Plainfield
School of Rock

Explore School of Rock Plainfield

Explore School of Rock

Plainfield

School of Rock

Explore School of Rock

Plainfield

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Map
School of Rock Plainfield
24026 W Lockport St
Plainfield, IL 60544
(815) 246-3400

Location Specifics

Located in downtown Plainfield.

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Hours
  • Monday: 1 PM - 9 PM
  • Tuesday: 1 PM - 9 PM
  • Wednesday: 1 PM - 9 PM
  • Thursday: 1 PM - 9 PM
  • Friday: 3 PM - 9 PM
  • Saturday: 10 AM - 5 PM
  • Sunday: Closed

Music programs at School of Rock Plainfield combine one-on-one lessons with group band practices

Plainfield, Illinois is home to local legends Paramore, The White Stripes, Nirvana, Led Zeppelin, Heart, The Weekend, and Sam Smith. Thus, the town has a thriving music scene and School of Rock is the premier music school in our area. Here, students can learn to play musical instruments with skill and confidence thanks to help from quality instructors. School of Rock students may find themselves getting their big break at The Forge, the biggest venue in the area known for supporting local bands.

Programs we offer

Little Wing music program for toddlers and preschoolers in Plainfield
Little Wing
Ages 3-5

At School of Rock Plainfield our Little Wing music program for preschoolers and toddlers teaches students foundational music skills by playing games and participating in other interactive musical activities. Little Wing students have one weekly group music lesson in which they use classic rock songs to learn about rhythm, song structure, melody and dynamics through play.

What To Expect
  • 1 WEEKLY GROUP LESSON
  • USE HAND PERCUSSION & OTHER TOOLS TO LEARN RHYTHM PATTERNS & MUSIC SYNTAX

The Path to Take the Stage

The Little Wing music program is the first step in a young musician's journey. At School of Rock Plainfield, toddlers and preschoolers who show an interest in music should start with Little Wing. As they get older, they will progress into the Rookies program, followed by Rock 101 and the Performance Program.

Rookies music program for children in Plainfield
Rookies
Ages 6-7

At School of Rock Plainfield, our music program for children with no previous musical experience (typically ages 6 to 7-years-old) is called Rookies. Rookies students have one weekly group music lesson where they learn fundamentals like chords, rhythm and song structure. Kids get to learn and experiment with multiple instruments so they can later decide which one they ultimately want to continue pursuing in Rock 101.

What To Expect
  • 1 WEEKLY GROUP LESSON
  • USE OF SIMPLIFIED ROCK INSTRUMENTS TO TEACH KIDS TO PLAY MUSIC

The Path to Take the Stage

All of our music programs are designed to inspire students to learn and develop a strong musical proficiency. At School of Rock Plainfield, younger students who are not ready for a more comprehensive program like Rock 101 can start in Rookies. Additionally, students who have completed the Little Wing program will progress into the Rookies music program. No prior musical experience is needed for Rookies. Once your child is ready for private music lessons (typically older than first or second graders), they will graduate into our Rock 101 program.

Rock 101 music program in Plainfield for kids and beginners
Rock 101
Ages 8-13

Rock 101 is one of School of Rock Plainfield's top programs for kids and beginners. Students have one weekly group rehearsal where they learn to play classic rock songs that have been simplified for beginner musicians. Additionally, Rock 101 students in Plainfield have a weekly private music lesson with an instructor who helps them learn the concepts and skills behind their performance songs.

What To Expect
  • 1 WEEKLY PRIVATE LESSON
  • 1 WEEKLY GROUP REHEARSAL

The Path to Take the Stage

Our music programs for kids in Plainfield are designed to get students on stage performing, with the goal of building strong musical proficiency. Younger students at School of Rock Plainfield who have participated in the Rookies program can move to our Rock 101 music program once they’re ready. Additionally, students (typically ages 8 to 13-years-old) can begin Rock 101 without any prior experience. The goal of this rock program is to quickly develop a basic competence on students’ chosen instruments before moving on to our famous Performance Program.

