Tecwyn King
Ngāi Tahu
Bachelor of Music
Master of Teaching and Learning
“Learning about Otago's music programme during an open day on campus enticed me further, and I remember being absolutely gobsmacked by all the goodies and toys they had in their world-class studio.”
Once at Otago, Tecwyn wasn't disappointed.
“Whether I was composing a four-part harmony or playing shredding guitar solos, the expertise of the teaching staff was the reason for my success as a musician.
“In contemporary performance I enjoyed how often, and how hard, I was pushed to be the best player I could be. Just being able to do the scale or play the song was often not enough – we were pushed to our limits and I'm very grateful for this now.”
After finishing his Bachelor of Music Tecwyn completed a Master of Teaching and Learning at Otago's College of Education.
After a “challenging but rewarding year”, he moved to Taranaki where he is now Head of the Music Department at Stratford High School, creating and teaching a music programme for Year 9-13 pupils, doing instrumental teaching and creating bands.
He credits both his teaching and music studies at Otago as “fully preparing” him for his new role because he is able to communicate technical and theoretical concepts in a way that students understand.
“For many people music is a way of life – a way of expressing ideas, storytelling, creating. At Otago you develop so many skills that craft you into the ultimate musician, while being given the space to evolve your own style.”