The East Hartford School of Rock and West Hartford School of Rock have announced the Spring 2024 show lineup. These shows are music education programs for children ages 8 to 18 and consist of weekly individual lessons paired with a group band practice focused on a musical theme. School of Rock teaches electric guitar, bass, drums, piano/keys and singing. The season ends with a full-scale performance at a local popular venue. The current season's final show for Fall 2023 is Saturday January 20th and Sunday January 21st at Crystal Bees in Southington.

For the Spring 2024 season, West Hartford has six show themes that are sure to resonate with kids. The shows are Led Zeppelin, Disturbed vs Avenged Sevenfold, Old School Hip Hop, Pop Punk and Emo, Annie Lennox vs The Pretenders, and Directors Cut: David vs Mackey.

East Hartford has 3 show themes that are perennial favorites. The shows are Legends of Soul, Arena Rock, and Miley Cyrus vs P!nk.

(Show descriptions and associated playlists follow below - the playlists provide the list of songs that the bands may choose to learn)

Rehearsals start the week of January 29th. Shows fill up quickly so contact our Front Desk soon for more info and to enroll:
easthartford@schoolofrock.com 860-962-7625
westhartford@schoolofrock.com 860-973-7625.

In addition to our performance programs, we offer two introductory programs for kids with no or limited prior experience – Rookies and Rock 101. Rookies is a music program designed for kids ages 6-7 with no previous musical experience. Students have one weekly group lesson where they learn musical fundamentals like chords, rhythm and song structure. Rookies’ students also learn and experiment with multiple instruments, so they are then able to decide which one they ultimately want to continue pursuing in Rock 101.

Rock 101, for kids ages 8-13, offers a weekly group rehearsal where they learn classic rock songs that have been arranged and simplified specifically for beginner musicians. These rehearsals are all about getting young musicians to learn the fundamentals of their instrument and playing with a band in a positive and fun atmosphere. Students also have a weekly private music lesson where they learn foundational music and instrument skills and concepts.

Experiencing live performance is the core of our curriculum. Our students grow as individuals by taking the stage with others. When our students work with bandmates, they learn broader life skills like collaboration, compromise and courage. We call this revolutionary approach to music education The School of Rock Method™. The School of Rock Method builds musical proficiency through our proprietary Method App, Method Book collection, SongFirst approach, and Performance Based Music Education. Our Method has been awarded a US patent making our teaching system available nowhere else.

West Hartford Show Descriptions & Playlists

Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin has long been considered among the innovators of the hard rock genre. Formed originally as a new version of the British invasion group The Yardbirds, Led Zeppelin quickly took shape to become the most popular rock band in the world, filling arenas and selling millions of albums. The mastermind behind it all was Jimmy Page. As a studio musician, producer, and songwriter, Page recruited Robert Plant (vocals), John Paul Jones (bass), and John Bonham (drums), and began a decade-long journey of prolific songwriting. Songs like “Stairway to Heaven”, “Black Dog”, “Good Times Bad Times”, and “The Ocean” have become rock standards and rights of passage for aspiring musicians. Led Zeppelinʼs blend of hard rock, blues, and folk has remained the primary inspiration for many of todayʼs rock bands. Any student participating in this show is sure to gain a wealth of musical knowledge and advancement. The Led Zeppelin show has challenges for every skill level - it will turn beginners into intermediates and will transform intermediate players into advanced rockers!
Spotify Playlist

Disturbed vs Avenged Sevenfold
Hail to the King if you're Down with the Sickness! These two titans of metal from the 2000s to today have unmistakable sounds and influence over hard rock and metal music in the modern era. For 20 years, both bands have been delivering raw, heavy, and driving tracks ranging from metalcore to alternative rock, hitting on progressive rock, and covering the full breadth of metal as a subgenre of rock ʻn roll. Disturbed delivers powerful and beautiful melodies led by vocalist David Draiman, with originals like “Indestructible” and “Down with the Sickness”, and a cover of the iconic “The Sound of Silence”. There is, however, no denying the raw strength of Avenged Sevenfoldʼs “Synyster Gates” and Brooks Wackerman writing tunes like “Bat Country”, “Hail to the King”, and “Unholy Confessions”. This show features music for intermediate and advanced players looking to hone their rhythmic and melodic skills. Heavy vocals, guitarmonies, driving and intense drumming, and deep bass lines make this show a must-join for musicians looking to up their game. Be ready to headbang.
Spotify Playlist

Old School Hip Hop
Parental Advisory: Lyrical content and subject matter may be offensive to some listeners.
If you say you're into rap, then you need to find your roots. Tupac. Biggie. Wu Tang Clan. Beastie Boys. Public Enemy. The list goes on. This show is not for the faint of heart. Featuring iconic hits like “Principalʼs Office”, “Can I Kick It”, and “Express Yourself”, to “Empire State of Mind” and “Gratitude”, musicians in this show will find themselves maintaining groove and tackling the results of ‘80s funk and R&B culture. Drummers and bassists will find themselves leading the charge on every track, holding down the room for keys and guitars to emulate the sampling that made early hip hop such a standout in the music industry. Vocalists can expect to bring the heat. Wordplay and rhyme are the forefront of skills needed to shine here, with intense subject matter and the reality of a different America that contemporary media didnʼt represent.
Spotify Playlist

