Last Sunday, the School of Rock Bedford performed "British Steel" at Daryl's House Club in Pawling. The British Steel set list was picked based on covering the essentials of 70s classic British heavy metal, with emphasis on Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and Deep Purple. The Deep Purple material was crucial to help challenge one of their more advanced keyboard players!
School of Rock is a performance-based music education program, and they teach kids age 7-18 and adults as well by using rock music as a curriculum. From season to season, shows include classics like The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, The Who, etc. They run three seasons of their Performance Program per year, and students work on one set list of music with their bandmates for about four months at a time before they hit the stage to play two shows. Their commitment to the program includes a weekly 45 minute private lesson with one of their teachers and a three hour weekly group rehearsal.
The British Steel group was for "Intermediate to Advanced" students therefore they were on the older side of the 7-18 year old age range that are eligible to enroll at School of Rock. They have other groups that are "All Experience Levels Welcome" so they have a greater range of students.
- Alex Witkiewicz: Bass, Somers
- Ashley Suppa: Guitar, Vocals, Carmel
- Brian Macomber: Bass, Drums, Carmel
- Connor Buckley: Vocals, Guitar, Somers
- Devin Buckley: Drums, Somers
- Devin Reck: Guitar, Mahopac
- Erin Blake: Vocals, Keys, Guitar, Bedford
- Ethan Karas: Drums, Katonah
- Jack Hanlon: Drums, Mount Kisco
- Jack Quinn: Guitar, Pound Ridge
- James Raspanti: Bass, Brewster
- Johnny Iodice: Guitar, Katonah
- Matthew Gonzalez: Guitar, Bedford
- Nick Tobin: Vocals, Goldens Bridge
- Stephen Vario: Guitar, Brewster
- Trevor Jones: Drums, Carmel
Show Director for the British Steel program was Lou Caldarola.
"We select each season's shows based on what we feel our kids need to get better, and also take into account how long it's been since we've offered that program," states General Manager Todd Springer. For the Spring 2017 Performance Program season (which is enrolling now!) they are offering: Clapton is God, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Prince vs. Michael Jackson, and The Dave Grohl Experience. They also have two Adult Programs enrolling: 90s Alternative Rock and Fleetwood Mac vs. The Eagles, and adults can join with little experience or can have played for years. "It's a welcoming and awesome environment," explains Mr. Springer.
View Set 1 and Set 2 here and check out more videos on their YouTube Channel.
Photo credit: Greg Buckley