Dan is the Head Monster at Monster Music! He's all about sharing his love for music and connecting with kids. Dan started Monster Music in to give children a fun and structured way to learn music with an emphasis on performance.

With plenty of musical experience under his belt, Dan's passion lies in nurturing young talents. Dan is also super lucky to be married to the beautiful Hollie Hitchens, who is also on the Monster Music management team!

Hollie is an absolute powerhouse who handles a lot of the admin alongside all of the social media in Monster Music. We have a super awesome Facebook page that Hollie is constantly updating with all of the epic things that are going on in Monster Music.

However Hollies job goes far beyond Facebook and sending emails… Hollie is constantly helping in the background to make sure that kids get the best musical experience possibly. As well as working mega hours for Monster Music, Hollie is also a full time special needs carer for her awesome sister, Gemma.

Hollie is the defintion of awesome so make sure you give her a hi5 at the next Monster Music event!

Jayden Bowley is the driving force behind Monster Music. He’s our super epic manager of all of the day to day operations. Jayden makes sure that everything is running smoothly behind the scenes while ensuring that kids are having the best time possible in their lessons.

But Jayden’s not just a manager! He’s a seasoned musician with oodles of experience around the world. We’re thrilled to have him back in Christchurch though, where he’s dedicated to nurturing young talent at Monster Music.

Jayden is a core part of Monster Music so make sure say hello to him when you see him at schools or events!

Kelly is the friendly and efficient force behind the scenes at Monster Music, handling everything from enrollments and enquiries to billing and social media. With a strong background in administration and a deep passion for music, she brings both expertise and energy to our team.

An accomplished musician and educator, Kelly has toured internationally with her band Current Groove, performing aboard cruise ships and sharing the stage with some of the industry's top talents—including several of Monster Music’s very own tutors. Now based in Hawke’s Bay, she continues to teach from her home studio while remotely supporting us at Monster Music.

We're thrilled to have Kelly’s experience, creativity, and warm presence as part of the family!

Michelle handles all of the absences and upcoming clashes that we can foresee happening. As you could imagine, there are a lot of things that happen day to day in a school. Michelle does an epic job at shuffling things around to ensure that kids can still get their lessons! Michelle is an absolute trooper and also helps with a lot of other behind the scene jobs in Monster Music.

Tahlia is our student apprentice who does an amazing job helping Dan and Jayden with the day to day operations in Monster Music. Tahlia handles a lot of the content creation (books, lanyards, certificates etc) but is also an absolute whizz with opus and our other online platforms.

Not only does Tahlia work with Monster Music, she is also an incredible musician. In fact, Tahlia was one of the first ever children to learn with Monster Music when she was only 4 years old. If you have ever attended a Monster Music event, you will have witnessed Tahlia’s amazing talent.

GUITAR/UKULELE/BASS

Meet Sammy Jay, the Christchurch musician and tutor who loves teaching kids to rock! With guitar, ukulele, keyboard, and bass skills rooted in country, blues, and rock music, Sammy has returned from six years in Europe and the UK. Alongside his wife Hannah, he's eager to share his expertise and inspire young musicians. Sammy's enthusiasm and patience make learning instruments a thrilling adventure. Join him on a musical journey where fun and learning go hand in hand!

KEYBOARD/GUITAR/UKUELE/DRUMS/BASS

Meet Tyler Robbins, a supremely talented musician and teacher hailing from Christchurch. With a Bachelor of Music specialising in Piano/Composition under his belt, Tyler boasts an impressive musical repertoire spanning 16 years on guitar, 8 years on drums, and 5 years on flute. He's graced stages nationwide, from rocking keyboards with Melbourne's "Pretty Stooked" to touring New Zealand with "Horizone" and performing at Electric Ave with local favorites "The Settlers." Beyond music, Tyler shines as a dynamic tutor known for his ability to connect effortlessly with kids, making learning both fun and educational. If you're ready for a musical journey unlike any other, Tyler Robbins is your go-to guy!

GUITAR/UKULELE/BASS

Meet Aaron Wildermoth, a music teaching legend from Christchurch. He's not your typical tutor; he's a passionate guitarist, ukulele whiz, and bass guitar super star with a strong background in bands like St Peters Thursday and Black and Gold!

