At School of Rock Rockville Centre, 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 4-5
MEETS MONDAYS, 4:30 PM - 5:15 PM
At School of Rock Rockville Centre our Little Wing music program for preschoolers and toddlers teaches students foundational music skills by playing games and participating in other interactive musical activities. Little Wing students have one weekly group music lesson in which they use classic rock songs to learn about rhythm, song structure, melody and dynamics through play.
ROOKIES | AGES 6-7
MEETS TUESDAYS, 4:15 PM - 5:15 PM
At School of Rock Rockville Centre, our music program for children with no previous musical experience (typically ages 6 to 7-years-old) is called Rookies. Rookies students have one weekly group music lesson where they learn fundamentals like chords, rhythm and song structure. Kids get to learn and experiment with multiple instruments so they can later decide which one they ultimately want to continue pursuing in Rock 101.
PERFORMANCE PROGRAM | AGES 7-18
The Performance Program at School of Rock Rockville Centre is our hallmark music program, where tens of thousands of students enroll each year. It consists of a weekly group rehearsal where kids and teens learn by playing rock music's most iconic songs with a band composed of their peers.
Students are assigned songs and parts that are tailored to them based on their age, experience and ability to learn new skills and concepts. Students then work through their parts in weekly private music lessons, refining the skills and concepts that those songs introduce. The goal of this curriculum is to prepare kids and teens for live performances. Every few months, School of Rock Rockville Centre Performance Program students take the stage and play at local music venues in front of a live audience.
DECADES OF AWESOME
ROCK 101 | AGES 7-9 | REHEARSES WEDNESDAYS, 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM OR THURSDAYS, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Decades of Awesome is a celebration of the songs and artists that have shaped popular music across nearly a century. From the early pioneers of rock & roll to today's biggest stars, students will explore iconic hits that have defined generations while discovering how music has evolved over time. This show introduces students to a wide variety of musical styles through fun, recognizable songs that continue to inspire audiences of all ages. Decades of Awesome offers an exciting introduction to music history while helping students build confidence and musicianship with timeless songs that have become part of our shared cultural soundtrack.
NEW WAVE
ROCK 102 | AGES 10-12 | REHEARSES TUESDAYS, 5:15 PM - 7:15 PM
The New Wave genre incorporates a variety of different sounds and styles that were prevalent at the end of the 1970s and expanded until the end of the 1980s. New Wave began as an extension of Punk Rock, which changed the music scene starting in 1976 in the US and the UK. American power-pop groups like The Cars and The Knack were New Wave, while the Disco-inspired hits of Blondie, and the Reggae-influenced rock of the Police fell under the same umbrella. Gloomy goth rockers like The Cure and Siouxsie and the Banshees and dance-oriented synth pop artists like Gary Numan and Eurythmics are all considered New Wave bands as well. One unifying factor shared by most, but not all, of the New Wave artists was an increasing use of electronic instrumentation, specifically the synthesizer. Many '80s New Wave artists, Soft Cell and Eurythmics among them, used the synthesizer as the foundation of their sound, while others like The Cars and The Police integrated the synth seamlessly into their punchy guitar pop. By the end of the 1980s, New Wave as a genre had splintered and the term became increasingly meaningless. The spirit of New Wave would live on in Indie Rock and College Rock, soon to become known as Alternative. The legacy of New Wave is still felt today as rock artists continue to experiment with synth textures and embody the quirky and offbeat image that made the New Wave era such a vibrant and influential time.
punk
rock 102 | ages 10-12 | rehearses thursdays, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Punk Rock rose to popularity as a rebellious response to the self-indulgent, pretentious direction that Prog Rock had taken in the 1970s, and as a voice for the anti-establishment movement following the post-Vietnam era. Marked by short, energetic songs with little ornamentation, Punk Rock is more about spirit and feeling than musical technique. This show covers the classic period of the genre, including bands like Sex Pistols, Ramones, The Clash, Blondie, The Stooges, and Patti Smith. Students might hear striking similarities of styles to current Pop Punk bands like Green Day and My Chemical Romance, as the legacy of the original generation of Punk bands continues to inspire artists today. While Punk is a great show for less experienced rockers, it still challenges more advanced students and teaches them the art of showmanship and stage presence. Don your spikes, mohawk, and ripped jeans and get ready for a season of Punk Rock!
woodstock
rock 102 | ages 10-12 | rehearses saturdays, 10:30 am - 12:30 pm
In 1969, almost half a million people made a pilgrimage to Yasgur’s Farm in upstate New York for three days of peace and music. Catapulting many iconic artists who played this landmark music festival into superstar status, Woodstock embodies the spirit of the 60s. It was a watershed moment for Rock and Roll, and this show celebrates the legendary, and very stylistically diverse, artists who promoted unity and embraced freedom of expression while performing at the festival. Songs by The Who, Jimi Hendrix, Santana, Janis Joplin, Sly & The Family Stone, Creedence Clearwater Revival, the Grateful Dead and more make this show an exciting and well-balanced educational challenge for all instruments and experience levels!
