START THE SCHOOL YEAR OFF RIGHT!

The Performance Program is School of Rock's hallmark music program, where tens of thousands of students enroll each year. Utilizing the patented School of Rock Method, Performance Program 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, and refine 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, Performance Program students take the stage and play at local music venues in front of a live audience.

ROCK 101: CLASSIC ROCK REWIND

AGES 7-10 | WEDNESDAYS, 4:00PM-5:30PM OR THURSDAYS, 5:00PM-6:30PM

Take a trip to the good old days with Classic Rock Rewind! This show will showcase some of the best artists from 1960s, all the way up to the 1990s.  Get ready to hear some of your favorite familiar tunes from amazing artists such as Fleetwood Mac, ACDC, The Beatles, Bruce Springsteen, and more. This is a show with huge variety, which means it’s great for both beginners and experienced shredders!

ROCK 102: GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY

AGES 10-13 | THURSDAYS, 6:30PM-8:30PM OR SATURDAYS, 10:30AM-12:30PM

Yes we love Groot, but we also love the Guardians movies for their incredibly curated soundtracks!  Displaying a heavy focus on music from the 1970s, these movies have turned a younger generation on to countless hits (and some hidden gems) from the past.  Any song from any of the movies is fair game! So make sure to listen to artists like Heart, Fleetwood Mac, Cheap Trick, Beastie Boys, Redbone, The Jackson 5 and Marvin Gaye!

ROCK 103: ARENA ROCK

AGES 13-HS SENIOR | MONDAYS, 5:15PM-7:15PM

Arena Rock is virtually impossible to indelibly encapsulate into an absolute genre or band list.  However, the Arena Rock Show at School of Rock can be definitively stamped as a conglomeration of catchy music that is meant to be turned up loud with the windows down, filled with hard-hitting parts that feel good to air-guitar or air-drum along with at home. As FM radio developed into the mainstream music medium in the '70s, bands began performing at larger venues in order to accommodate their huge fanbases. One can subjectively argue that any artist who has achieved superstardom to the extent of performing in arenas and stadiums could be included. To that end, this show may include acts ranging from Journey, Styx, REO Speedwagon, and Kansas to MeatLoaf, Foreigner, Toto, Pat Benatar and Cheap Trick. No matter the bands, the songs of the Arena Rock show are the true stars, and anyone who’s had the joy to sing along with this music in its intended environment will surely agree. Guitarists will have challenging parts lurking around every corner. Keyboard players will be showcased heavily throughout. Vocalists will be challenged with belting leads and rich harmonies. Drummers will learn the true meaning of bombastic, showy performances.  Bass players will be exposed to melodic bass lines which compliment their 6-string counterparts. This is a great show for all instruments!

ROCK 103: WOODSTOCK

AGES 13-HS SENIOR | TUESDAYS, 5:15PM-7:15PM

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!

ROCK 103: FLEETWOOD MAC VS. EAGLES

AGES 13-HS SENIOR | WEDNESDAYS, 5:30PM-7:30PM

Two of the highest-selling and most important bands of the 1970s square off in this classic “vs.” show! Both the Eagles and Fleetwood Mac started off rooted in distinct sounds and experienced waves of evolution, lineup changes, and huge amounts of popularity throughout their careers. The Eagles came out of L.A. in the early-70s playing a mix of mellow rock, country, and folk that was an instant hit, whereas Fleetwood Mac emerged out of London in the late-60s as a heavy blues band who took quite a few years to break into the mainstream. Both bands experienced significant lineup shifts well into their careers (the Eagles acquiring guitarist Joe Walsh in 1976 and Fleetwood Mac bringing on guitarist Lindsey Buckingham and singer Stevie Nicks in 1975) that brought about big changes in their sounds and vaulted both bands to the forefront of the rock world. This show will be packed with classic hits from both bands, but will also delve into the deeper recesses of their catalogs. If you want to play some of the biggest classic rock hits ever and explore the intersections of pop, rock, country, blues, and folk, this show is for you!