GUITAR/UKULELE/BASS

Alex Glennie is an awesome musician and teacher, and a well known friendly face in the local music scene. He moved from Dunedin to Christchurch in 2017 to study music, and graduated with a Bachelor of Music Arts in 2019. Alex has a wealth of experience as a guitarist, singer, and songwriter, and regularly plays in various original groups and cover bands around Christchurch. Teaching is a passion of his, and for many years he has loved meeting so many talented young musos and sharing his knowledge. He aims to foster creativity and encourages his students to find their unique voice on their instrument, and to have fun along the way! 

DRUMS

GUITAR/UKULELE/KEYBOARD/BASS

DRUMS/KEYBOARD/GUITAR/UKULELE

GUITAR/UKULELE/BASS/KEYBOARD/DRUMS

Meet Charlie Mannering, one of Christchurch's coolest musicians who's been mastering guitar, drums, bass, and piano since the age of three. Beyond his impressive musical skills, Charlie brings a contagious enthusiasm to his lessons, making learning music a blast for kids. He's known for his positive vibes, wealth of knowledge, and knack for turning each lesson into an exciting adventure. When he's not teaching, Charlie takes the stage with his bands, living out his rockstar dreams. For anyone looking to embark on a fun and educational musical journey, Charlie Mannering is the perfect guide!

KEYBOARD/GUITAR/BASS

A lover of all things music, Cleo is a multi-instrumentalist living and playing in Ōtautahi. Having learnt piano, guitar, bass, and cello from a young age, she is trained in everything from classical music to rock/pop and jazz—anything is a possibility with Cleo!

Through her experience, Cleo is ready to progress students’ learning in any area they want. Passionate about education, she crafts exciting and individual lessons designed to help every student harness their talent and creativity. Aside from teaching, Cleo can be found writing and recording her own music, and pursuing her other passion as an artist and designer. She has played in orchestras, big bands, jazz bands, rock bands, pursued her own solo projects, and is always trying something different.

Cleo is super excited for her new and existing students, and can’t wait to nurture their growth as awesome musicians!

VOCALS/KEYBOARD/GUITAR

Daisy Aaron is a passionate music teacher with a love for helping students find their own musical voice. She has been singing for more than 10 years, and has been playing the guitar and keyboard since year 9. She has a knack for making lessons fun and engaging, and loves supporting students to reach their musical goals! She is currently studying Music and English part time at the University of Canterbury, and is so excited to work with Monster Music and share her knowledge with all her students!

KEYBOARD/DRUMS/GUITAR/VOCALS

Deen has a great passion for music and his biggest goal is to help others fall in love with it as well! He started teaching music in 2015 and teaches everything from guitar, piano, drums, ukulele & singing through to composition. Not only that, but Deen professionally works as a choir conductor & accompanist, as well as an arranger/orchestrator.

He grew up in Christchurch and studied music performance at Ara and has heaps of experience in choirs, musical theatre orchestras and rock bands and will continue to do so out of sheer love for the craft!

VOCALS/KEYBOARD

Elian is one of Christchurch’s most sought-after vocal and keyboard tutors, and we’re lucky to have him at Monster Music! He’s awesome with kids, bringing loads of teaching experience and a fun, encouraging style to every lesson.Elian has trained in classical voice and musical theatre, starred in productions like Come From Away, performed with Wellington Opera, and even led choirs. A true performer (and a black belt in karate!), he helps students build confidence, great technique, and a love for music.

GUITAR/UKULELE/BASS

Emily, from Christchurch, New Zealand, graduated with a music degree from Ara Institute of Canterbury in 2018. Alongside her work in music, including collaborations with artists like PRINS, she's renowned for her exceptional ability as a music tutor. Emily has a special talent for making learning fun and engaging for kids, earning admiration from all her students.

GUITAR/KEYBOARD/VOCALS/UKULELE

Grace Empson is a passionate and inspired multi-instrumentalist. Her lifelong study of music has equipped her with a wealth of knowledge, which she shares with her students.

She has almost completed her Bachelor of Music, has achieved Grade 8 in the NZMEB Classical Guitar exams, and has been teaching since late 2017.

Grace is deeply interested in different cultures and once brought Te Reo Māori songs to share during a cultural trip to China. She values teaching in a positive and supportive way, always aiming to foster trust, joy, and enthusiasm in her students.

KEYBOARD/GUITAR/UKULELE/BASS

With a love for music and a knack for making learning fun, Ivan has been teaching piano, guitar, and composition since 2016. He studied Composition and French Horn at NZSM - Te Kōkī and have performed with groups like the RNZAF Band, Orchestra Wellington, and NZ Opera.

His music has been played around the world—even earning a spot as a finalist in an international flute composition competition! Whether helping beginners hit their first notes or guiding budding composers, Ivan makes music exciting, creative, and rewarding for students of all ages!

