School of Rock (company)
School of Rock is a music education program. This for-profit educational company operates and franchises after-school music instruction schools in the United States, Chile, Canada, Brazil, Peru, Colombia, South Africa, Mexico, Australia, Paraguay, Taiwan, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, and the Philippines. School of Rock currently has 307 open locations in fourteen countries serving more than 55,000 students.
For the 2003 Jack Black film, see School of Rock. For the documentary, see Rock School. Not to be confused with Rockschool or Rock School. For other uses, see School of Rock (disambiguation).Company type
1998 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
247 schools in the US
5 in Mexico
6 in Canada
36 in Brazil
4 in Australia
1 in the Philippines
5 in Chile
1 in Colombia
1 in Peru
1 in South Africa
1 in Spain
1 in Taiwan
Rob Price - CEO
Performance Program, Rock 101, Rookies, Little Wing, Houseband, All Stars Program, Adult Program, guitar lessons, bass lessons, vocal lessons, keyboard lessons
music lessons, guitar lessons, bass guitar lessons, drum lessons, keyboard lessons, vocal lessons
Sterling Partners
Though they offer a pre-school introduction to music for children age two through six, the majority of their students are in a performance-based program where students are accepted at any skill level, with the goal getting them on stage, playing a concert before a paying audience. The most skilled students in each school form a band and play concerts in their city, and the top students from each school compete to become a member of an "All-Star" band and tour regionally. They have recently expanded to offering career development for working bands, and "Grad School" for adult amateur musicians. Successful musicians occasionally serve as "Guest Professors" and perform with the students.
Franchising[edit]
The CNN Money website featured School of Rock as one of their Five Hot Franchises on 12 February 2013, stating that there are "more than 10,000 kids enrolled in 105 locations in 31 states, as well as Mexico."[25] A January 2014 profile of CEO Dzana Homan in Entrepreneur magazine increased that number to "more than 145 School of Rock franchises in eight countries".[26]
The company has plans to grow to more than 190 locations worldwide by the end of 2015.[27]
Twenty five of the locations were owned by the company as of 16 December 2012; the rest are run by franchisees. Purchasing a franchise requires an initial investment of $137,350 to $304,100 according to a review by Entrepreneur magazine that ranked it #211 of their 2013 Top 500 Franchise Opportunities, up from #289 in 2012, and #318 in 2011. This estimate includes a renewable ten-year franchise fee of $49,500. The franchisee also pays an 8% annual royalty fee, and is required to have a net worth of $300,000, and $100,000 cash available. Each location will require between 14 and 21 employees.[28] The majority of the employees are music teachers who are also working musicians.
The franchisee receives training in running the business, IT support (including a website), assistance with real estate selection and designing the franchise location, grand opening and on-going marketing support, discounts on music equipment and a protected territory.[29] The IT support includes access to a customized task management and internal social productivity site.[20]
The majority of the schools are in dedicated locations, although in January 2013, the company announced that they intend to expand their program to co-locate with music retailers, who are having difficulty competing with online retailers and frequently have surplus floor space. The Charlotte, North Carolina, location was the model, being co-located in a Sam Ash Music store but has since moved to a new location.[18]
Performances[edit]
The school has "the ultimate goal of performing live in front of real crowds"[57] and the official motto of the school is "To inspire the world to rock…on stage and in life".[58] The founder of the school stated in the documentary about the school "Don't come to watch kids play music. Come to watch kids play music well".[59]
The School year consists of up to three seasons, each composed of up to five different theme shows (depending on the size of the branch). Each show is dedicated to a particular artist, band, genre, time period or historical event. Although some shows are more technically demanding, students can sign up for any show no matter what the age or skill level (although approval by the show's director is occasionally required). Shows usually consist of 20 to 25 songs chosen by the show's director (usually one of the teachers at the school) to make a ninety-minute concert. Three-hour rehearsals are held every week in preparation. The shows are performed at local clubs twice, usually on Friday and Saturday nights, and sometimes Saturday night and Sunday afternoon; however, some of the schools have their own venue for performances. Tickets are sold to defray the rental cost of the venue, usually for $10.
