At School of Rock Midlothian, we don't teach music to put on shows - we put on shows to teach music. Students are assigned songs selected to develop them as musicians, and work on them in private lessons with their instructors, as well as in weekly rehearsals with groups made up of their peers. The season culminates with a performance at our seasonal showcase, where they can show you everything they've been working on throughout the season!

See the end of this article for important dates, and ways to sign up for the new season!

Little wing - ages 4 and 5

• Sundays 3p - 4p
• Thursdays 6p - 7p

Rookies - ages 6 and 7

• Sundays 4p - 5p
• Mondays 6p - 7p
• Tuesdays 6p - 7p

rock 101 - ages 8 - 13

• Sundays  2p - 3:30p
• Sundays 3:30p - 5p
• Mondays 6p - 7:30p
• Thursdays 6p - 7:30p

Performance groups - ages 12 - 18

White Stripes / Black Keys

Sundays 12p - 2p 

• The White Stripes vs Black Keys show is one of the School of Rock shows that gives a nod to more contemporary bands who have forged their name in the music industry and become inspirations to others. Both bands rely heavily on Blues-based riffs and a Garage Rock sound, each with a stripped-down lineup of only two band members. The White Stripes are a lesson in simplicity and are the standout leaders of the early 2000’s Garage-Rock revival movement. While Jack White champions traditions of the past to peddle his reinterpretations of Blues, the Black Keys are a lesson in evolving into the new internet-age music era. Both Jack White and Dan Auerbach are known as some of the most influential modern-day rock guitarists. Aspiring guitarists can learn a soulful approach to playing in this show. Although these artists are not known as technical virtuosos on their instruments, achieving their feel is a task for any level player. To serve the songs, drummers will be playing in the pocket and maintaining driving rhythms. This is a great show for vocalists at all levels, as both bands feature catchy and emotive melodies that heavily influenced modern Rock music

90's Music

Tuesdays 6p - 8p

• The ‘90s Rock show is arguably one of the most popular School of Rock shows in our collection.  Packed with a plethora of what are now known as ‘classic rock’ songs, the stylistic spectrum of this show is wide enough to excite any student rocker!  Hard Rock, Singer/Songwriter, Alternative and Indie encompass this decade of music that many parents grew up on! While some connect the era of ‘90s Rock to the Seattle-area Grunge scene with bands like Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Pearl Jam, this show expands to also feature acts like Weezer, Hole, Oasis, No Doubt, Alanis Morissette, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Green Day.   The ‘90s Rock show will stretch any students’ musical progress while delighting and creating nostalgia for their parents! When Nirvana’s song “Smells Like Teen Spirit” became an international sensation in late 1991, major record labels began searching feverishly for similar artists who could further capitalize on the massive interest in this new “alternative” sound. The result was an abrupt shift away from the formulaic Pop and Hair Metal anthems of the 1980s to the gritty and dynamic music of Grunge. Since the music industry wasn’t quite sure what would capture the public’s attention in this new landscape, major labels began signing and promoting all sorts of artists with idiosyncratic and unique sounds to serve as an “alternative” to what had previously captured mainstream popularity. Bands such as Pavement, Beck, Hole, Cake, Radiohead, Blur, Weezer, Smashing Pumpkins, and Belly drew from the influence of the underground rock and punk scene of the 1980s, and found quick success with music fans who were eager for new sounds and styles. Students of all instruments and experience levels can expect good challenges in this fun show full of interesting and catchy music.

Prog Rock

Wednesdays 6p - 8p

• The Prog Show is one of the most challenging School of Rock shows. The term “Prog Rock” can often be interchangeable or associated with “Art Rock”, “Symphonic Rock”, “Progressive Rock”, or “Classical Rock”. In the mid 60s, artists began to use the term “progressive” to describe how their music progressed beyond the standard Pop music formulas that  the music industry called for at the time. By abandoning typical Pop traditions and incorporating new instrumentation and compositional techniques, the “Prog” genre, albeit  broad, became more defined by the late 60s. Artists began producing longer albums that featured extended solos, higher instrumental skill, fantasy-like lyrical content, and unique instrumentation. King Crimson’s 1969 album In The Court of The Crimson King arguably defined the genre as it tied many of the elements associated with the growing definition of “Prog” into a cohesive vision. The Prog genre truly established itself by the mid 70s with Prog-pioneers such as King Crimson, Emerson Lake & Palmer, Genesis, and Jethro Tull. Groups like Pink Floyd and Yes contributed to this growing movement with albums such as Dark Side of the Moon and Close to the Edge. Many variations of progressive styles of music have emerged since the end of the classic era, as '80s groups like Queensryche, Dream Theater, and Kings’ X later influenced the heavy prog scene popularized by bands such as Opeth, TOOL, The Mars Volta and Coheed and Cambria. The Prog Show is geared towards more experienced students, but will propel beginner and intermediate players’ ability to higher standards.

HOW TO SIGN UP:

CURRENTLY ENROLLED SCHOOL OF ROCK FAMILIES:

Little wing / rookies - let the studio coordinator know which session 

ROCK 101 / Performance groups - Fill out the Show Scheduling Survey sent out via email.

SOON TO BE SCHOOL OF ROCK FAMILIES:
Call us at 804-905-7625, email us at midlothianva@schoolofrock.com, or fill out the form below to get started!

A NOTE ABOUT SHOW CASTING

We strive for well-balanced shows where all of our students are challenged and get equal opportunity for parts. Please understand that factors such as attendance at rehearsals, behavior at rehearsals, and musical preparation for rehearsals can affect the number of songs a student is assigned. The School of Rock method is merit based. While a show’s first casting is as equitable as possible, in subsequent castings we reward commitment, hard work, and steady improvement.

We know many students have talents beyond the instruments they study at School of Rock. We do our best to encourage (and show off) all of our students’ abilities! However, students who take lessons on an instrument at School of Rock get priority casting on that instrument in shows. Students are guaranteed to be assigned parts only on instruments they are actively taking lessons on at SoR. Depending on the makeup of the show’s cast, we may not be able to accommodate students who wish to perform on an instrument (including vocals) that they do not study at SoR. If your student is interested in studying an additional instrument, please reach out to us to discuss options.