Starting with Strings – School Journal Level 2 August 2015

This article explores Sistema Aotearoa, a children’s orchestra based in Otara, Auckland, which provides local primary school students the opportunity to learn stringed, woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments. The program emphasises group practice and responsibility, requiring students to first master “whisper instruments” made of cardboard to prove they can care for an instrument before receiving a real one. Beyond musical skills, the initiative aims to build student confidence and community ties through public performances in Otara and across Auckland.