Instructors

“The Academy uses a variety of specialised and unique techniques that get results quickly for her clients”. This has caused her to be sought after to teach artists in NZ, New York and other parts of the world. Her professional career has also grown alongside the business and she continues to captivate and mesmerise audiences around the world. She is particularly known for her distinct Soul/R&B sound and her remarkably powerful voice. Anita’s vast experience and qualifications are what make up Prime Music Academy today.”

Anita Prime

CEO, Vocal, Piano, Guitar, Teacher (Whitianga/Wellington)

Anita has had a passion for music since a child. She grew up in Palmerston North, New Zealand where she gained her grass roots in music. Being involved in a local church’s music team and youth band these skills added to her already increasing achievements with her schooling in music. Anita toured NZ and Australia with a nationally selected band, Certain Sounds. They did an average of three concerts a day for 10 months focusing on youth. Anita also had a band of her own in her early career as a vocalist which led to writing and producing many of her own songs. She continued on with her music education and achieved qualifications from the Trinity College of London in Voice, Piano, Theory and Performance. Along with her professional career Anita desired to teach music also, so in 2007 she developed and started her own music business from home known as Vocal Expressions. As the business grew she opened up several studios in the Wellington region and renamed the business to Prime Music Academy. Moving to Whitianga saw Anita expand Prime Music Academy to cover the Coromandel region also, which has opened fantastic opportunities to “give back” and teach her music programme in the local schools also.

Helen Gower

Drum, Guitar, Bass, Ukulele & Piano Teacher (Whitianga)

With over 30 years practice in the music industry, Helen has an invaluable wealth of knowledge that many students have benefited from. Helen has experience in session work and contributed vocally and musically to albums such as Jules Riding, Mandy Hartley and Bonnie Low. She has created her own harmony arrangements and trained children choirs for session work and album production. Helen has performed on many stages from duo performances to full stage productions and in particular writing, coordinating and producing the Mercury Bay Music Festival production History Makers in 2017. She also did a year playing drums for the Mercury Bay Big band in 2017. With a passion and skill set in video production, she is assisting Anita’s current project called Ma Ihowa. Helen continues to coordinated student workshops/events and in her spare time, co-runs a successful voluntary children’s after school programme in Whitianga and the Coromandel. While also helping local church’s with music and band work, she teaches drums, guitar, piano, bass and ukulele for Prime Music Academy.

Ron Thaler

Special Guest Drum Teacher

Ron has featured on more than 400 album recordings and his career spans a wide range of styles and disciplines. He has performed and recorded with many of the world's finest platinum charting artists including Sarah McLachlan and Alicia Keys. Ron's talents continue to make him a valuable commodity on stage and in the studio and as one of the world's most in-demand drum clinicians.Ron has delivered a number of clinics and workshops throughout Europe, North America, South America and the South Pacific and continues to be invited to perform at many of the world’s largest drum festivals.

Jess Western

Vocals, Piano, Guitar, Drums

Jess Weston is a Wellington based emerging performer. She has received her diploma in Performing Arts (Musical Theatre) and is currently working towards her Bachelor’s degree in Performing Arts (Musical Theatre) with Whitireia, New Zealand. Jess has been playing music and dancing since she was four years old. She has achieved her level 6 Trinity College certificate in piano, and her level 8 American tap and Elementary Ballet NZAMD Certificates. Since winning the Voice of Upper Hutt Singing Talent show in 2016 with her original solo song, Jess has gone on to advance her musical career in choreographing Heretaunga College’s, 2021 original production of Freya and the production of Bride and Treasures Of The Gods. Jess was also an ensemble member of Te Auaha’s 2021 production of Footloose. She has been a crew member for Capital Theatre Trust’s production of Les Miserables at the St James, and an ensemble and crew member of Te Auahas 2022 production of Blood, Sweat, and Broadway.