HEART
ROCK 103 | AGES 13-HS SENIOR | REHEARSES MONDAYS, 5:15 PM - 7:15 PM
Heart rose to fame in the 1970s with a string of hugely successful hits. Fronted by sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson, Heart fused influences including hard rock, folk, and prog, into a sound that was uniquely their own. Formed in the late '60s in Seattle, Washington by members Steve Fossen on bass, Roger Fisher on guitar, Don Wilhelm on guitar, keys and lead vocals, and Ray Schafer on drums, the band went through many name changes from The Army, White Heart, to Heart. Ann Wilson joined in 1970, changing the name once more to Hocus Pocus for a time, but the band eventually settled on simply, Heart. Ann’s sister Nancy was eventually convinced to join in 1973. Heart moved from Seattle to Vancouver in the mid '70s and began what was to become their entry into international success with songs like “Crazy On You” and “Magic Man”. Through the '80s and '90s, Heart continued their stint on the billboard charts, achieving Number One hits with the songs “These Dreams” and “Alone”. One of the most successful bands in Rock history, Heart offers students the opportunity for a challenging show that covers a lot of musical ground, from their proggy, guitar-heavy '70s compositions to their radio-friendly and synth-driven '80s material. Masterful technicians on guitar and vocals, the Wilson sisters continue to be a huge inspiration for young girls.Heart is a great show for intermediate and advanced kids of all instruments, and will also offer beginners a welcome opportunity to shine, especially on their well-known '80s ballads.
DISCO
ROCK 103 | AGES 13-HS SENIOR | REHEARSES TUESDAYS, 7:15 PM - 9:15 PM
Spawned from dance clubs in Europe, Disco (short for the French word Discothèque, meaning “place where the records are stored”) was an extremely popular form of dance music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s. Characterized by extended songs featuring an insistent four-on-the-floor beat and lush arrangements, Disco ruled the dance floors of America. Fueled by the huge success of the film Saturday Night Fever, Australia’s Bee Gees topped the charts and the airwaves. Other artists such as Donna Summer, The Village People, Gloria Gaynor, and KC and the Sunshine Band also became international stars. While some Rock fans saw Disco as anti-Rock and Roll, many major Rock acts such as Queen (Another One Bites the Dust) and the Rolling Stones (Miss You) adopted elements of Disco into their music. Even Pink Floyd’s Another Brick in the Wall Pt. II features a Disco beat! The legacy of the Disco era lives on in modern Pop and Dance-Rock. The Disco show features ensemble playing with layers of orchestration and challenging parts for all instruments.
prog rock
rock 103 | ages 13-hs senior | rehearses wednesdays, 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
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.
POP PUNK & EMO
ROCK 103 | AGES 13-HS SENIOR | REHEARSES FRIDAYS, 5:15 PM - 7:15 PM
In the 1990s, artists such as Green Day, Offspring, and Blink-182 achieved success by blending punk attitudes and influences with a more polished, melodic, commercially appealing sound than their often raw predecessors. By the 2000s, Pop Punk and its Emo offshoot (featuring lyrics that touch on emotional and confessional topics) were fully entrenched in the mainstream music world, with bands such as Fall Out Boy, Paramore, My Chemical Romance, and Panic! At the Disco topping the charts and selling out arenas. Of course, this music is still incredibly popular and influential today. A fun show that can be musically challenging but also teaches solid fundamental skills, Pop Punk & Emo is sure to appeal to all levels of students and will entertain any crowd!
grad school | ages 18+
School of Rock Rockville Centre's Adult Program is for students over 18 years old who are looking to either improve their musical proficiency or pick up an instrument with no prior musical experience. As with most School of Rock music programs, the Adult Program uses a performance-based music education approach. This means the curriculum focuses on learning music concepts and applying them in a live performance setting. Our Adult Music Program includes one weekly private music lesson and a weekly group rehearsal. Every student at School of Rock Rockville Centre is placed in a band of fellow adults and then assigned specific songs as a way of learning key music concepts and skills. Adult students then take the stage to play at a live show.
PLEASE NOTE THAT SCHOOL OF ROCK'S GRAD SCHOOL PROGRAM REHEARSES AT SCHOOL OF ROCK SYOSSET/OYSTER BAY, LOCATED AT 180 MICHAEL DRIVE, SYOSSET, NY 11791
classic metal
grad school | ages 18+ | rehearses mondays, 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm at school of rock syosset/oyster bay
Classic Metal is widely regarded as ranging from the late 1960s Proto-Metal sound of Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin up until the mid 1980s, when Thrash Metal reigned supreme with bands like the ‘big four’ (Metallica, Anthrax, Megadeth and Slayer) and Hair Metal was still a blip on the horizon. Full of guitar wizardry and riffs galore, Classic Metal’s explosion in the 1970s and early '80s would set the tone for generations of Metal bands to come and leave an indelible impression on the music industry. This show will trace the roots of metal, from the pioneer bands like Black Sabbath and Rainbow to metal’s big break in the '80s with bands like Metallica and Megadeth. If you’re looking to sharpen your shredding skills on guitar and bass, speed up your chops on the drums, or hone your high range vocals - the Classic Metal show is for you!
OUR NEW SEASON BEGINS SEPTEMBER 21 & 28! JOIN THE BAND TODAY.
TENTATIVE SHOW DATES
The show dates listed above are tentatively confirmed and are expected to be accurate. Please add these dates to your calander. In the rare event that any show dates need to be adjusted due to venue availability, we will provide as much notice as possible.
HOW TO ENROLL
- SOON-TO-BE SCHOOL OF ROCK FAMILIES:
- Call us at 516-234-7625, email us at rockvillecentre@schoolofrock.com, or fill out the form below to discuss scheduling & enrollment!
- CURRENTLY ENROLLED FAMILIES:
- Little Wing/Rookies: You're all set!
- Rock 101/Grad School: Fill out the Rehearsal Scheduling Survey available on the Parent Portal!
- Rock 102 & Rock 103: Fill out the Rehearsal Scheduling Survey available on the Parent Portal, and discuss preferences with your lesson instructor between July 20 - August 2.
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.