everything you wanted to know and more about...

Fall 2024 at school of rock tustin!

• Important Dates
• Rehearsal and Class Schedule
• Performance Program Themes

important dates

• Wednesday, Aug 14 - Wed, Aug 28: Initian Sign Up Window For Performance Program Rehearsals
• Monday, Sept 30: Fall Rehearsals Start This Week
• Midseason Concert: DATE TBA
• Thursday, Nov 28: SCHOOL CLOSED FOR THANKSGIVING
• Wednesday, December 25: SCHOOL CLOSED FOR CHRISTMAS DAY
• Wednesday, January 1: SCHOOL CLOSED FOR NEW YEAR'S DAY
• Sat-Sun, Jan 25-26: FALL SEASON CONCERT WEEKEND (we're planning for this weekend and will confirm and announce ASAP)

little wing & Rookies class schedule

Little wing

Wednesdays 4:15pm

Thursdays 3:30pm

Saturdays 10:45am

Rookies

Tuesdays 5pm

Saturdays 10am

Saturdays 11:30am 

rock 101 rehearsal times

Mondays 3:30-5pm

Tuesdays 3:30-5pm

Tuesdays 5-6:30pm

Thursdays 3:30-5pm

Thursdays 5-6:30pm

Sundays 11am-1:30pm

performance program themes

Mondays 6:30-8:30pm – Queen

Queen formed in London, England, in 1970, a time when heavy Rock and Roll was reaching mainstream audiences and record companies were looking everywhere for the “Next Big Thing”. . The band achieved global success in no small part due to the charisma and supernatural talent of lead singer/keyboard player Freddie Mercury. The band also featured Brian May (guitar), Roger Taylor (drums), and John Deacon (bass) - all virtuosos on their respective instruments. Queen is known as one of the most commercially successful bands of all time who also pushed artistic boundaries, a unique and enviable combination in the music industry. Their first album, the self-titled Queen, was released in July 1973, and was well-received by critics, including king-maker Rolling Stone, who would eventually rank “Keep Yourself Alive” as the 31st greatest “Guitar Song” of all-time. Following several more albums, Queen began work in 1975 on what would be their pièce de résistance, A Night At The Opera. The album brought together all of the band’s interests and influences and incorporated a wide range of musical styles, from hard rock to theatrical ballads. The album’s centerpiece was the audacious and operatic “Bohemian Rhapsody”, one of Rock’s most celebrated masterpieces and Queen’s first Number One hit. Queen continued their dominance of the airwaves in the '80s with The Game, which produced the chart-topping songs “Another One Bites the Dust” and “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”. Despite Mercury’s untimely death in 1991, Queen remains one of Rock’s most influential and enduring acts. Queen is a fantastic show for all students and will provide endless educational opportunities and steep challenges for every experience level.

Tuesdays 6:30-8:30pm – Left Of The Dial

Alternative rock from a time before “alternative” was a genre, Left of the Dial refers to the underground rock featured on many college radio stations in the 1980s and early 1990s, before Grunge swept alternative music into the mainstream. These college stations often broadcast at lower frequencies, which were located on the far left side of the analog FM radio dial. The term “Left of the Dial” was coined in a song by The Replacements, and an eventual compilation album by Rhino Records further cemented the phrase as a nickname for this era of music. A few of the bands and artists from this era found mainstream success, but all of them began as DIY underdogs and were incredibly influential in the evolution of the Grunge and Indie Rock that defined rock music in the 90s and 2000s. Left of the Dial is known for its wide variety of musical styles and unique personalities, including artists like Sonic Youth, REM, The Pixies, Depeche Mode, Meat Puppets, Kate Bush, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Cure, The Smiths, and Dinosaur Jr. Students of all instruments and experience levels can expect good challenges playing these songs that often still sound innovative, even today.

Wednesdays 4:00-6:00pm – Folk Rock

Folk Rock is a wide umbrella that encompasses protest songs of the 1960s, laid-back tunes of the 1970s, confessional ballads of the 1980s and '90s, melodic “indie-folk” anthems of the 2000s, and much more. The hallmarks of the Folk Rock sound are intricate guitar playing, evocative lyrics, vocal harmonies, and nods to early 20th-century music forms including Gospel, Appalachian Folk, Country, Blues, and Bluegrass. Folk music influences were an integral part of the evolving Rock scene of the 1960s, with Jefferson Airplane, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, The Band, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and The Mamas and The Papas all finding success. These acts pushed the genre in different directions, amping up the roots of Rock and Roll by adding drums and electric instruments. . The 1970s were rich with new forms of the Folk sound from familiar faces like Neil Young and Paul Simon, as well as commercial newcomers like the British multi-instrumentalist Cat Stevens. Folk Rock influences continue to be found in more contemporary artists, such as Tom Petty, Tracy Chapman, Indigo Girls, The Jayhawks, Beck, and Brandi Carlile. Many of the greatest songwriters of all time - including Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Huddie Ledbetter, and Paul Simon - are represented in this show, which is filled with classic songs and popular hits that will educate students of all experience levels.