Performance music program for teens in Plainfield
Performance
Ages 8-18

The Performance Program at School of Rock Plainfield is our hallmark music program, where tens of thousands of students enroll each year. It consists of a weekly group rehearsal where kids and teens learn by playing rock music's most iconic songs with a band composed of their peers. Students are assigned songs and parts that are tailored to them based on their age, experience and ability to learn new skills and concepts. Students then work through their parts in weekly private music lessons, refining the skills and concepts that those songs introduce. The goal of this curriculum is to prepare kids and teens for live performances. Every few months, School of Rock Plainfield Performance Program students take the stage and play at local Plainfield music venues in front of a live audience.

What To Expect
  • 1 WEEKLY PRIVATE LESSON
  • 1 WEEKLY GROUP REHEARSAL

The Path to Take the Stage

School of Rock Plainfield's music programs for kids and teens are designed to inspire by getting students on stage and performing. All of our other music education programs focus on readying students for our famous Performance Program. This is where students develop incredible musical skills. Performance Program students have often gone through our Rock 101 program first or have some previous basic music experience. These young musicians will have custom development plans outlined by their instructors with key concepts reinforced during private lessons and group rehearsals, all with the goal of performing live at a Plainfield music venue.

Songwriting
Age 12 and over

Our Songwriting program for kids and teens teaches the fundamentals of songwriting, arrangement and music theory, and helps students compose original works.  At School of Rock Plainfield, songwriting students receive one weekly private lesson where they learn concepts, technique and theory on an instrument of their choice. These principles are then applied in a weekly group lesson where students work together on songwriting exercises and lyrical workshops.  Every few months, Songwriting students take the stage to perform or band together to record their original songs.

What to Expect
  • 1 weekly private lesson
  • 1 weekly group lesson

The Path to Take the Stage

Our Songwriting program for kids and teens in Plainfield is designed to create musical proficiency through the creation of original music. Students at School of Rock Plainfield who have completed our Rock 101 program can move to our Songwriting program once they’re ready. Additionally, new students who have prior experience with and basic knowledge of an instrument can also begin Songwriting. The program culminates with a live showcase where students perform their original compositions in bands at a local music venue. Students taking the Songwriting Program online will remotely record their original songs to produce a demo of the class's music.

Remote student playing guitar
Online
All Ages

At School of Rock Plainfield, our students can take online, one-on-one music instruction from the comfort of their homes. We call this program School of Rock Remote. This online music program contains weekly one-on-one instruction conducted by our expert School of Rock instructors in a safe virtual lesson room.
 
Students will receive their training using our proprietary education program, The School of Rock Method™, which couples live video lessons with our proprietary Method App™, SongFirst Approach™ and Method Books™. 

What To Expect
  • ONE WEEKLY 1-ON-1 LESSON
  • LESSONS CONDUCTED USING SECURE VIDEO TECHNOLOGY

THE PATH TO TAKE THE STAGE

All of our music programs for kids, teens, and adults are designed to help students gain amazing musical proficiency. School of Rock’s online music lesson program is no exception. Online guitar lessons, online piano lessons, online drum lessons, online singing lessons and online bass guitar lessons are all offered through the School of Rock Remote online program.

Adult music program in Plainfield for students over 18
Adult Program
Ages 18+

School of Rock Plainfield's Adult Program is for students over 18 years old who are looking to either improve their musical proficiency or pick up an instrument with no prior musical experience. As with most School of Rock music programs, the Adult Program uses a performance-based music education approach. This means the curriculum focuses on learning music concepts and applying them in a live performance setting. Our Adult Music Program includes one weekly private music lesson and a weekly group rehearsal. Every student at School of Rock Plainfield is placed in a band of fellow adults and then assigned specific songs as a way of learning key music concepts and skills. Adult students then take the stage to play at a live show in Plainfield.

