Whether you are a singer who writes songs or an instrumentalist who writes songs (or both), the Creative Practice: Popular Music specialisation will help expand your songwriting, performance and production skills and develop your understanding of the creative industries.

You'll team up with fellow students who share a passion for creating music; this includes collaborating with students studying jazz, composition, classical performance and music studies. It's a chance to connect with future musical partners, bandmates, and studio engineers.

During your studies, you'll compose, record and perform as a solo artist. You'll also lead your own bands and groups while supporting your classmates in their musical projects. Live performances will be a regular part of your experience, at venues like the historic Kenneth Myers Centre and other popular music venues in Auckland City.

We know that choosing where to study music often depends on the teachers available. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to our staff directly. Learn more about our School of Music teachers.

Most of our students aspire to become performers. Many supplement their gigs through teaching, arts administration roles, producing, music journalism or event management.