GUITAR/KEYBOARD/UKULELE

Jack Bubb, a musician from Christchurch, NZ, plays keyboard, guitar, and sings. He started learning piano at 10 and studied jazz and contemporary keyboard at Ara, earning his bachelor's degree. Jack is a fun tutor who kids love, passionate about helping students discover the joy of music. He believes music is a fun way to express yourself and build skills like discipline and coordination.

GUITAR/UKULELE

Jordan started playing guitar when he was 12 years old, and has been passionate about it ever since. He loves exploring new music to learn and play. Jordan has a kind and encouraging teaching style, he is skilled at supporting musicians to find their strengths. When he isn't working Jordan is often found playing music for his two daughters who love to sing and dance.

GUITAR/UKULELE/BASS

Josiah’s a Christchurch muso who plays guitar, bass, and ukulele. He’s got a music degree in jazz from Ara, but don’t let that fool you - he loves playing metal, rock, pop, and pretty much anything else! When he’s not teaching, he’s writing music for his band Repose or playing with the Centre Stage Rolleston Musical Theatre band. He’s super passionate about getting the next generation excited about music and helping them find their own sound.

GUITAR/UKULELE/DRUMS/KEYBOARD/BASS

Kurt Fleming is a multi-instrumentalist focusing mainly on drums and guitar tuition. He has a strong passion for teaching music and has been playing drums for 25 years. He is part of established rock band Pieces of Molly who have toured New Zealand and Australia multiple times. Kurt has supported such acts as Slash from Guns N Roses, INXS and Shihad to name a few. He is very stoked to be part of the amazing team at Monster Music.

GUITAR/BASS/UKULELE

Linden is a guitarist and former Music Director with a lifelong background in performance, songwriting, and people leadership. He has played in bands since his teenage years, including touring internationally, contributing to multiple album releases, and earning two NZ Music Awards.

Linden is new to Christchurch having moved here recently from Mount Maunganui. 

He now focuses on teaching guitar and investing in the next generation of musicians, helping students build confidence, strong foundations, and a genuine love for music, while raising his three boys and keeping family at the centre.

GUITAR/UKULELE/KEYBOARD/VOCALS

Leah Kelsey brings real-world experience to every lesson. She earned a Bachelor of Music Arts from the Art Institute, specialising in Singer/Songwriting, and has been performing in Christchurch bars and venues since 2017—both as a solo artist and in a band.

In 2023, she self-produced and wrote an album, releasing a new song each month. Leah began teaching with Monster in 2023 as a reliever and is now onboard as a regular tutor!! We are super stoked to have Leah on the team!!

GUITAR/UKULELE/DRUMS

Liam Dodge, a music enthusiast from Christchurch, is a multi-instrumental talent with a passion for both music and teaching. Starting with drum lessons at 9, he's expanded his skills to guitar, bass, piano, and ukulele. Liam holds a Bachelor of Music Arts and has played with various musicians, including Mim Jensen. As a Monster Music tutor for over 2 years, we can confidently say that Liam is an absolute hit with the kids that learn with him!

GUITAR/DRUMS/KEYBOARD

Maree Thom is an incredible multi-instrumentalist and passionate music tutor at Monster Music. With a love for drums, ukulele, keyboard, and guitar, she brings a wealth of experience teaching kids music in schools. Maree has a knack for making lessons fun, engaging, and inspiring, helping young musicians grow in confidence and skill. She’s excited to work with your children and share her passion for music. Maree is awesome!

VOCALS/KEYBOARD/GUITAR

Maria is a University of Canterbury student studying Music and Mathematics. She is Canterbury born and bred and has been involved in music her entire life.

She loves singing, guitar, violin, piano, and music theory, and enjoys sharing that love of music with kids. Maria aims to help students enjoy learning, build confidence, and feel comfortable expressing themselves through music.

Her focus is on creating a positive and supportive learning environment where students can grow at their own pace and become their own inner rockstars.

GUITAR/UKULELE/DRUMS

Meet Mitch, a drummer and guitarist from Christchurch and younger brother to Jayden! Recently back from Melbourne, Mitch is joining us to inspire the next generation of rockstars. He picked up drums in primary school and taught himself guitar later on. Mitch has toured New Zealand with two bands, 'The Hootz' (where he played guitar and wrote music) and 'Pretty Stooked' (where he shredded the drums). With his wealth of experience, Mitch is eager to meet students and share the joy of music!

