Hawkes Bay’s specialist music lessons.
By university qualified musicians.

Two men in suits holding guitars, standing against a plain white background.

Meet Luke and Chris

Looking for music lessons in Hawke’s Bay?

Welcome to Canopy Music School – your local hub for professional, high-quality music lessons in Te Matau-a-Māui (Hawke’s Bay).

We’re experienced gigging musicians and qualified music tutors who’ve taught everyone from complete beginners to advanced, tertiary, and professional musicians — including at Te Kōkī New Zealand School of Music and EIT Hawke’s Bay.

So, what does that mean for you?
It means your lessons are tailored to your goals, your style, and your pace.

We offer private music lessons in a friendly, supportive environment — whether you’re learning your first chords or refining advanced performance skills.

Our specialties include guitar and bass lessons in jazz, metal, indie, and classical styles, but we also love teaching all genres of music. Whatever your age or musical background, we’ll help you grow your skills, confidence, and creativity.

  • A young woman playing a double bass in a dimly lit room.

    "Chris is a highly educated teacher who really focuses on the interests of the individual musician. He is engaging, and is knowledgeable on so many aspects of music. My bass playing has improved significantly as a result of his teaching"

  • Silhouette of a person singing into a microphone with a guitar in the background

    "Luke is one hell of a guitarist, endlessly funny and humble. He's a brilliant tutor."

  • A black-and-white photo of a musician playing an electric guitar or bass on stage, wearing a cap and a plaid shirt, with stage lights overhead.

    "Chris was my first double bass teacher and he put everything in such a digestible and understandable manner that I couldn’t help but improve. Chris was the starting point of my passion for the instrument"

  • Black and white photo of two women looking through a glass or mirror, one of them wearing a large sun hat with a floral pattern, the other with curly hair and a jacket.

    "As a past student of Chris at the university level, I have found his teaching to be consistently insightful, holistic and inspiring. I would gladly recomend him to any music student."

  • A man playing a bass guitar in a recording studio, wearing headphones and glasses, smiling.

    "Chris is one of the best tutors/teachers I ever had! Open-minded to lots of genres and approaches. He always finds ways to push you further in whatever direction you want to go"

  • Young man in a black suit and white shirt playing a red keyboard and singing into a microphone.

    "I would highly recommend Chris Beernink to anybody looking to learn a musical instrument, music theory or musicianship. Chris is very proficient, dependable, organised, great at communicating, and he is also a nice person to have a conversation and laugh with"

  • A man playing an electric guitar on stage. He is wearing sunglasses, a light gray shirt, and khaki pants. He has long hair tied back and is smiling.

    "Chris is a great teacher, who takes care to understand the needs of each student. He works alongside them to help progress their skills on the instrument aswell as their overall understanding of the musical world!"

  • A man with long, curly brown hair wearing a black shirt, smiling while holding a double bass.

    "Chris was great as a tutor. He balanced covering all of the technical bases with helping you towards your specific goals very well. His wide range of musical knowledge and experience was great to learn from"

  • A woman playing the piano in a recording studio with microphones, standing on a wooden floor, with studio equipment and dark walls in the background.

    "Chris was great as a tutor. He balanced covering all of the technical bases with helping you towards your specific goals very well. His wide range of musical knowledge and experience was great to learn from"

  • A man with a beard, wearing a baseball cap and dark clothing, playing an electric guitar on stage with warm lighting, smiling and enjoying the music.

    "Chris was one of the best tutors I’ve ever had. His vast musical knowledge and down-to-earth, patient teaching style made a huge impact on my development. Thanks to his guidance, my playing reached a new level — I now perform jazz gigs regularly and continue to use the skills he taught me"

  • A young man with a beard and dark hair, dressed in black, standing outdoors next to a bus shelter with various posters. He is pointing to a poster advertising a live music event for Steely Dan at SanFrans, scheduled for March 27, 2025, in Wellington, New Zealand. The background includes parked cars, a street with speed limit signs, and buildings.

    "Chris Beernink is a phenomenal teacher who understands how to learn! Great teacher and a great person to hang out with!"

  • A woman playing a saxophone in a dimly lit room, possibly a music venue or studio.

    Chris was consistently an encouraging, kind and passionate teacher. His approach to music is holistic and always inspiring, creating space for all students to feel supported and safe to express their creativity freely. Not only did I gain technical skills and better musicianship under his tuition, but also a more nuanced understanding of myself as a musician and a part of a wider community

  • A young man sitting barefoot on grass, playing an acoustic guitar outdoors near a wooden fence, with trees and outdoor furniture in the background.

    "Chris's dedication and attention to detail shines through in his teaching; it's contagious in the best way."

  • A young musician with black hair playing an electric bass guitar on stage during a rock concert. There is a drum set and a keyboard in the background, with a dark stage illuminated by purple and red lighting. A screen behind displays a logo, and a logo in the bottom right corner reads 'Smoker Free Rock Quest NZ 2017'.

    "Chris teaches you everything about music inside and out. He’s follows the learning pace if a student is a quick or fast learner. Chris also takes time to listen to students preferred music and uses their own music taste to relate to the current learning topic of music and theory"

  • Musicians performing on stage with colorful graffiti artwork, featuring a woman playing the saxophone in the foreground, and a man playing the drums and another man playing the guitar in the background.

    "Chris combines a comprehensive musical understanding and skillset with innovative, approachable teaching methods to get the best out of his students. I was lucky to study improvisation under his tutelage and he is a top tier music educator!"

Close-up of parts of three different electric guitars, including the necks and bodies, with a monochrome tone and textured backgrounds.

Why we’re starting Canopy:

At Canopy Music School, we believe music is one of the most powerful ways to connect — with other musicians, with audiences, across generations, and between cultures both here in Aotearoa and around the world.

Here’s why that matters…
Our mission is to provide accessible, high-quality music education in Hawke’s Bay that inspires creativity, builds community, and equips students with the skills they need to thrive as musicians.

We take a hands-on approach to music lessons, combining practical playing with strong foundations in musicianship, music theory, and performance communication. The result? Every student — from beginner to advanced — gains confidence, technical skill, and a deep understanding of their instrument.

Through private music lessons, group workshops, and community events, we aim to grow a vibrant, connected music scene right here in Te Matau-a-Māui (Hawke’s Bay).