September 2022 by Jill M.
Music is a passion of mine. I played several instruments as a kid, sang in college choir, and have taken private voice lessons. Singing with a band has been on my bucket list. When I learned about the Adult Performance Program (indiv lessons + performance band) at School of Rock, I was so excited. I reached out to the owner, came in for more details, and set up my account. In March, I began coming in on Saturdays for individual lessons ($240/month). It was fun, and I learned a lot, but after a few months, I felt like I was ready for something more. I asked the owner and GM about joining the Adult Performance Band (APB) during the next rotation. I asked my instructor what to expect in the APB, and she said they probably do intros the first day, to have an open-mind, and that they typically play "Dad music." haha Note that some people (who can afford it) do BOTH the individual lessons and the Adult Performance Band at the same time, but that wasn't an option for me. And nobody (teacher, GM, or owner) expressed any concern about my abilities before joining the APB ($160/month). I went to my first rehearsal on July 6th and met three (returning) band members (names and handshakes, nothing more), and I let them know this was my first time singing with a band--EVER. It was just the 4 of us (keyboardist, 2 guitarists, and me doing vocals), plus a substitute band director playing the drums that first night. We picked a few random songs to sing/play and I had a BLAST! July 13th was our 2nd rehearsal, and we had a different band director who wanted to create more structure around the songs we were choosing, who did what, etc. At that point, it was still me and the three other guys. Had a great time that night too. I believe it was the July 20th session when the previous lead singer and trombone player returned to the band. So it was me, plus 5 people who had been playing in this band for many months, if not years. (I looked back in the Basecamp app we used for comms and could see messages from at least 2 years back). I quickly discovered that the other female singer and I had similar vocal ranges. Over the next couple of weeks, we worked to determine who would sing lead or background on which songs, but I sometimes struggled to hear my own voice in the small rehearsal room and had a difficult time determining how best to support her or the male singer on certain songs since we had similar ranges. It was normal for members of the band to ask questions of each other or the band director during rehearsals because you can only do so much when practicing alone at home. We all helped each other out. I had to ask a few times where/how to do background vocals on a few of the songs (I'm stronger in a lower octave), and the band director just kept saying "just sing higher," which wasn't helpful. The higher the octave, means the weaker my voice and potentially going out of my range. Note that the other gal wasn't told to sing in a higher octave. On August 8th, I wasn't feeling well and posted a message on the Basecamp app that I wouldn't be able to make the August 10th practice. No response from anyone. I even sent an email to one of the band members later that week to see how rehearsal went. No response. On Monday, August 15th, I was working and saw an email come through--it as a credit from SOR for the month of August. I assumed it was an error and planned to reach out to the GM after my upcoming work call. Then I saw a call come in from SOR, which went to my VM. After my work call, I listened to the VM from the GM who said, "I've talked to some of the members, and it seems there is a general consensus that it might be best if we get you back into some lessons to build up your confidence and basic skill level...and then get you back into the group." (bc there's nothing that builds confidence more than getting kicked out of a band. And why would I want to rejoin a group that's been talking behind my back like this?)I then called her to get more details and to express
December 2020 by James Foster
We love everything about this place. Both our boys are students. And we love our School of Rock Chicago West community.They get the kids playing real songs at real shows in real venues very quickly, which is a great way to learn music and build confidence.Private lessons help build technique, and ensemble classes teach cooperation, responsibility, and showmanship. And it’s all done in a fun, mutually supportive atmosphere.The staff are very kind, accommodating, and welcoming. And it’s just so much fun to see young musicians grow in ability and confidence.Send your aspiring musician here!