KEYBOARD

Neve Lloyd is an enthusiastic keyboard tutor who loves helping kids unlock their musical potential. Having achieved Grade 8 in the Trinity College London Piano exams and earning a Bachelor of Teaching and Learning, she brings together strong musical training and real classroom experience to create lessons that truly connect with each child.

Neve believes learning keyboard should be exciting, encouraging, and rewarding. She focuses on building confidence alongside strong foundational skills, celebrating progress every step of the way. Her goal is for every student to leave their lesson feeling proud, motivated, and excited to jump back on the keys at home.

GUITAR/UKULELE/BASS/KEYBOARD

Sam is a passionate guitarist who loves all things music. He graduated with a Bachelor of Music Arts in 2020, and has since involved himself in many exciting projects in the Ōtatuahi music scene. Sam loves writing music, playing in bands with his friends, and sharing his passion with others through playing and teaching. He is all about keeping lessons fun and encouraging students to reach their goals!

VOCALS/KEYBOARD

Samantha is a singer and multi-instrumentalist with a strong performance background and a genuine passion for helping others grow through music. 

She holds a Bachelor of Contemporary Music from Vision College, majoring in vocals, and brings years of professional experience to her role at Monster Music.

Sam spent eight years as a music director, and six years also as a professional gigging musician across Canterbury, performing at a wide range of venues including the Christchurch Town Hall. Having sung and performed from a young age in stage productions and musicals, music has always been central to her life.

Now a mum of two, Sam brings warmth, patience and encouragement to her teaching. She loves supporting people as they grow confident, develop their skills and discover the joy of making music.

GUITAR/DRUMS/BASS/KEYBOARD/UKULELE

Shannyn has been a hard-working and professional music performer/educator for over 6+ years within Christchurch and has a lot of love still left for it. Passionate about sharing his knowledge and energy for music, Shannyn has been working hard to become a music teacher, earning his BA of Music at Ara and Grad Teaching Diploma from UC, now feeling ready to show the world just how to headbang. He has played in a variety of projects within Ōtautahi for many years and is now eager to share this expertise with the ākonga of the city, leading the next generation of rockstars.

DRUMS

Simon began his musical journey at age 2 with a cornet, which he played until 11. At 15, he switched to drums, eventually joining three successful rock bands that wrote their own songs, toured nationally, and opened for major acts in New Zealand. After gaining recognition, Simon transitioned to playing in cover bands around Canterbury, performing at pubs and private events. Alongside his music career, Simon holds a degree in Early Childhood Education and has been teaching at Monster Music. With years of drum tutoring experience, he enjoys mentoring students of all ages, finding fulfillment in seeing them progress and develop as musicians.

BASS/DRUMS/GUITAR

Theo Bird is a bassist and drummer based in Christchurch, currently in his final year of a jazz degree at Ara Music Arts. With 10 years of experience on bass and 5 on drums, Theo brings a strong rhythmic foundation and a versatile, groove-focused approach to his playing, as well as a desire to teach and inspire the next generation of musicians!! He loves a good laugh, cool music and seeing students have fun and get closer to rocking the stage! He draws inspiration from a wide range of styles including jazz fusion, modern metal, funk, and jazz, and performs in all sorts of gigs regularly! Whether teaching beginner, intermediate, or advanced players, Theo brings all his passion, enthusiasm and experience to the lesson. 

KEYBOARD/DRUMS/GUITAR/BASS/TROMBONE

DRUMS

Zak is an experienced drummer and tutor from Christchurch with a Bachelor of Musical Arts from Ara Music Arts. Skilled in jazz, pop, and rock, he focuses on drum set technique and music reading. Zak performs regularly in local gigs and recently played in NASDA's musical theatre band. He offers tailored lessons aimed at building musical skills and a love for drumming. Monster Music kids love their weekly lessons with Zak!

GUITAR/UKULELE/BASS/KEYBOARD

Introducing Alice, an exceptional guitar tutor with a global musical journey. With two years of teaching experience, Alice has traveled the world, enchanting audiences on cruise ships with her guitar and piano skills. Whether rocking solo, in acoustic duos, or with cover bands, Alice's passion shines through. She crafts and performs her own music, sharing her expertise and inspiring students of all levels.

DRUMS/GUITAR/UKULELE

Amy Claire is a passionate drum and guitar tutor who loves helping kids discover the joy of playing music. With years of experience working with kids, she knows how to keep lessons fun, engaging, and tailored to each student. Amy is well-known in the Christchurch music scene, regularly performing with bands and music projects, but her true passion lies in inspiring the next generation of musicians. Your kids will love learning with Amy!

