Wellington
Euphonium Lessons, Flugelhorn Lessons, Trombone Lessons, Trumpet Lessons, Tuba Lessons | Artist development, Aural Lessons, Ensemble Coaching, Theory Lessons, Conducting Lessons, Online Lessons
Bio
Buzzing Brass was launched in 2017 with the aim of providing kids and adults in the Wellington and wider Wellington region the opportunity to learn a brass instrument.
Buzzing Brass offers a structured musical pathway in both music performance and music theory no matter what experience level.
Buzzing Brass gets it’s name from it’s founder Byron “Buzz” Newton who briefly worked as a beekeeper (hence the nickname). “Buzzing” is also the noun used to describe the vibrating of a brass instrument’s mouthpiece, this is what brass musicians do to create sound.
Managing Director Byron ‘Buzz’ Newton LTCL, FTCL, BMUS, PGDIP, MA, ARWCMD
Born in Ashburton, a small town south of Christchurch, Byron ‘Buzz’ Newton grew up surrounded by honeybees. Buzz gets his nickname due to his father Derek who is a beekeeper. After a couple of years working as a beekeeper Buzz decided to focus on becoming a full time musician. These days Buzz is one of the world’s top euphonium performers and a leading figure in brass education in New Zealand.
After graduating from the University of Canterbury with a Bachelor of Music and a Postgraduate Diploma with distinction from the New Zealand School of Music in euphonium performance, Buzz accepted a scholarship to study at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD) with the father-and-son combination and euphonium gurus Robert and David Childs.
While studying in Wales he became the first brass student to win the RWCMD Concerto Competition. In his final Masters recital Buzz was awarded a mark of 100% and was named as the college’s top music student.
Buzz returned to New Zealand in 2012 and has been in high demand as a soloist, teacher, and freelance musician throughout Australasia. Buzz held the position of Principal Euphonium and Assistant Musical Director with the Wellington Brass Band from 2013-2019. He is the Principal Euphonium in the Royal New Zealand Air Force Band, and is an Artist Teacher at the New Zealand School of Music. In 2018 the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama made Buzz an Honorary Associate in recognition of his achievements since leaving the college.
Buzz has been a member of the National Secondary Schools, National Youth, and National Brass Bands of New Zealand, and has performed with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.
Teaching Info
Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced musician Buzzing Brass is for you. To insure the best results yearly lessons are recommended.
Beginners start with 30 minute lessons using the Buzzing Brass Method Book One or the Essential Elements 2000 Book 1. As students progress the length of lessons can increase to firstly 45 minutes and then finally 1 hour.
Depending on the progress made in their first year, students begin working towards a Trinity College grade exam in their second year. There are two types of exams music theory and music performance starting at Grade 1 and finishing at Grade 8.