Enrollment has started for our summer/fall performance season!
Performance Program - School of Rock’s Flagship Program - is a unique combination of private and group lessons which offers students the opportunity to apply every concept they learn in their private lesson into a real rock n roll setting; essentially connecting the dots from the practice room, to full band rehearsals, and finally up to the stage at some of Chicago's best rock clubs! Our students have performed at Lincoln Hall, Double Door, Schubas, & The Empty Bottle, among countless other amazing venues. Each season, we offer a variety of amazing performance group themes (i.e. the music of Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones, The Beatles, HeavyMetal, etc… ) from which students are able to select their group.
Tuition for this program is $354/month and includes a weekly 45 minute private lesson as well as a weekly group rehearsal that runs 90 minutes. You would be billed on a recurring monthly basis and you could cancel anytime during the current month for the following month. However, we ask that once you commit to a season, you stay until the final performance.
Need help deciding if performance program is the right fit for your student? Give us a call!
And now, for our themes!
The Black Keys
Mondays 4:30pm-6pm
The Black Keys bluesy take on rock catapulted the band to being a household name. Dan Aurebach and Patrick Carney began as an independent act, recording music in basements and self-producing their records, before they eventually emerged as one of the most popular Garage Rock revival artists. The band's raw sound draws heavily from Auerbach's blues influences. One of their trademarks is their preference for simple, lo-fi recording techniques. They refuse to use big-name studios, and do most of the producing themselves. After learning some production tricks from Danger Mouse, The Black Keys broke out of the underground with their hit record, Brothers. The Black Keys embody Rock music; making simple, hard-hitting tunes that are catchy enough to make you get up and dance.
First Rehearsal: Monday, February 6th
Dress Rehearsal: Friday, May 12th
Performance: Saturday, May 13th
Jimi Hendrix
Tuesdays 6pm-7:30pm
Jimi Hendrix is arguably the most influential guitarist in the history of Rock & Roll. Few others have had as much of an impact on how guitar is played, not to mention such a lasting musical and cultural legacy. Jimi was one the best players in history, but was also an innovator in the recording studio. Are You Experienced, was released in 1967 and featured the singles” Purple Haze”, “Hey Joe”, “Stone Free”, all of which have become classic rock standards. With the Jimi Hendrix Experience, and later with Band of Gypsys, Hendrix and his bandmates took Blues conventions and turned them upside down, creating a completely fresh sound. Jimi’s incredible ability and ingenious experimentation with effects completely reinvented rock and roll and influenced everyone who came after.
First Rehearsal: Tuesday, February 7th
Dress Rehearsal: Friday, May 12th
Performance: Saturday, May 13th
Guns n' Roses
Tuesdays 7:30pm-9pm
Guns N' Roses are the bridge separating 80s and 90s hard rock, and responsible for ushering in an era of gritty rock & roll. Slash and Izzy Stradlin cranked out mean riffs that matched the dark fantasies of Axl Rose, the vocalist with a serpentine charm. Rose countered his nasty tendencies with a romantic side. "Sweet Child O' Mine," went to number one in 1988, turning the band into superstars in the process. GNR's debut album, Appetite For Destruction, sold in monstrous numbers, reaching Billboard's Top Ten. During this peak, Guns N' Roses were lightning rods for controversy, so they avoided trouble by whiling away in the studio crafting their sequel, the sprawling twin albums Use Your Illusion 1 and Use Your Illusion 2. Each of the Use Your Illusion albums have been certified 7× Platinum. This is their first album to be recorded as a six-piece band. This is a great show for students of any level to gain insight into gritty rock & roll composition.
First Rehearsal: Tuesday, February 7th
Dress Rehearsal: Friday, May 12th
Performance: Saturday, May 13th
Rolling Stones
Wednesdays 4:30pm-6pm
Dubbed `The Greatest Rock & Roll Band In The World’, The Rolling Stones have remained relevant and rocking for nearly 60 years. Though their songs are rooted in Blues, throughout their legendary career they have incorporated nearly everything into their sound. For an education in groove, stage presence, and tasteful playing, there are few equals to a Stones show. From standing tall on the front lines of the British Invasion to selling out stadiums in more recent times, The Rolling Stones are truly one of the most impactful and important Rock n’ Roll bands of all time, and they will continue to inspire future generations for years to come.
First Rehearsal: Wednesday, February 8th
Dress Rehearsal: Friday, May 12th
Performance: Saturday, May 13th
Queen
Wednesdays 7:30pm-9pm
Queen formed in London, England, in 1970, and achieved global success in no small part due to the supernatural talent of lead singer Freddie Mercury. The band also featured Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon - all virtuosos on their respective instruments. Queen is known as one of the most commercially successful bands of all time, but they also pushed artistic boundaries. Their first album, self-titled Queen, was well-received by critics, and featured “Keep Yourself Alive” which was listed in the top 50 greatest “Guitar Songs” of all-time. Following several more albums, A Night At The Opera was released an album that brought together all of the band’s interests and influences. The album’s centerpiece was the operatic “Bohemian Rhapsody”, one of Rock’s most celebrated masterpieces. Queen continued their dominance of the airwaves in the '80s with hits like “Another One Bites the Dust” and “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”. Despite Mercury’s untimely death in 1991, Queen remains one of Rock’s most influential and enduring acts. Queen is a fantastic show for all students and will provide endless opportunities and steep challenges for every experience level.
First Rehearsal: Wednesday, February 8th
Dress Rehearsal: Friday, May 12th
Performance: Saturday, May 13th
Iron Maiden
Thursdays 7:30pm-9pm
Founded by bassist Steve Harris in the mid ‘70s, Iron Maiden developed almost entirely without the acknowledgement of mainstream media. While celebrity culture and the next big thing occupied the airwaves, Iron Maiden were embarking on a marathon 192-date world tour, playing at Rock In Rio in 1985, and mounting a command performance at the Monsters Of Rock festival at Donington in 1988 with 107,000 fans in attendance. It’s really Iron Maiden’s iron-clad resolve to always push the boundaries that gives their career such astonishing distinction.Their catalog leaves behind a legacy of music that will inspire musicians around the globe for generations to come. This show will challenge even the most seasoned students with the technical demands of the music, while encouraging fledgling players to up their game learning fundamentals of the Metal genre.
First Rehearsal: Thursday, February 9th
Dress Rehearsal: Friday, May 12th
Performance: Saturday, May 13th
