FALL SHOWS IN FULL BLOOM!

Our Performance Program is what School of Rock is all about! Students are placed in shows and assigned songs to build musical proficiency. The student and the instructor work on individual parts in private lessons, and bring the songs back to the group rehearsal, where they learn about teamwork, collaboration, and playing in a band.  This all culminates with an end-of-season performance at Space Ballroom in Hamden, CT.  Signups for our new season are moving along! 

ROOKIES

AGES 4-7 | WEDNESDAYS 5-6PM | THURSDAYS 5-6PM 

Rookies is a music program designed for children (typically 4 to 7-year-olds) with no previous musical experience. As with all our music programs, Rookies adheres to the patented School of Rock Method. Our Method's core philosophy is that performance-based music education is the best way for students to gain musical proficiency. Rookies students have one weekly group music lesson where they learn music fundamentals like chords, rhythm and song structure. Kids get to learn and experiment with multiple instruments so they are then able to decide which one they ultimately want to continue pursuing in Rock 101.

ROCK101

AGES 6-10 |  MONDAYS 

Rock 101 is one of School of Rock’s major programs for kids and beginners. The patented School of Rock Method combines our core philosophy of performance-based music education with a unique curriculum designed for kids with no previous musical experience. Students have one weekly group rehearsal where they learn classic rock songs that have been simplified specifically for beginner musicians. These rehearsals get young musicians to learn the fundamentals of their instrument while playing with a band in a positive and fun atmosphere. Students also have a weekly private music lesson with an instructor who will help them rehearse performance songs while teaching them foundational music skills and concepts.

METALLICA

AGES 13-18 | MONDAYS 6-8PM 4:30-5:30PM | STARTING FEB 9TH 

The most successful of the Big 4 thrash metal bands, Metallica is the best example of a “gateway band” into the world of heavy metal, proper.  Metallica drew influence from the dark sound of bands like Black Sabbath, but also incorporated the speed and intensity of punk rock, as well as neo-classical harmony to push the envelope and help reinvent the genre completely.  Students will be challenged on a technical level, with many songs having complex arrangements, fast tempos, and blistering fills and solos.  This is a great show for any student who wants  to push themselves to the next level!

TAYLOR SWIFT

AGES 10-18 | TUESDAYS 6-8PM 4:30-5:30PM | STARTING SEPT 3RD

Here by popular demand, but not just for Swifties!  Taylor Swift has become a bona fide living legend with multi-platinum sales and a career that has only gotten more successful over an almost two decade span.  With multiple eras drawing from many styles from country to hip-hop to pop, students will be exposed to an eclectic mix of songwriting approaches and techniques. Anyone who has seen any footage of Taylor live knows that the live show brings a little more rock to the stage (as is common with almost all pop acts) and we will be doing the same!    

NIRVANA

AGES 10-18 | WEDNESDAYS 6-8PM | STARTING SEPT 4TH

One of our favorite shows!  Nirvana is an essential band for guitarists, bassists and drummers to develop their chops, take on their first big fills and solos, and develop dynamic control between quiet and loud sections.  Guitarists in particular will learn about the use of effects pedals and become comfortable with operating them.  Kurt Cobain was an excellent songwriter with an amazing ear for melody.  Vocalists will get to explore the relationship between the chords and melodies to see what makes them work so well, even amongst angsty and disjointed sections.  While this is a great show to learn how to push your voice, IT IS IMPORTANT TO LEARN TO DO IT PROPERLY.  Vocalists should not feel like they should try to sound like Kurt-it’s ok to sound like yourself!  That’s what he was doing, after all. 

THE BEATLES

AGES 10-18 | THURSDAYS 6-8PM | STARTING SEPT 5TH

A great option for those with a love of the classics, and you can’t really get more classic or iconic than the Beatles!  Arguably the most influential rock band of all time, the Beatles helped push the genre of Rock and Roll forward by leaps and bounds over the course of their short 8 year span.  Students will explore the rapid evolution of rock music using the Beatles as a microcosm of the 60’s music scene, from early pop hits like “I Want to Hold Your Hand” and “Twist and Shout” all the way through their more progressive works like “I Want You/She’s So Heavy” and “Glass Onion.”  This will be a great show for beginner students working on open chords, triads, and basic rock grooves.  Vocalists will have plenty of chances for both lead and harmony parts!  

punk

AGES 13-18 | FRIDAYS 6-8PM 4:30-5:30PM | STARTING FEB 6TH 

Punk Rock rose to popularity as a rebellious response to the overcomplicated, pretentious direction that Prog Rock had taken in the 1970s, and as a voice for the anti-establishment movement following the post-Vietnam era. Marked by short, energetic songs with little ornamentation, Punk Rock is more about spirit and feeling than musical technique. This show covers the classic period of the genre, including bands like Sex Pistols, Ramones, The Clash, Blondie, The Stooges, and Patti Smith. Students might hear striking similarities of styles to current Pop Punk bands like Green Day and My Chemical Romance (and may even get a My Chem or Blink 182 song on the setlist), as the legacy of the original generation of Punk bands continues to inspire artists today. While Punk is a great show for less experienced rockers, it still challenges more advanced students and teaches them the art of showmanship and stage presence. Don your spikes, mohawk, and ripped jeans and get ready for a season of Punk Rock!

FALL BAND SCHEDULE