GUITAR/UKULELE/BASS/DRUMS/KEYBOARD/BASOON

Meet Brad Grainger, an essential part of Monster Music's tutoring team! With lots of teaching experience and a talent for working with kids, Brad ensures every lesson is fun and educational. Besides teaching, Brad is in the NZ Army Band and has traveled the world performing with various musicians, bringing valuable insights to his lessons. Known for his exciting live shows, Brad is here to guide beginners and seasoned musicians alike on their musical journey.

GUITAR/UKULELE/KEYBOARD

DRUMS/GUITAR/BANJO

Finley Passmore is a Christchurch local whose musical journey has taken him from playing in theatre shows, rock bands and jazz bands as a drummer to singing, songwriting, guitar strumming and even playing the banjo! Finley is a keen musician who has enjoyed several years of teaching music - seeing students excel and and have their 'lightbulb' moments is a real highlight for him! Working as a Monster Music reliever Finley is always excited to meet new faces, as well as reconnect with previous students along the way! 

GUITAR/UKULELE/BASS

Flynn is a passionate guitarist with a strong love for music. He began playing at age 11 and has since been involved in a range of musical projects, regularly performing as a fill-in guitarist for gigging bands. Flynn enjoys writing music, playing with others, and sharing his passion through teaching. He focuses on keeping lessons practical, enjoyable, and helping students confidently reach their goals.

DRUMS/KEYBOARD

Since age 7, Frank's musical journey began on the piano before picking up the drums around age 10. Ever since, he's been a passionate musician and aims to share that with his students! 

All through school, Frank's played bits and pieces of all different kinds of genres and experimented with different instruments too. He has since gone on to study a Bachelor of Music specialising in jazz performance and began playing local gigs and teaching music while studying there. Nowadays, Frank has completed his studies and continues to gig regularly and happily teaches piano and drums to many students in Christchurch.

Richie has worked extensively as a bass player in a variety of musical contexts from rock and jazz through to theatre and orchestral music.

He has performed with some of New Zealand’s top artists including Nadia Reid, Breaks Co-op, Julia Deans, Dave Dobbyn, Sol3mio, Ria Hall, Anika Moa and Annie Crummer along with international artists including Josh Groban and Elaine Paige. 

Alongside his professional music career he has established himself as a progressive and dynamic music educator, catering to all levels and abilities and covering a range of instruments including double bass, bass guitar, cello, drums, keyboards and guitar. 

Richie’s loves to work with young talent and help nurture creativity, his lessons are energetic and focus on encouraging the students enjoyment and individual journeys through music. 

KEYBOARD

Meet Sung Woo Han, a piano specialist with over 15 years of piano experience to back him up. He's just recently finished his bachelors of jazz performance at Ara and is slowly jumping into the general Christchurch music scene. There is nothing Sung enjoys more than making people laugh, and his witty personality is sure to keep you entertained. He tries to draw inspiration from all paths of music and is always discovering new music to learn and play. His only philosophy when it comes to learning music is to be 1% better every time and enjoying the process. Sung is here to be a mentor, a teacher, and a friend to all levels of students who walk the path of musical enjoyment and learning.

GUITAR/DRUMS/BASS

Rob has been playing drums for 18 years, bass for 12 years and guitar for 11 years. After completing his guitar major in Jazz performance at Ara Musical Arts, he taught guitar, drums and bass professionally and played guitar in a wedding band every weekend. Whilst content with his work, after 2 years, he sought a more hands-on musical experience and decided to move to to Melbourne, Australia.

He taught bass and guitar privately whilst taking part in mentorship with some of Melbournes best musicians and producers, developing his own unique style, and becoming a diverse player able to traverse most musical situations. After spending two years immersed in the Melbourne scene, Rob accepted a contract playing bass guitar on a luxury cruise ship. During this time, Rob played a diverse range of daily shows before Covid-19 stopped the world and forced him to return home to Christchurch.

Rob has a passion for teaching music and enjoys seeing progress and excitement in his students. With over 4 years of teaching experience, he’s seen people go from being complete beginners to intermediate/advanced players. He remains excited at the prospect of helping people achieve their musical goals and enriching the lives of the next generation with music

GUITAR/BASS/UKULELE/KEYBOARD/DRUMS

Zane is an absolute legend of a man who has departed NZ and is now teaching in Japan! We didnt have the heart to delete him from the website as he will be back someday super soon!!