FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM JANUARY 9, 2020 • BUZZ • THE QUEENS COURIER 41
Photo courtesy of School of Rock Queens
buzz
School of Rock Queens to
put on fi rst show in Bayside
BY JENNA BAGCAL
jbagcal@qns.com
@jenna_bagcal
Students at a Queens-based rock school
are coming to Bayside with their fi rst live
performances this weekend.
School of Rock Queens, which temporarily
operates at Multi-Sound Studios in
Whitestone, will be making its foray into
Hatfi elds on Bell Boulevard. Performances
on Saturday, Jan. 11, include medleys
from the youth and adult classes and a
special set featuring the songs of “British
Invasion” artists.
Owner Tom Vidal started the School
of Rock Queens aft er seeing his own
children fl ourish at the franchise location
in Roslyn on Long Island. Th e performance
based music school combines
weekly private lessons with weekly
rehearsals in rock bands, which culminate
in live shows at rock venues.
Using a motivational, song-first
approach, the school teaches kids ages 4
and up as well as adults the art of piano,
keyboard, vocals, guitar, bass and drums.
“I’m so incredibly proud of our students,
given nearly all of them were absolute
beginners when we opened the school
in mid-September. To see them all coming
together as a real band and motivating
each other to excel as a team is so inspirational.
Th e show directors have done an
amazing job teaching these kids to not
only play their instrument but also to be
musicians, which is what School of Rock
is known for,” said Vidal. “Th is is just the
fi rst of many shows our students will perform
in this amazing community we now
call our home.”
Younger students in the Rock 101
beginner rock band will kick off the show
with a medley of four songs, followed
by a full set of songs from students in
the Performance Program playing British
Invasion artists like Th e Beatles, Th e
Rolling Stones and Th e Who.
Th e aft ernoon continues as the school’s
adult band performs a short set of songs
while School of Rock Queens staff members
wrap up the program with an open
jam.
In 1998, Paul Green founded the School
of Rock franchise in Philadelphia. Since
its inception, the company became a rapidly
growing, international franchise, with
more than 250 schools in ten global markets.
Th e school has grown from 4,000
students to more than 30,000 since 2009.
Th e show is at Hatfi elds (40-05 Bell
Blvd.) from noon to 5 p.m. on Jan. 11. For
more information and to purchase tickets,
call 929-999-7625 or email queens@
schoolofrock.com. Attendees can also
purchase tickets at the door.
Visit queens.schoolofrock.com to learn
more about the School of Rock Queens.
Students from School of Rock Queens will perform at Hatfi eld in Bayside.
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