WBoPP music tutor David Grindley said the workshop, which was one in a series of similar professional one-on-one experiences set to be held at the institute in coming weeks, was a rare "heads-up" for aspiring musicians to access someone who had made it on Marvelly's level and find out not only how she did it, but what her journey was like.
"At a local level, attendees are going to get an idea of what it is to start at the beginning and go through the grass roots/local heart of the music industry, as opposed to a corporate driven break though perspective."
Fellow music tutor Ben Wilcock said the ability to learn alongside like-minded people was also part of the event's attraction.
"People think of Rotorua as 'sports and thermal' but it's actually a musical city. It's got a really strong musical history that is changing as our city is growing - live music in Rotorua is growing. Things like this seminar and the musical qualifications here at WBoPP fuel that industry growth and culture.
Meanwhile, Marvelly said learning and education were the keys to opportunities.
"With learning comes improvement, new realisations, personal development and evolution," Marvelly said.
"I was privileged to learn much of my craft as a musician as a teenager, but they are skills that I still call on today. Even now, with a few letters behind my name (BA, ATCL, ASB), I still seek out learning opportunities whenever I can."
The free Q&A is open to the public, however space is limited. Please RSVP to Ben.Wilcock@waiariki.ac.nz.
