Frequent Questions

What is the School of Rock all about?
We're the nation's premier performance-based rock music program. We accept students from ages 5-17 and turn them into genuine rock stars.

Where is the school located?
We have 3 convenient locations in the greater Washington DC area:

Ashburn, VA - in the heart of Ashburn at 20660 Ashburn Road, Ashburn, VA 20147, phone: (703) 850-2100 fax: (703) 232-1048 email: nova@schoolofrock.com . We're in the Old Ashburn Square Shopping Center.
Vienna, VA - at the center of Vienna at 111 Center Street South, Vienna, VA 22180, phone: (703) 850-2100 fax: (703) 232-1048 email: nova@schoolofrock.com. We're just off Maple Ave. (123), across Center Street from the Vienna Public Library and behind the Sunoco Station.
Silver Spring, MD - in downtown Silver Spring at 8634 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, MD 20910, phone: (703) 850-2100 fax: (703) 232-1048 email: nova@schoolofrock.com. We're across from the AFI Theatre.

Are you new? When did you open?
The School of Rock has been operating since its founding in Philadelphia in 1998. Our first school in the Greater Washington DC area opened in February 2006.

How does the program work?
Students receive 45 minute private lessons on the instrument of choice. Students also have a 3 hour supervised rehearsal most weeks of the year to prepare them for the main event, THE SHOW! Students get a break from rehearsals immediately after a show for typically 2-3 weeks to practice their songs for the next show. Past shows have included tributes to Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Queen, the Beatles and theme shows such as Punk Rock, Reggae, Hair Metal, Yacht Rock and many more. We find that the combination of private lessons and group band practice with their peers is the best way to motivate kids to practice hard, overcome stage fright, and become amazing musicians. In addition to the weekly lessons and rehearsals, we also hold rock classes, open jams, and seminars that are free to students with such themes as Songwriting, Music Business 101, Tightening Up the Rhythm Section, What Really Goes Into a Tour, How to Get Gigs and Promote Your Band, Music Theory and Harmony, Rock Appreciation, and more.

Is it too late to join for this season's shows?
We operate with an open, rolling admissions process for all 3 seasons (Spring, Summer, Fall) throughout the year.

How do I join?
Contact us at (703) 850-2100 or email us at nova@schoolofrock.com to receive an enrollment kit. You can also click here to download the enrollment forms, policies and waivers, then print them and fax to us at (703) 232-1048.

My son/daughter really wants to sing in addition to learning an instrument - do you have voice teachers?
Yes, we have top-notch professional musicians that teach all rock instruments as well as vocal coaches.

Which instruments are included?
Our core instruments are guitar, bass, drums, keyboards and vocals. We can arrange for instruction on other instruments upon request.

When are lessons and rehearsals?
The student is assigned a weekly time for their 45-minute lesson, typically weekdays after school. Times vary based on day and location to accomodate local school schedules. Rehearsals are at a regularly scheduled time.

Is performing required?
In general, yes. Our culture and teaching method are rooted in performance of rock music. However please feel free to discuss it with us if you have other needs.

Is this a year-round program?
Yes. We organize our program annually around three performance seasons.

Do you have a summer program?
Yes, in addition to our regular program we offer a summer boot camp program that is a mini School of Rock experience. It's a rockin' two week session, during which we will work with the kids both individually and in groups, preparing to give a rock concert on the last day. It's a lot of fun, so come out and kick the jams with us this summer. Space is limited in the summer program, so contact us now to get on the list. Enrollment is first-come, first-served. Please click "Summer" menu link above.

How much does this cost?
Our monthly tuition of $250 covers all lessons, rehearsals, shows and other activities - an average of 16 hours of lessons and rehearsals per month.

Where do we perform?
We perform at local rock music venues in front of a live audience who have purchased a ticket to see a rock show. Our All-Stars have performed at The State Theatre in Falls Church and we are scheduling shows for our school students at Jammin' Java in and other venues.

My kid has never played an instrument - can we still enroll?
We believe we're the best in the world at training both beginners and advanced students, and we accept students at all experience levels. Beginners participate in the shows along side of more advanced students. We have beginners performing in live shows within just a few months. We cast students in different parts and songs based on their ability level and our educational goals for the student.

What is your approach to teaching music? Does it work? Do you teach theory?
Our goal is to foster the next generation of great musicians. Much of our work is oriented around learning specific songs for performance, but in the process students learn specific skills and techniques needed for proficiency on their instrument. By selecting the right piece for the student to learn, specific technical skills are learned. Our teachers introduce music theory in the context of other learnings, and we hold group classes to cover music theory concepts such as chord construction, harmony, rhythm figures and so on. We think the Washington Post had it right when they said that we're "The country's preeminent rock music school for children ages 9 to 17." We work towards the next performance, our kids have a great time and we're creating fantastic musicians!