The new music school is in a sprawling building amid fields and trees at the back of Wanganui East.
The Contemporary Music Performance course started in July with 10 students.
It's only 9am (school doesn't officially start until 10am), but the place is already humming with chattering, laughter and music.
Keyboards are ringing as young songwriters try out chords and notes, symphonies play out on computer screens and, from the band room, drums, a guitar or two and a student at the keyboards are warming up, promising a great session ahead.
Music lecturer Elizabeth (Lizzie) de Vegt is an avid composer of contemporary classical music and is as eager and passionate as her students.
"I mean isn't this just the dream job? I love it. I look forward to being here every morning."
Lizzie is a composer, sound artist, performer and researcher. She has a Master of Music (First Class Honours) and, along with winning multiple awards, scholarships and prizes for creative work, was awarded Creative and Performing Arts Person of the Year in 2009 at the University of Waikato.
Her music covers a wide range of styles from contemporary classical music to electroacoustic, singer-songwriter and theatre music.
Her music has been performed in New Zealand, Australia, Europe and the US.
Sunlight is flooding through the banks of large windows. and the glory of it all is that these musicians don't have to worry about irritating the neighbours if they get a bit enthusiastic and amp their music up.
There are neighbours, but they are way down the street, Lizzie says.
"I went and saw them, and they all told me not to worry that they were happy if we were happy."
The spacious buildings once housed the UCOL catering school.
"We are just so lucky. We can play music and not worry. It's such a good feeling."
The criteria for the 34-week full-time certificated course are that each candidate must be able to play a musical instrument and/or sing confidently and competently in front of others.
Each prospective student must show evidence of a reasonable level of proficiency on either their principal musical instrument or vocal ability.
The programme helps students develop their individual and band performance across most popular music styles.
There is also tuition in live sounds, recording, theory, songwriting/composition and music management.
"If you're wanting a career in music, you really need to know not only your music but also how the industry works," Lizzie says.
The students all find the new course the answer to their prayers because, they say, for years they thought it would take a miracle to bring a music course for adults into Wanganui.
Wanganui misses out on so much, they say.
"It's not first choice in most things and it's certainly not a great town for live bands. There just aren't the venues there used to be once. So you need to learn your stuff, then some of us will have to leave."
Trumpeter Wade Monteba says he hopes he is successful on this course because he wants to go on to audition for the New Zealand Music Jazz School in Wellington.
"I want to be good ... I want to play trumpet ... it's all I want to do, so I'm working hard here to get there."
Andre Nepia, a guitarist, says he was so desperate he was ready to travel to Palmerston North to do the UCOL music course.
"But, to be honest, I couldn't really afford the travel and I certainly couldn't afford to move there.
" I am so happy I've been able to come here. It's really boosted my life."
Eventually, his dream is to have a live gigging band.
"I don't want to be a session musician. I really want to play live. I've always wanted to."
The two young women students, both vocalists, say coming on the course has meant the world to them.
Alyce Burr said studying music was "awesome".
"I never thought something like this would happen to me, not here in Wanganui, anyway.
"I'm just rapt."
With a three-year-old son to look after as well, life is busy, she said.
"But I am determined to do well and learn as much I can."
Shaye Muir says it is an opportunity she'd always hoped for.
"I love music, I always have, and I want music to be my life."
Shaye works part-time at McDonald's every weekend to help fund her course.
"Auditioning was the best decision I ever made. I want a career in music. I'm a vocalist, but I want to learn an instrument as well."
Rap singer/songwriter Hez Tapua was described by Lizzie as a "real find".
"He is so talented."
Hez stares fixedly at his computer screen, his fingers walking along the keyboard, and modestly says yeah, he writes a bit of rap and other stuff and is a singer.
He has a really good feeling about the course, he says.
"The space is great, the people are all great, and the lessons and training are the best ... music theory and that."
No one is dawdling about here, everyone is happy and involved.
Lizzie says her greatest hope is that one day the course will become a degree course.
"That would be just perfect."
On Tuesday, November 15, the students are going to show Wanganui their chops.
They're performing as one big reggae band at Breakers at the Grand Hotel in Guyton St.
"It's a free concert, it's their first concert, and I can tell you it's going to be fantastic.
"Everyone has been working so hard ... I'm so proud of them," says Lizzie.