Meet Anita
“Anita is a great teacher because she is humorous and kind but also disciplined. I had a fun time learning the violin with her. I think she is an awesome teacher and she should spread laughter and also knowledge to other students.”
Kenenza Woosnam (12 years old)
Gregory Squire and Anita Tan were married in January 2014. Together they share a passion for music education. Anita actively supports Gregory’s outreach work Or-ches-trate as well as nurtures her growing number of students.
Anita Tan has taught students of all ages and families from various cultural and linguistic backgrounds. She began teaching violin in 2001 and did her first Suzuki training in 2006. She has attended masterclasses and workshops in Suzuki Violin and other teaching methods. Her experience included working with/ learning from Timothy Durbin (USA), Antonella Aloigi (Italy), Edward Pople (Australia), Yasuki Nakamura (Japan/ Australia), Val Thorbun (past president of NZ Suzuki Institute), Lynley Culliford (NZ), Stacey Shuck (USA), Hwang Kyung-Ik (Korea), Jeong Cheol-Woong (Korea), Lan-Ku Chen (Taiwan), and Therese Wirakesuma (USA/ Indonesia), among others.
Before coming to New Zealand, she was the founding Music Director of a youth string ensemble Camerata Junior, and taught Music at an International Baccalaurate school in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Anita (standing second from right) and the Sekolah Pelita Harapan performing group
during an Italian tour
“Anita taught my son strong basic techniques, which enabled him to learn more advanced skills and do well in Book 4. My son is not a born-musician and needs to work extra hard. At times he had wanted to give up playing the violin, however Anita saw his strengths and encouraged them accordingly. Her support has kept him playing the violin to this day.”
Liza Pramana
“我的孩子喜欢和蔼可亲，风趣幽默，教学简单易懂的老师，而我则希望老师能在风趣教学的同时能严格些，对孩子错误的动作能一遍遍不厌其烦地纠正，能针对孩子的优缺点制定适合自己孩子的教学课程。当然我还会考虑到费用，课程时间安排及上课地点是否适合。真是非常幸运我们在惠灵顿遇到了这样一位孩子和我都喜欢的老师。她就是Anita Tan. 我向所有的家长推荐这位小提琴老师。”
– 杨轲
“Anita is not your typical violin teacher who always holds your hand and says you played brilliantly when really, you didn’t. While it does mean you may get less sugar coating than you would from most teachers, it makes her praise just so much more valuable than a million empty kind words.
Anita was given the unpleasant job of preparing the disorganized and unmotivated me for grade 8 violin examination during the legendarily rigorous IB Diploma program, with lessons scheduled after an 8 hour school day and intense 2 hour sports training. On some days I didn’t even have the energy to stand up. Yet for the most difficult examination I had ever taken, I passed with Distinction for the first time in my life!
Honestly, Anita is one of the most dedicated and caring teachers I’ve ever had, even though I was taught by her for the shortest time out of all my previous teachers. Once you get to know her, you’ll realize that little things she says or does are honest and genuine, and I think that is the most valuable thing about her.”
Stefan Layanto (18 years old)
“Anita is a wonderful mentor, an influence in my musical and personal growth. When I first met her I was in such a bad shape that I had to relearn everything. I was also a moody teenager. She patiently tended to my angst and adjusted lesson plans according to my school workload. She also constantly pushed me to become a role model. I have always remembered how one evening she handed me the audition materials for International Honor Orchestra Festival held by the Association for Music in International Schools (AMIS). The festival, along with two others I attended in my high school years, widened my perspective on the presence of young musicians beyond my school and the beautiful music we could make together. My commitment to playing in orchestras even until today is mainly stemmed on those experiences.”
Nathaniel Mailoa (20 years old)
Member of UC Berkeley Symphony Orchestra