Bio

Matthew Stuart has been involved professionally in music education for over 8 years. He has taught hundreds of students as a private guitar teacher, spent two years teaching music theory at the University of Otago, served on the Music Education Otago committee, and worked as the Director of Activate Music Academy; a local music school in Dunedin responsible for teaching hundreds of students every week. 

During his time running Activate Music Academy, Matthew established an online learning portal and developed resources that continue to be used by teachers and schools all over the country. He also worked closely with up and coming tutors, providing mentorship and helping them establish their own teaching practices. 

In addition to his interests in playing and teaching guitar, Matt works as a songwriter and producer, with a specific interest in Top 40 material.

Teaching Style

A student who wants to be a professional musician is no better than a student who just wants to develop their chops so they can jam at home. Both have equally valid objectives that require different areas of focus and strategies to practice.

A good teacher will design a unique lesson plan to help you achieve your specific goals. They’ll make sure you have a thorough understanding of the theory and techniques you’ll need without burdening you with details and boring music theory that isn’t actually relevant to what you want to do. A good teacher provides personalised feedback and makes you feel confident you know exactly what you need to do to practice effectively. 

"Regardless of how good you become, music is something you never stop learning. We’re all just trying to take the next step in our own musical journey. A generic teacher will tell you to ‘go that way’. I’ll come alongside you as a mentor, help you figure out how to ‘go that way’, and celebrate with you when you get there.” - Matt