Enrollment has started for our 2023 SPRING 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. Click HERE for some photos of our past performances!
Tuition for this program is $334/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!
Bob Marley
Mondays 7:30pm-9pm
“One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain” - Bob Marley
Described as an ambassador of Jamaican music, Bob Marley introduced the rousing sound of reggae to folks in England and the US. Soon, that sound reverberated around the rest of the world eventually selling over 75 million albums and earning Marley and his band, the Wailers, a page in the music history books!
In the 1950’s, Jamaican musicians were picking up American airwaves and hearing the sounds of early rock n roll. Combining this with calypso, the first wave of ska music came about. This music began to shift over the years to rocksteady, and eventually, as it got slower still, reggae.
Marley is considered to be one of the pioneers of this genre. His lyrics and vocal delivery showcase a charecter who is sometimes rebellious, sometimes mellow, and always honest. Drummers will learn the hallowed secret to the Jamaican sound, the one drop. Guitars are played with hypnotic staccato rhythms, and lead lines featuring delay and wah effects. Keyboard players will have their hands full with plenty of piano, organ, clav, and horn arrangements. At the center of it all is the bass guitar providing the low foundation. Reggae basslines are more melodic than you may be used to, and sometimes require very specific staccato rhythms.
Come feel the positive vibrations this spring as we dive into the exuberant reggae music of Bob Marley and the Wailers! Get up, stand up, sign up today!
First Rehearsal: Monday, March 6th
Dress Rehearsal: Friday, June 2nd
Performance: Saturday, June 3rd
Paul McCartney
Tuesdays 6pm-7:30pm
“If I want to say anything, I write a song. What I have to say is all in the music” - Paul McCartney
Let’s talk about the man, the myth, the Beatle; Sir Paul McCartney! Besides being the cofounder of the biggest band of all time, he maintained a successful career for decades to follow. There’s no argument that Paul McCartney is one of the biggest names in music, if not the biggest. This season, besides getting into Paul’s best music with the Beatles, we will also be taking a look at the hits from his solo career as well as his work with Wings and collaborations with other great greats!
McCartney‘s catchy, signature basslines are super melodic, occasionally even serving as a countermelody to the lead vocal. Ringo Starr is a fantastic example of a rock drummer who knew how to play to the song. but always added an interesting twist here or there. Rooted in Chuck Berry style rhythm and blues, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Paul McCartney’s guitar playing soon surpassed their peers as they worked in advanced chords and unbeatable hooks. Keyboard parts brought to you by Paul, Linda McCartney, and Billy Preston showcase a wide variety of styles. Speaking of variety, Paul McCartney has a lot of voices for just one person! This keeps things fun and interesting. Catchy songs with challenging harmonies are a blast to sing!
From the fab to the far out, we’re covering it all this spring. Join us as we learn the music of Sir Paul!
First Rehearsal: Tuesday, March 7th
Dress Rehearsal: Friday, June 2nd
Performance: Saturday, June 3rd
Slash
Tuesdays 7:30pm-9pm
“You can’t wait around for destiny to give you what you think you deserve. You have to earn it, even if you think you’ve paid your dues.” - Slash
Legendary rock guitarist Slash definitely knows a thing or two about paying his dues. Working his way up through the competitive scene on Hollywood’s Sunset Strip, Slash finally found success at a global level when his band, Guns N‘ Roses, hit the big time in 1987. Following his victorious run with GNR, he turned out some remarkable collaborations with the likes of Motörhead, Alice Cooper, and Lenny Kravitz, as well as records from his own bands, Velvet Revolver and Slash’s Snakepit.
The definitive riffs and solos on these classic tunes are considered to be quintessential parts of rock history. Slash played with stern precision, but also with soul. In the GNR days, his playing was complimented by Izzy Stradlin’s loose, Keith Richards approach which added a unique character to the sound. There is so much to be learned by studying both styles. Steven Adler’s off-the-rails drumming was played with attitude and a little bit of swing while Matt Sorum displayed precise, metronome like timing and provided a solid dependable foundation with plenty of well placed flashy moments. Bassist Duff McKagan started off on drums and had keen awareness of what it takes to really lock in a rock groove within a rhythm section. From Lemmy to Lenny, Slash worked with some incredible vocalists over the years, but no one had a vocal range quite like Axl Rose. With an impressive five octave stretch, his distinct voice went from bass to high tenor with ease.
“Do you know where you are?” We’ll see you in the jungle this spring! Looking forward to it
First Rehearsal: Tuesday, March 7th
Dress Rehearsal: Friday, June 2nd
Performance: Saturday, June 3rd
Chris Cornell
Wednesdays 5:15pm-6:45pm
“To me, music shouldn’t be ego-driven. When you’re sitting in a room writing songs, it’s a creative place, a musical place. It has nothing to do with who likes what.” - Chris Cornell
Not many people know this, but Chris Cornell is ranked in the top 10 on Rolling Stone’s “Greatest singers of all time” list! Not only is he a fantastic singer, he also is known for his skills with guitars and songwriting. Whether it was putting grunge on the map with Soundgarden, duetting with Eddie Vedder in Temple of the Dog, showing off his songwriting craft as a solo artist, or introducing another generation to rock with Audioslave, Chris Cornell was always sharing his music and doing it his way.
Bass guitar parts range from complex lines to pentatonic rockers. Soundgarden guitar parts occasionally utilized alternate tunings and unusual voicings while Tom Morello of Audioslave explored octave leaping effects. Drummers get ready to study some interesting time signatures, a Soundgarden trademark. Cornell’s vocals capabilities were remarkably broad. Checkout the soulful delivery on “Say Hello to Heaven” compared to the harsh metal howl of “Jesus Christ Pose”.
This March, we’re rattling the rust off the cage. Don’t miss out!
First Rehearsal: Wednesday, March 8th
Dress Rehearsal: Friday, June 2nd
Performance: Saturday, June 3rd
Gwen Stefani
Thursdays 6pm-7:30pm
“Music has this emotional thing to it, and it touches people in crazy ways” - Gwen Stefani
In 1987, Gwen Stefani’s dreams began to come true as she joined her brother’s alternative third wave ska band as a back up singer. The band was Anaheim’s biggest ace, No Doubt, and Stefani was soon their lead singer. After much hard work, they found themselves on every television and radio in the country. The band went on to put out three hit records before taking a break. This was Stefani’s opportunity to embark on a successful solo pop path. She has three Grammy awards as a solo artist, two with No Doubt, and has sold millions of records around the world!
No Doubt drummer, Adrian Young, has been compared to the greats for his ability to integrate dancehall, and funk into pop music. Melodic and moving bass guitar parts are at the center of all these songs with an occasional slap or pop provided by Tony Kanal or one of the many bass players on Gwen’s solo records. No Doubt’s Tom Dumont managed to hold onto his heavy metal roots as he adapted his style to fit in with the Anaheim outfit resulting in a unique sound. The soaring lead vocals of Gwen Stefani are not easy to imitate and require maximum stage presence. Keyboard players will be busy covering synth, organ, strings and horns.
This spring, we’re going from the pit to the dance floor and back again! See you there!
First Rehearsal: Thursday, March 9th
Dress Rehearsal: Friday, June 2nd
Performance: Saturday, June 3rd
