How to go from Zero to ROCK SHOW in 5 days…
At School of Rock camps, we learn an entire set of songs in one week and play a real rock show on Friday. People often ask how kids who have only been playing their instruments for a little while are able to pull together a live show so quickly!! Well here’s how it happens…
A few weeks before camp we email our campers and let them know 9 of the 12 songs we’re going to do. We hope they listen ahead of time to get an idea of which songs they’d like to be on, but that’s not always the case. On Monday morning we start by casting 3 songs. We ask kids to raise their hands when we name a part that they’d like to play. It goes something like this…
“Ok! I need a bass player on “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, who’s interested?” Usually one or two kids raises their hand and together we figure out which kid will play it (making sure whoever doesn’t get first choice this round will get first choice next round). Kids are rewarded with first choice by being flexible and willing to play on songs that aren’t their first choice.
Then, we learn the song! As a group! It sounds insane, and it is. But it always works. We’ve got plenty of staff and volunteers around to help kids who need extra attention AND we offer private instruction time throughout the week for extra guidance.
This process of casting and practicing repeats until 9 songs are cast!! Once the kids have a grasp of those songs, we let them vote as a group on the final three songs! Student picks are the best.
Playing music all day really makes a difference in these kids abilities. It’s incredible how fast they learn when faced with the task! Between all of the practice sessions, we do rock-themed camp games. Like… Rock N’ Roll Trivia, Air Band Competition, Costume Contest and Rock N’ Roll Egg Walk. With all the rocking + playing, it’s inevitable that by Friday each week the kids will be confident and ready to shred at a rock show!! When they get on stage in front of family and friends, they seem to forget that they ever had to learn these songs. They’re pros and they know it!!
