music as well as completing a Graduate Diploma in Contemporary Music at SIT. At just 22 years old, she is an accomplished singer, songwriter and pianist, as well as a member of a local band comprising of herself and her music student flatmates. 

Growing up and completing her schooling in Timaru, Joanna was awarded multiple scholarships in music, and knew she wanted to continue her studies in that area. SIT’s Zero Fees scheme helped her make up her mind to head south and study at SIT and she has been more than pleasantly surprised since making the decision.

“The facilities and performance opportunities are great. We had full, professional studios and Centrestage Theatre to perform in. We performed at Centrestage every Friday, putting on a concert which is awesome, it got us into the scene and I guess you could say, really introduces you to the real world”.

On the flip side, as well as gaining experience in live performance, students acquire knowledge in how to record professionally and Joanna recorded an album this year which will soon be released.

“Recording an album comes with learning a bit of audio, which as a musician is really good to know so you understand both the music and audio world – how the set up works, the stage and that kind of thing.”

Socially Joanna enjoyed her time studying at SIT, making friends within her course as well as multiple people studying other subjects. As musicians, her classmates got together to jam regularly, with the tutors instigating an encouraging atmosphere in which to express themselves without fear of judgement.

Joanna speaks of the future of her band with excitement. “It’s great, we live together so we get up and have a jam! We want to get into it professionally, I’m thinking Wellington or Australia and then worldwide. I want to get this band up and running, we’ll see what happens I guess!”

Originally coming to SIT with no set goals beyond knowing she wanted to study music, Joanna is grateful for all she’s learned and the use of the professional facilities. “It’s opened up this big book of opportunity, I’m ready to go now!”