Pop Punk and Emo
In the 1990s, artists such as Green Day, Offspring, and Blink-182 achieved success by blending punk attitudes and influences with a more polished, melodic, commercially appealing sound than their often raw predecessors. By the 2000s, pop punk and its emo offshoot (featuring lyrics that touch on emotional and confessional topics) were fully entrenched in the mainstream music world with bands such as Fall Out Boy, Paramore, My Chemical Romance, and Panic! At the Disco topping the charts and selling out arenas. Of course, this music is still incredibly popular and influential today. A fun show that can be musically challenging but also teaches solid fundamental skills, Pop Punk & Emo is sure to appeal to all levels of students and will entertain any crowd!
Spotify Playlist

Annie Lennox vs The Pretenders
The British invasion has nothing on the new wave and pop rock era of British musicians. Annie Lennox OBE, both as a solo artist and in the legendary Eurythmics, is a pinnacle of vocal control as well as social icon. With her close-shaven orange hair and business suits, Annie Lennox reminded the world of the ‘80s that women could easily rule the world with just a look. Her successes existed outside the world of Eurythmics considering her 6 solo albums and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022. The new wave sounds are a great fit for any instrument and any level of student, being especially solid ground for beginners and intermediate players to grow! The Pretenders sit on the other side of the pop rock coin, laying more into the core of rock sound through folk, alternative, and acoustic sounds, avoiding the synth heavy sounds that pervaded the new wave of the ‘80s. Hits like “2000 Miles”, “Kids”, and “Back in the Chain Gang” prove their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as well. If you like garage rock, synth-pop, and classic alternative, you will not be disappointed with the selections and sounds of this show!
Spotify Playlist

Directors Cut: David vs Mackey
A true battle of Directors! School of Rock West Hartfordʼs own Music Director (David) and General Manager (Mackey) are excited to deliver some of their favorite hits and influences to the next generation of rock stars. While both their backgrounds are rooted in classical education, these directors have chosen an eclectic mix of influences from the rock, jazz, world, funk, and hip hop genres of music. Song selection ranges from classic hits like “Love Me Do” and “Who Are You” to modern anthems like “Mr. Brightside” and “Before He Cheats”. This show is accessible to beginners and advanced students alike, with artists like Weezer, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Flaming Lips, Molly Hatchet, and Radiohead providing room for beginners and intermediates to thrive and advanced players to be challenged. This is a show for the student who opens up their music apps and taps shuffle, ready to hear anything and everything!
Spotify Playlist

East Hartford Show Descriptions & Playlists

Legends of Soul
One of the coolest shows in the SoR curriculum! Legends of Soul refers to the revival of soul and R&B music in the 1990s and 2000s, led by artists such as Lauryn Hill, Maxwell, TLC, Erykah Badu, and D’Angelo. Combining elements and grooves from R&B, jazz, pop, punk, and hip hop influences, Soul distinguished itself from other pop music of the time by focusing on a return to live instrumentation. As the genre gained in popularity, artists such as Alicia Keys, Amy Winehouse, and Mary J Blige became pop superstars. Soul remains incredibly popular today, with Bruno Mars, John Legend, Hiatus Kaiyote, and Silk Sonic carrying the torch. Legends of Soul is a super educational show that will turn students into sophisticated groove monsters! Beginners up to advanced players will be challenged by these intricate arrangements and diverse styles.
Spotify Playlist

Arena Rock
Arena Rock is virtually impossible to indelibly encapsulate into an absolute genre or band list. However, the Arena Rock show at School of Rock can be definitively stamped as a mix of catchy music that is meant to be turned up loud with the windows down, filled with hard-hitting parts that feel good to air-guitar or air-drum along with at home. As FM radio developed into the mainstream music medium in the '70s, bands began performing at larger venues in order to accommodate their huge fanbases. One can subjectively argue that any artist who has achieved superstardom to the extent of performing in arenas and stadiums could be included. To that end, this show may include acts ranging from Journey, Styx, REO Speedwagon, and Kansas to Meat Loaf, Foreigner, Toto, Pat Benatar and Cheap Trick. No matter the bands, the songs of the Arena Rock show are the true stars, and anyone who’s had the joy to sing along with this music in its intended environment will surely agree. Guitarists will have challenging parts lurking around every corner. Keyboard players will be showcased heavily throughout. Vocalists will be challenged with belting leads and rich harmonies. Drummers will learn the true meaning of bombastic, showy performances. Bass players will be exposed to melodic bass lines which compliment their 6-string counterparts. This is a great show for all instruments!
Spotify Playlist

Miley Cyrus vs P!nk
These two singer/songwriters have paved the way for female musicians, amassing 14 Billboard Music Awards, 10 MTV Video Music Awards, and 3 Grammys between the two of them. Known for their style changes, P!nk and Miley each began their musical careers as teenagers, starting with pop music then later forging new paths toward rock, pop rock, country, and even R&B. This show will draw on each artist’s full discography to showcase the wide variety of genres and styles prevalent throughout their music. Miley Cyrus vs P!nk will provide opportunities for band members to develop their ear training skills as well as understand the structure of chords, progressions, and general song form. Those working to build their confidence and stage presence will also enjoy the high energy and creativity involved in this show.
Spotify Playlist