Joanna Buchanan
Publish Date: Monday, 4 May 2020
Joanna Buchanan

Bachelor of Contemporary Music & Graduate Diploma in Contemporary Music

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!”