OUR FALL 2026 SEASON SHOWs!!
Every 4 months, we announce the new show themes for the upcoming season. We choose our Performance Group themes based on our educational standards, while also trying to provide an exciting and fun experience to our students! We've got a GREAT Fall Line-up for our students covering multiple decades and genres of rock! Signups are open now! Don't wait - this is YOUR chance to tell us what show you want to do for Fall!
LED ZEPPELIN
Formed in 1968, Led Zeppelin became one of the most influential and commercially successful Rock bands of all time, blending Blues, Folk, Hard Rock, and Progressive influences into a powerful and innovative sound. Featuring Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, and John Bonham, the band quickly rose to fame with landmark albums such as Led Zeppelin II and Led Zeppelin IV, which included classics like Whole Lotta Love, Black Dog, When the Levee Breaks, and Stairway to Heaven. Their music evolved constantly, incorporating acoustic Folk, Middle Eastern influences, funk grooves, and mythological imagery on songs like Kashmir and Immigrant Song. Managed by Peter Grant, the band helped redefine the modern rock business through massive arena tours and the rise of Album Oriented Rock (AOR). Led Zeppelin’s influence on Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, and arena-scale live performance remains enormous cementing a legacy that helped define 1970s rock music.
ONE HIT WONDERS
A One-Hit Wonder is typically an artist whose fame is overwhelmingly tied to a single successful song. While the term can technically refer to an act that only reaches the Billboard Top 40 once, it more commonly describes musicians remembered primarily for one defining hit. These songs often become cultural time capsules, instantly evoking the sounds, styles, and memories of a particular era. In the 1980s, the rise of MTV gave music videos enormous influence, helping songs like Come On Eileen, I Ran (So Far Away), and Take On Me become iconic symbols of the decade’s fashion and pop culture. In the 1990s, Alternative and Slacker Rock produced hits such as Closing Time and Tubthumping, which reflected the era’s more laid-back and countercultural attitude. Though many One-Hit Wonder artists never achieved lasting mainstream success, their songs continue to resonate because they are deeply tied to personal memories, nostalgia, and defining moments in listeners’ lives.
BEST OF THE 80S
The 1980s transformed popular music through the rise of New Wave, synthesizers, MTV, and a growing emphasis on image, fashion, and visual performance. After MTV launched in 1981 with Video Killed the Radio Star by The Buggles, music videos became essential to commercial success, helping artists like Duran Duran, The Cars, Madonna, and Cyndi Lauper define the decade’s style and sound. The era also belonged to Michael Jackson, whose landmark album Thriller became the best-selling album of all time and helped redefine global pop stardom through songs like Billie Jean and Beat It. Meanwhile, synth-pop and dance-oriented acts such as Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, and Wham! pushed gender expression and club culture into the mainstream, while Hip Hop exploded commercially through pioneers like Run-D.M.C., Public Enemy, and Beastie Boys. The decade also showcased music’s growing global influence through events like Live Aid, which united artists and audiences worldwide for humanitarian causes. Though often remembered for its flashy aesthetics and excess, the 1980s fundamentally reshaped music, media, celebrity culture, and artist visibility.
GARAGE ROCK
Garage Rock emerged in the 1960s as thousands of teenage bands formed in response to the British Invasion, inspired by groups like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. Using inexpensive instruments and playing local dances, these bands often covered popular songs but sometimes recorded raw original material in hopes of local or national success. The genre was defined by short, energetic songs, distorted “fuzztone” guitar, Farfisa organ, and a rough, rebellious sound heard in classics like Louie Louie and Wild Thing. In 1972, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965–1968, curated by Lenny Kaye, helped revive interest in these overlooked bands and highlighted their influence on Punk Rock. Garage Rock scenes existed across the U.S., with notable groups including The Sonics, Love, and The Standells, while British acts like The Kinks shared a similar raw style. Though its peak was in the 1960s, Garage Rock continues to influence modern bands such as The White Stripes, Arctic Monkeys, and King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard.
SONGWRITING
In this creative group, students will write original songs and bring them to life on stage. Through guided exercises, collaboration, and feedback, you’ll explore melody, lyrics, arrangement, and song structure—developing your own voice as a songwriter.
Whether you’re writing solo or co-writing with others, the focus is on creating authentic, original music. The group will rehearse and refine their songs, leading up to a live performance to showcase their work
*Approval from the Music Director is required to join to ensure that all members are ready to stay focused, contribute positively, and engage fully in the songwriting process*