Wednesdays 6:00-8:00pm – Arctic Monkeys vs The Strokes

The Arctic Monkeys and The Strokes found success in the ‘00s and ‘10s with high energy, guitar driven rock. The Arcitic Monkeys’ style being distinctly British in many ways, The Strokes sound distilling the feeling of being in NYC, makes for an interesting contrast between two groups’ approach to music and lyrics. Both bands’ songs are well written, arranged, and produced, giving students insight in top level ensemble arrangement and playing, in addition to offering a lot of fun and interesting individual parts.

Thursdays 6:30-8:30pm – British Invasion

Rhythm and Blues music was foundational to the evolution of rock and roll! Originating with jazz and blues in the 1940s, R&B music was predominantly created by black musicians for black audiences until the 1950s, when artists such as Etta James, Little Richard, Fats Domino, and Ike & Tina Turner began to achieve crossover success with white audiences as well. By the early 1960s, record labels like Motown and Stax were churning out legendary hits by Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, The Supremes, and Otis Redding, which influenced virtually all of the Rock and Roll and Pop music that came after. The Classic R&B show features groove-oriented music with dynamic arrangements and standout vocal performances. Students participating in this show will have an opportunity to hone their rhythmic skills and broaden their repertoire of music styles by focusing on the music that inspired artists such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and The Who, and which continues to be relevant today with its influence on modern Pop stars such as Adele and John Legend. Classic R&B is one of the most educational shows that School of Rock offers!

Fridays 6:00-8:00pm – Prog Metal

Progressive Metal is the fusion of the high energy, sonically aggressive palette of Heavy Metal with the cerebral, experimental and complex compositional style of Progressive Rock. Its origins can be traced back to as early as King Crimson in the 1960s, but the genre achieved widespread popularity starting in the ‘90s with bands like Queensÿche, Dream Theater, Tool, and Kings X. Since then, bands like Coheed & Cambria, Gojira and Animals As Leaders have continued to develop the eclectic sounds and styles of Prog Metal. This show is recommended for intermediate and advanced students who are highly motivated to work hard and show up to every rehearsal! We will be digging into very challenging material both on an individual and an ensemble level. Please reach out to our Music Director if you’re unsure whether your child is a good candidate for participation in this show.

Saturdays 1:00-3:00pm – Blues Legends

The Blues is a genre that transcends time and cultural boundaries, and has influenced, in some capacity, nearly every song that has come since its original inception. This show is a crash course in the great blues players over the years and within its setlist, it shows how the torch was passed throughout the years. From the original blues pioneers to the '80s blues revival and beyond, this show is not only a great lesson in instrument improvisation, but also why the blues will never fade away! Traditional artists like Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, Koko Taylor, and Albert King will be showcased, along with more contemporary blues masters like Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimmy Page, and Gary Clark Jr. Throughout the many changes in blues music over the years, it still remains the most influential genre from which all modern rock is derived. One of the greatest aspects of the genre is the way it remembers its creators, innovators, and pioneers. It truly is music that will continue to stand the test of time as we celebrate those that we call “Blues Legends”. 

Sundays 1:00-3:00pm – Rock N Grohl

Rock 'n' Grohl (aka The Dave Grohl Show) is a killer show that covers quite a lot of musical ground on all instruments, featuring Grohl’s work with Foo Fighters, Nirvana, Queens Of The Stone Age, Them Crooked Vultures, Probot, and more. This music is centered in the Hard Rock aesthetic but ranges from Grunge to Punk to Metal to Prog. Best known for his work in Foo Fighters and Nirvana, Dave Grohl is unanimously admired throughout the entertainment industry and continues to be a force to be reckoned with in the modern music scene. The Rock ‘n’ Grohl show is ideal for guitarists of every experience level, in that it encompasses a wide range of skills and techniques - from Nirvana’s rhythmic yet aggressive strumming to the Foo Fighters’ melodic and driving octaves to Queens of The Stone Age’s heavy but quirky leads and solos. Dave Grohl is especially well-known for his prowess behind the kit throughout his career, making this show a favorite for drummers. For vocalists, Foo Fighters songs provide great examples of the belting and chest voice techniques, and intermediate vocalists will be challenged by frequent dynamic changes and two-part harmonies.