Previously performed shows across all School of Rock locations include Rush vs. Dream Theater, Metallica's Master of Puppets, Big Four of Thrash Metal, Classic metal, Indie rock, The Black Keys vs. The White Stripes, Black Sabbath, Santana, Ozzfest, Bonaroo, Warped Tour, Best Show Ever! progressive rock, The Allman Brothers Band, Guns N' Roses vs. Mötley Crüe, Hair metal, Guns N' Roses vs. Aerosmith, Corporate rock, Led Zeppelin, Queen, The Beatles, Metallica, Iron Maiden vs. Metallica, King Crimson, Jimi Hendrix, The 27 Club, Devo, Van Halen, Pink Floyd's The Wall, Punk and Reggae, Funk & Soul, Thrash Metal, Radiohead, Muse vs. Radiohead, Eagles vs. Fleetwood Mac, Rocky Horror vs. Hedwig, AC/DC, Best of the 80s/90s/00s, Punk rock, The Clash vs Ramones, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Who's Tommy, British Invasion, Iron Maiden vs. Judas Priest, Frank Zappa, Old School Blues, Women Who Rock, British rock, The Doors, Grunge, Alice in Chains vs Pearl Jam, Guitar Gods, Yes, Dave Grohl vs Jack White, Rush, Red Hot Chili Peppers, David Bowie, Prince, Prince vs Michael Jackson, Green Day, The Clash, The Police, Talking Heads, CBGB, Bruce Springsteen, Motown, The Last Waltz and many more.[2]
Some locations produce a Best of Season show that is a compilation of songs from previous shows, usually to raise tuition for a scholarship.[60] Locations are a mixture of franchised and company-operated, some having been established as independent entities prior to the founding of the Paul Green School of Rock Music and maintain their own traditions and values.[61]
Five Dallas, Texas School of Rock locations will be performing at various Deep Ellum locations over Memorial Day weekend as part of the 3rd annual Rockstravaganza.[62] More than 500 students will be performing as part of 80 bands. Venues are Trees, Club Dada, Boiler Room, Liquid Lounge and 3 Links beginning 14 April 2013.[63]
On 28 June 2013, the multi-day Gemba competition was launched at Milwaukee's Summerfest music festival. Bands from 200 School of Rock locations traveled to compete in a Battle of Bands. The 2013 edition was judged by Slim Jim Phantom of Stray Cats, David Bowie guitarist Earl Slick, Jim Peterik of Survivor and The Ides of March, Bruce Kulick of Kiss, "Metal" Mike Chlasciak of Rob Halford's band, Eric Bloom of Blue Öyster Cult and Nathan Willett & Matt Maust of the Cold War Kids.[64] The 2013 competition was won by the Seattle School of Rock.
AllStars[edit]
The School of Rock AllStars is a select group of students comprising the top 0.1 percent of the students in the program,[57] selected via an audition process where the student submits a five-minute video clip. The student answers four questions: "What is your favorite thing about School of Rock?", "What is your best School of Rock moment?", "How has music changed your life?", and "Why do you want to be an AllStar?". They must also include a performance of one Led Zeppelin, Beatles, or Rolling Stones song, and one solo song of their own choice. Originally, there was a single national AllStars team, but since expanding the number of schools, there are AllStar teams for seven different regions to keep tour length manageable. Applicants to represent a particular region are selected by the music directors of School location from a different region.
Once chosen, the students practice together during the school holiday period.[65] They tour such venues as B.B. King's in Times Square, The Knitting Factory and Whisky a Go Go in Los Angeles and New York City, The Roxy and Crash Mansion in Los Angeles, Stubbs in Austin, various Hard Rock Cafes and House of Blues, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and many of the biggest festivals in the country such as Lollapalooza, Summerfest and Austin City Limits.
The 2010 AllStars tour was billed as "Live-Aid Remade" with a set list drawn from the original Live Aid concert 25 years previously.[66] The 2011 AllStars "Rock The House" tour was a benefit for Ronald McDonald House Charities.[67] The 21 city 2012 AllStars tour was a benefit for the Love Hope Strength Foundation and included multiple dates at Milwaukee's Summerfest, Connecticut's Gathering of the Vibes and the Van's Warped Tour.[68]
They often tour and play with successful rock musicians, such as the Butthole Surfers, Slash, Les Paul, Brendon Small, LeAnn Rimes, Perry Farrell, Jon Anderson, Peter Frampton, Eddie Vedder, Alice Cooper, Adrian Belew, Napoleon Murphy Brock, Stewart Copeland, John Wetton, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, Ike Willis and Ann Wilson. Students have performed with Roger Waters' on his 2010 tour of The Wall.[37]
The 2013 AllStars list was announced 1 April 2013 and included 153 performers from across the United States and Mexico. The performers were assembled into six bands, and played multiple dates including all the days of both Gathering of the Vibes and Lollapalooza festivals. The tour was once again a benefit for the Love Hope Strength Foundation.[69]
Eric Svalgard, a teacher at Green's original School of Rock location and owner of the Wilmington, Delaware location, assembled a special "Z Team" from nine School of Rock locations to travel to Bad Doberon, Germany to play the 25th Zappanale, a festival of music by and associated with Frank Zappa. The Z Team both opened and closed the show.[70]