Grammy award-winning reggae band Steel Pulse took advantage of the brand new music studios at Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology to get in a bit of rehearsal time.

Steel Pulse – who travelled over from the UK earlier this month – christened the brand new performance studio in Toi Ohomai's innovative teaching and learning space, due to open to the public this later week.

Other artists, including Spawnbreeze and Josh Wawa White, both from the USA, also spent some time rehearsing in the new space.

Local musician, promoter and Toi Ohomai music graduate Tim Cooper organised the rehearsals and says the new space is perfect for international artists.

'They were all stoked with it. The sound-treated room and air-conditioning was ideal for music sessions. There's very few spaces of that size in the region.”

Toi Ohomai music programme coordinator Dave Bishop is looking forward to having more international and national artists on campus.

'We've also had Brad Kora and Toi Ohomai graduate Joel Shadbolt of L.A.B. recording in the studios and all the feedback has been really positive, so I'm looking forward to the students getting started.”

The new building is due to be officially opened on Thursday, and will feature multi-purpose, technologically enhanced learning spaces that offer greater informality and flexibility for learning.

The new learning space will also host the creative arts students.