School of Rock Music Lessons Review – review of School of Rock music lessons, semesters, rock concerts associated with the School of Rock experience.
Wow, where do I begin? My son Jayson just completed one semester at the School of Rock in Rochester and performed in the end of season Pearl Jam / Foo Fighters concert.
Being this was my son’s first semester and the unique School of Rock concept, I had no idea what to expect. Were the kids going to be good where we’d recognize all the songs and find it to be enjoyable? Or, would we find ourselves sitting there politely smiling and clapping at kids just banging away on guitars, bass guitars and drums?
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The School of Rock music lessons concept is very straightforward. Kids who sign up (anywhere from 15-30 kids) pick a theme they want to learn for the next 3 1/2 months and form a band. My son’s “band” was to learn and perform 20 songs by Pearl Jam and Foo Fighters. Weekly band rehearsals run 3 hours where the kids hone their instruments as a group and the songs are divided up between the kids. Each child also has individual music lessons to further their songs on a separate day with a School of Rock music teacher. Finally, at the end of the semester, 1 or 2 “gigs” are set up for the kids to showcase their songs live on stage in front of an audience at a local venue, bar or theatre. A full rock concert!
My son’s School of Rock “band” consisted of boys and girls ages 10-17. Most of the kids were older and already had a couple of School of Rock semesters under their belt. In the beginning, I was worried that my newbie, 11 year old son would hold them back on guitar or get buried in the back playing 1 chord for a song or two while the experienced teens got to have all the fun. This was not the case at all. The older kids embraced the younger musicians and full participation was welcome. My son performed guitar in 4 songs and even sang on some songs. Because the kids functioned as a band for such a long period, they really gelled. This was all thanks to the professional music and performance instruction from School of Rock music lessons teachers. The instructors really know how to work well with kids.
A typical end of semester School of Rock concert is 1 full concert of about 20 songs performed two times. Each band member is assigned certain songs to perform. Don’t worry if your child is new to School of Rock. For instance, since my son is a beginner, he learned easier rhythm sections of songs that were catered to his abilities. The older, more experienced kids handle the solos. All kids are encouraged to sing at some point. Everyone participates equally on their instrument of choice. No matter what your child’s age or musical ability, they will perform a full rock concert by the end – School of Rock guarantees it.
Forget the days of a stodgy music teacher grinding away at kids until they want to give up their instruments. School of Rock teachers work really well with the kids in a group setting to encourage discipline as well as enhance creativity. The excitement of performing well with their beloved bandmates helps the kids focus and perform as mini-professional musicians as the weeks pass.
Well, the end of semester School of Rock concerts blew me away! The quality of the show was outstanding and professional. The stage, the equipment, the talent – nothing rinky dink here. I think a huge bonus comes from being so surprised… during the semester, parents don’t come into the sessions at the weekly 3-hour rehearsals. So, when you see the School of Rock end of semester performance it’s truly a treat and completely fresh. Plus, the kids absolutely enjoy doing the performance and honestly, none of the kids seemed uncomfortable or nervous. They were all raring to play!
The School of Rock Rochester program is truly the best program for getting kids to a point of playing actual music and songs. It’s also an excellent program for kids who want to play music socially and enjoyably with others, rather than someone who prefers to play alone and get lost in the moment. My son fits the category of playing socially, so his former “dread” for guitar lessons and practice has now become a true love.
School of Rock Music Lessons Update: My son completed his 2nd semester of School of Rock. For 2nd semester, he joined the technically more difficult “Guns N’ Roses Vs Van Halen”. Their first concert as a band marking the end of the semester had the band performing at Callahan’s in Auburn Hills.
Once again, School of Rock gets high marks from me as parent. The teaching and coordination to have these (about 15 total) kids perform full set lists of difficult bands in a scant 4-month period is remarkable. The concerts sound great and are a fantastic experience of the culmination of the work put in by the individuals. Sure, it’s fantastic experience for the future musicians. It’s also a celebration for the families involved – much like attending a high school play or sporting event. The “opening act” was the future stars of School of Rock – rock songs performed by kids ages 4-10. Why didn’t they have School of Rock when I was a kid?
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School of Rock Rochester
415 Walnut Blvd
Rochester, MI 48307
locations.schoolofrock.com/rochester
248-726-9787
I hope you found this School of Rock review helpful