ROCK 103: ACROSS THE UNIVERSE

AGES 13-HS SENIOR | FRIDAYS, 5:15PM-7:15PM

John! Paul! George! Ringo! Arguably the most musically diverse and iconic band of the 1960s British Invasion, The Beatles set the standard for which bands still strive in today’s music. The Beatles are one of the few bands to literally create their own mythos - the lads from Liverpool are as enigmatic intellectually as they are musically. This show doesn’t merely center around the most well-known band of all time, it also happens to employ the most diverse musical range and skill-level window of any artist show. There are raucous three chord garage rock bangers of the early Beatles era, and late sixties era proto-prog technical masterpieces.  Drummers will learn the true artistry that is Ringo’s style; bassists will be blown away by Paul’s melodic yet rhythmic bass lines; guitarists will know the sophistication and complimentary guitar skills of John and George which are interwoven in every selection; and vocalists will understand the brilliance of their harmonies. With great material for all instruments, this show is a can’t miss opportunity for any SoR student! 

rock 103: radiohead

ages 13-hs senior | saturdays, 12:30pm-2:30pm

Radiohead has emerged in the 21st century as torchbearers of the progressive rock tradition, and have threaded the needle between innovation and popularity as well as anyone. Formed in 1985 in the UK under the name On A Friday, with members Thom Yorke (vocals), Johnny Greenwood (Guitar/multi-instrumentalist), Colin Greenwood (Bass), Ed O’Brien (Guitar/Vocals), and Philip Selway (Drums), they eventually changed their name to Radiohead upon the request of their record label, EMI. After two albums that found some success in the alternative scene thanks to the slacker anthem “Creep”, Radiohead released what would become their landmark album, OK Computer. This masterpiece cemented them as true artists and gained them worldwide success. With their constant instrumental experimentation, culturally relevant lyrics and themes, and blend of styles and genres, Radiohead are heralded as one of the most important and critically acclaimed rock acts of the modern era. The Radiohead show is an ambitious challenge for all student levels, but can be one of the most rewarding and educational shows offered by School of Rock.

GRAD SCHOOL: IRON MAIDEN VS. JUDAS PRIEST

AGES 18+ | MONDAYS, 7:30PM-9:30PM

GRAD SCHOOL REHEARSALS TAKE PLACE AT SCHOOL OF ROCK SYOSSET/OYSTER BAY, LOCATED AT 180 MICHAEL DRIVE, SYOSSET NY 11791

Iron Maiden and Judas Priest - no two bands better represent the epitome of 1980s Heavy Metal. While each act has their own unique sound, what they share in common is power, precision, technical mastery, and unrelenting energy. In the late 1960s, the earliest version of Judas Priest had begun performing on a regular basis. After several years and many lineup changes, the core band of Ian Hill, Rob Halford, KK Downing, and Glenn Tipton would sign their first record deal, resulting in Rocka Rolla being released in 1974. Throughout the rest of the decade, Judas Priest would steadily grow their fanbase worldwide. Influential albums such as Sad Wings of Destiny, Sin After Sin, Stained Class, and the live masterpiece Unleashed in the East would win over new fans at every turn. As Judas Priest was tearing it up on the road, a young Steve Harris was in the early stages of forming what would become Iron Maiden by enlisting singer Paul Di’Anno (later replaced by Bruce Dickinson), guitarists Dave Murray and Dennis Stratton (later replaced by Adrian Smith), and drummer Clive Burr (later replaced by Nicko McBrain). With their self-titled debut album in 1980, Iron Maiden began a decade which would earn them worldwide acclaim. Following the release of Iron Maiden, albums like Piece Of Mind, Number Of The Beast and Powerslave have cemented the band’s place as a legendary Metal band. Iron Maiden and Judas Priest continue to record and tour to this day. While there may have been some obstacles along the way, both acts have successfully made the transition from hot, new acts to elder statesmen of Metal. Their catalogs leave behind a legacy of music that will inspire musicians around the globe for generations to come. The Iron Maiden vs Judas Priest show will challenge even the most seasoned School of Rock students with the technical demands of the music, while encouraging fledgling players to up their game learning fundamentals of the Metal genre.

GRAD SCHOOL: FUNK & REGGAE

AGES 18+ | WEDNESDAYS, 7:15PM-9:15PM

GRAD SCHOOL REHEARSALS TAKE PLACE AT SCHOOL OF ROCK SYOSSET/OYSTER BAY, LOCATED AT 180 MICHAEL DRIVE, SYOSSET NY 11791

We're doing one of the grooviest shows we've got to offer, Funk & Reggae! Funk and Reggae were both genres that had their origins in the 1960's via African-American and Jamaican communities. James Brown first coined the "funk beat" in the 1950's and 60s, which emphasized the first downbeat of the measure - this would lead to the development of some of the world's favorite funk bands, including Sly and the Family Stone, Parliament, Chaka Khan and more. Funk music is characterized with funky, syncopated bass lines and steady, infectious drum grooves, leading to its popularity in the 70s and 80s. Reggae was developed in Jamaica in the late 60s, and is known for its propulsive percussion, hypnotic bass lines, and steady, up-stroke rhythm guitar, which helped devlop it as a dance music genre. Bob Marley helped to champion the genre, which would lead to future genres including ska.