Beat Music Studios alumni have achieved top exam results, performed with national ensembles, and gone on to study and pursue careers in music.
Angus Murray
Kia ora! My name is Angus Murray and I studied under Jono for many years before briefly teaching on behalf of The Beat Studios. Over the years Jono’s tuition has been instrumental in helping me achieve my goals musically and beyond.
I have spent the last six years playing for my band There’s A Tuesday, in which I have played numerous national/international tours and festivals, been nominated twice at the APRA Silver Scrolls awards, and recently completed an artist residency in Seoul, South Korea.
In the future, I hope to make music my full-time occupation and tour to new and exciting locations.
Hannah Kagawa
My name is Hannah Kagawa, a percussionist and composer, and a former student at Beat Music Studios. I began as a complete beginner in 2019, learning drum kit with Ricardo Stuani, and soon expanded into orchestral percussion with Jonathon Tressler in 2020.
During my time at Beat Music Studios I achieved Grade 3 Trinity Rock and Pop Drums with Merit (2020), Grade 8 Trinity College London Orchestral Percussion with Distinction (2022), and the ATCL Trinity College London Percussion Diploma (2023). After five years of study, I graduated in 2023 determined to pursue music as a career. I am now in my second year of a Bachelor of Music at the University of Canterbury, double-majoring in Performance and Composition under the guidance of Dr Justin DeHart.
The Beat Music Studios gave me more than technical training. Jonathon supported me in countless ways, from loaning instruments during COVID-19 to inviting me to perform in ensembles across the city, and preparing me for auditions and exams. Thanks to this support I performed with the NZSO National Youth Orchestra and the New Zealand Secondary Schools’ Orchestra, and was named top female musician and percussionist at Papanui High School in 2022.
As a token of gratitude I composed Rhapsody of the Successors (2023), performed by the Christchurch Youth Orchestra Percussion Ensemble. I am grateful for the musicianship, resilience, and discipline I gained through my lessons. They were always enjoyable and well-organised, and I still keep in touch with my teachers as friends. As I continue my studies, I hope to give back to the community and inspire the next generation of New Zealand musicians.
Sho Kubota
I began my musical journey studying drums at the Beat Studios in elementary school. During my time at the beat, I studied with various teachers specialising in different fields of music, which helped make me not only a well-rounded drummer but also a well-rounded musician.
As I continued through the beat studios, I was introduced to opportunities in Rock and Jazz bands, Orchestras and Chamber ensembles, where techniques and experiences from the beat helped guide my way through practices, rehearsals, and concerts.
Now, I am studying music at the University of Canterbury, and am active as a casual percussionist with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra. – Sho
Ciaran Wright
In 2014 I started drum lessons at The Beat Studios with Jono where I quickly grew a love for drums. I worked through a few grades of the Trinity College Drum Kit syllabus before starting Percussion in the (at the time) new percussion studio. This is where my passion for percussion began to grow. I remember my first percussion Exam, my first 4 mallet marimba piece, and the many great opportunities I was given all thanks to Jono at The Beat Studios.
2021 was my final year at the beat studios (as a student) where I completed my ATCL in orchestral percussion with distinction. In 2022 I was welcomed aboard The Beat Studios team as a teacher! Even before this I always had a passion for helping and teaching my fellow students as the orchestra and concert band section leader, so I was thrilled to continue that passion post high school.
The many experiences I had and lessons I learned from the beat studios grew my passion for percussion so much, I wanted to make a career out of it. From 2022 I began studying at the University of Canterbury working towards a Bachelor of Music majoring in performance. This was my first major step towards reaching my goals. Throughout my time at UC, I performed with many groups around NZ including the NZSO National Youth Orchestra, the
Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, Canterbury Brass, and the UC Percussion Ensemble.
In 2024 I finished my studies and officially became a casual member of the CSO. The following year (2025) was my final year teaching at The Beat Studios as I successfully audition for the Australian National Academy of Music. ANAM is an intense 3-year program, full of enriching opportunities to expand even further on my skills and apply them to a future in performance.
I will forever be grateful for everything I learned at The Beat Studios as a student and a teacher. I couldn’t have asked for a stronger musical foundation to build upon as a professional percussionist!