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Rock On!
School of Rock gets kids rockin’ on real rock stages
By Marjorie Preston, Today’s Family Writer
 Before the Jack Black hit movie “School of Rock” in 2003, there was already a real-life School of Rock. Started by Paul Green (on whom Jack Black’s character was loosely based) in Philadelphia in 1998, the School of Rock now encompasses more than fifty schools across the country where kids ages five to nineteen learn how to sing and play real instruments in real rock concerts in real rock clubs. Green, a guitar player in the Philadelphia area, taught kids and wanted to get them in front of audiences.
Tommy Rich, Music Director for the Rocky River and Highland Heights locations of School of Rock since they opened (in 2007 and 2008, respectively), says that the school offers instruction in percussion, keyboards, bass, guitar and vocals. He offers Rock School 101 for the youngest players, focusing on simple songs at a child’s individual pace. Kids who excel are kicked up into the regular program, which Rich says makes up ninety percent of the school’s students. This group performs a new show every three months, rehearses once a week with an individual teacher and once a week with a group. Every child plays on at least three songs in a show and may play on over a dozen songs. Twice a year, the School of Rock offers auditions for its “Headliners” program which involves a select group (right now it’s nine kids) who learn more difficult and eccentric material and play more shows. Rich says the school will always put an experienced student in charge of a new student to help those who are struggling.
Rich, who drums professionally for bands Sumrada and Big Zipper, doesn’t sugar coat the difficulty of his students’ task. “Most of the kids will not play instruments or sing professionally,” Rich says. “We’re teaching them responsibility, teamwork, and that there will always be someone critiquing what you do – that’s life.” He says, “We tell them, ‘You guys have to learn to work together. We’re putting you on stage’.” And Rich is thankful for his fellow instructors, making sure to note that they are players in local rock bands who he has snagged as teachers. Rich says, “I’ve been able to hire a great group of guys who are making a living at playing every week.”
The shows are good for bar owners, who open their clubs earlier to all-ages crowds and sell drinks and food to adoring family and friends of the students. They’re good for the kids, who get valuable real-world stage time, and for the parents, who get to see their kids performing the Queen, Guns n’ Roses, Aerosmith and Motley Crüe they grew up on.
Rich encourages anyone to come to sit in on a rehearsal or come to a School of Rock show. The Rocky River location is open six days a week, and the Highland Heights location is open four days a week. The School of Rock offers open jams approximately three times a year (one was just held in February), one-week summer camps and a fifteen-week “Grad School” for adults.
Visit www.schoolofrockcleveland.com or call (440) 684-ROCK for more information.
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