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What Students, Parents and Schools Say About Lila School of Bands

Lila School of Bands has worked with hundreds of young musicians across Auckland, helping students develop confidence, musical skills, and original music through band coaching, music lessons, songwriting workshops, and school music programs.

Many of our students go on to perform regularly, record original songs, and compete in Smokefree Rockquest, New Zealand’s leading youth music competition.

Below are a few words from the students, parents and schools we’ve worked with.

Parent Reviews

‘My daughter has been part of the Lila school, taken part in end of term concerts and last week her band recorded their original song. An amazing experience for her and her band mates and they are delighted with the results.I would highly recommend Lila School and encourage parents and care givers to get in touch with Jesse to understand more and give it a go.It’s been a big part of my daughter’s education. She will always play her guitar and the Lila School has been a great musical foundation.’ – Liz Thomson, Parent

‘Such a great, fun school of Bands, our children have been with a Lila mentor for their band for 3 terms now. The improvement to their confidence has been amazing, and they love it. The end of term showcases are really fun, all the kids support each other, and everything is very well organised. We also do lessons through Lila and they’re also excellent. The mentors and tutors boost them up, and help them improve. Highly recommend’ – Bernie McDougall, Parent

‘My daughter has been at Lila School of Bands for a year and we’re so impressed with the opportunity it’s given her to be part of a band, learn how to play music with others, and express herself. She’s also had excellent private music lessons with their tutors. We love seeing her band and other bands perform at regular times during the year. Jesse is professional, experienced and also kind and encouraging.

• Victoria Farry, Parent

‘Our son is so lucky to have the dream team at Lila School of Bands! Joe Loni is doing an amazing job of teaching him the electric guitar and teaching their band how to play together. Joe has a real gift for teaching. His calm energy and enthusiasm is great for kids to be around, and he can really tap in to each child’s strengths and motivations. We also appreciate the great job that Jesse does – organising regular performances for the kids and making them feel like they’re really part of something special. Highly recommend.’ – Miranda Lang, Parent

Student Reviews

‘Lila school of bands has not only inspired me to improve my musicality but it has proven to be a wonderful experience for me as an individual and with the band I’m part of. It’s helped to develop my skills and grow my confidence. I cannot recommend Lila enough for any aspiring youth that want to look into music or start their own band.😁😁😁’ – Izzy, Student from the band Text2Speech

‘Lila School of Bands was a huge part of my high school years and played a big role in helping me grow as an artist. Being there helped me become a better songwriter and gave me the chance to properly experience what it’s like playing in a band. We competed in Rockquest multiple times, played gigs, and I met so many amazing musicians. A lot of them I’m still in touch with today. It made such a difference to my confidence and development. I’m so grateful for my time at Lila and everything I learned there.’ – Myah Eve, Former Student from the band Violet Skies

‘Lila School of Bands has helped me so much with my music journey and my own personal development. I have gained so much confidence as a musician, in my songwriting and playing. Recently my band has released our first song and started doing our own gigs. without Jesse and his team, I can’t imagine we would be here. I have made some incredibly close friends that I hope to have for the rest of my life.’ – Daniel Tattersfield, Student from the band Catch 22

‘Joe, Jesse, Darryn and all the other amazing mentors at Lila are super awesome and the best people. Lila as well as being an awesome thing, is also an awesome community who help people reach their dreams and inspire so many. I 100% recommend anyone who is looking to start/join a band or even just to play gigs with awesome people to come to Lila and have the best time of your life!!’ – Miro Pallai, Student from band Eulogy

School Testimonials

“It has been an absolute pleasure working with Lila School of Bands. The meaningful experiences our students gained were phenomenal. I would fully recommend any school to grab the opportunity to work with Lila.”
— Nick Wilson, Principal, Ponsonby Intermediate

“‘A Big Thank you to Lila School of Bands for the work they have done with our students, it’s exactly what we were hoping for, so goal achieved!’

-Meegan Hill, Deputy Principal, Kohimarama School

“Lila School of Bands has demonstrated incredible professionalism and inspired both our songwriters and rock bands. The guidance provided has boosted our students’ confidence and enabled them to further develop their craft.”
— Rachel Larcombe, HOD Selwyn College

“At Te Kānani School, the Lila School of Bands has been transformational. Our students are not just learning music; they’re building teamwork, confidence, and discovering their own potential. This program has brought our music curriculum to life.”
— Margaret Aikman, Principal, Te Kānani School

Results Our Students Have Achieved

Students from Lila School of Bands have:

• Won the Smokefree Rockquest National Final (2023 & 2024)
• Become Rockquest National Finalists
• Recorded and released original music
• Performed regularly at live showcases across Auckland
• Built their own bands and started performing publicly

Most importantly, they develop a lifelong love of music and confidence performing in front of others.

Join the Lila Community

If you’re looking for:

• Guitar lessons in Auckland
• Singing lessons for kids and teens
• Band coaching and songwriting programs
• Music programs for schools

Lila School of Bands offers a unique environment where young musicians can learn, collaborate and perform.

Enquire today to join a band or book a lesson.