Christchurch
Guitar Lessons | Song Writing Workshops, Theory Lessons, Composition Lessons, Jazz Improvisation Lessons, NCEA Music Tutoring
Bio
Snow Valormae is a guitarist and composer based in the picturesque city of Christchurch, Aotearoa New Zealand. With a deep passion for exploring different genres, her artistic journey has been a source of passion and inspiration.
Having completed her studies at the University of Canterbury, Snow Valormae’s musical style is an intriguing blend of various genres, including metal, rock, jazz, and classical. While she draws from these diverse influences, her true passion lies in composing and performing instrumental progressive metal, where she pushes the boundaries of the genre with her unique and personal touch.
Snow not only composes and performs for her own solo progressive metal project, Valormae, where she delves into the intricate and powerful realms of instrumental music, but she also brings her versatile guitar skills to the Christchurch All Girls Big Band. As a key member of this ensemble, Snow contributes to creating a harmonious and captivating sound that blends traditional jazz elements with modern flair.
Snow is a graduate of the University of Canterbury, holding a Bachelor’s degree in Music, and was awarded the prestigious 2017 Academic Award for the Leigh and Judith Pownall Prizes in Music. Her academic journey was defined by a focus on extended range guitar performance and composition, particularly with the 8-string guitar. Snow embraced a diverse range of performance styles, studying jazz, classical, and contemporary approaches. Her compositional studies were centered on classical compositional philosophy and jazz harmony, which she used as foundational tools to write modern progressive contemporary music, creating a unique and innovative voice in her work.
Snow has moved on to win the Instrumental category of the Unsigned Only Music Competition with her original composition “Anxious Atrium.” This achievement is a testament to her ability to combine technical ability with bold, forward-thinking musical ideas.
Teaching Info
When taking lessons with Snow, a prospective student should expect the following:
- Lessons broken up into three segments, focusing on their genre of interest, technical development and theory/notation reading on their guitar.
- Teaching style is tailored to suite the student. There are many different ways people learn such as visual, analytical, kinesthetic and mathematical. Snow aims to accommodate every different students approach to learning.
- Snow encourages students to not only practice between lessons, but also play. Though practice is important for development and progress, playing the instrument fosters creativity, inspiration and passion which she believes helps to drive students to want to practice and develop further.
- Students are encouraged to bring their own personal goals and ambitions to their lessons. These could include ABRSM Royal School/Trinity College exams or NCEA songwriting and performance standards.
Snow Valormae is a fantastic music teacher who has helped me understand guitar modes, tonality, and how to use them smoothly. She has greatly improved my sight-reading skills and taught me to recognize melodies and riffs in different genres, from pop to metal. Her explanations are clear and easy to follow, yet still detailed enough for more experienced players.
Flynn Greaves - Student
Snow has been tutoring my daughter Zoe for nearly 2 years now and we couldn’t be happier. Her progress has been rapid with Snow as she is so accomplished in all areas of guitar playing. Zoe continues to be inspired and works hard. Snow is a reliable and dedicated tutor.