What To Expect
  • 1 WEEKLY PRIVATE LESSON
  • 1 WEEKLY GROUP REHEARSAL

The Path to Take the Stage

All of our music programs are designed to inspire by getting students on stage and performing, with the goal of building strong musical proficiency along the way. The School of Rock Plainfield Adult Program is open to all experience levels and each student will follow a customized learning plan developed by their instructor. Adult students will work together during rehearsal to prepare for a live performance at a real rock venue in Plainfield.

House Band program for gigging at local venues in Plainfield
House Band
Age 17 and Under

The School of Rock Plainfield House Band music program gives students under 18 the opportunity to join a gigging band composed of fellow musicians from their school. These students perform additional live shows throughout the year. All students in the Performance Program have the opportunity to audition for a spot in School of Rock Plainfield's House Band. Once selected, House Band members become leaders in their School of Rock community and perform live shows at IL rock venues throughout the year.

What To Expect
  • A GIGGING MUSICIAN'S EXPERIENCE
  • FREQUENT LIVE PERFORMANCES IN COMMUNITY

The Path to Take the Stage

Performance is the core of School of Rock's educational approach. Therefore, we create additional opportunities for students to perform on stages throughout Plainfield and the rest of IL. The House Band music program allows each school's most talented students the opportunity to join a band and play routinely in front of live audiences. Once a member, students will gain real music experience associated with gigging musicians and will become leaders and mentors inside the School of Rock community.

The AllStars national tour features the best child and teen musicians
AllStars
Age 17 and Under

The School of Rock AllStars Tour takes the very best students from around the world and sends them on a nationwide summer tour across the United States. Less than 1% of School of Rock students are selected each year to represent School of Rock as an AllStar. All Performance Program students are eligible to audition for this prestigious program. The intensive audition process starts off with video submissions followed by live auditions. Once selected, AllStar students will have an authentic touring experience including traveling on a tour bus, doing tour publicity and starring in nightly performances at famous venues and festivals during a two-week tour.

What To Expect
  • A MULTI-CITY, COUNTRY-WIDE MUSIC TOUR EXPERIENCE
  • PERFORMING ON SOME OF THE BIGGEST AND MOST FAMOUS STAGES IN THE WORLD

The Path to Take the Stage

Becoming an AllStar is the highest level of achievement for a School of Rock student. They play on legendary stages large and small, including The Knitting Factory, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, The Troubadour and Lollapalooza. AllStar students often go on to have accomplished careers in the music industry. Former AllStars have gone on to become touring artists, star in Broadway musicals, get signed to record deals, become finalists on talent competitions like "The Voice" and "American Idol" and have other notable roles in the music industry.

Music Lessons in Plainfield

Kid learns to play guitar at School of Rock Plainfield

Guitar Lessons for All Skill Levels

Beginner Guitar Lessons for Kids

At School of Rock Plainfield, we offer beginner guitar lessons for kids. Our expert guitar instructors guide your child from start to finish with private instruction and weekly group band rehearsals. Every instructor at School of Rock Plainfield is an experienced musician, and they emphasize foundational music theory and technique when teaching guitar lessons to kids. Unlike other Plainfield guitar lessons and programs, School of Rock is designed to get students performing in a band.

Beginner Guitar Lessons for Adults

It’s never too late to learn to play the guitar. Similar to our kids guitar lessons, School of Rock Plainfield's beginner guitar lessons for adults utilizes a performance-based curriculum. Our experienced instructors teach adult students through popular rock songs, and teach students to play guitar in a way that’s challenging and fun. We believe the best way to learn is by doing, which is why we combine weekly private guitar lessons with group band rehearsals. At School of Rock Plainfield, we teach beginner guitar lessons for adults in our Adult Program. This program gets students performing onstage at a local Plainfield venue.

Key Concepts
  • Technique
  • Solos
  • Chords
  • Theory

Intermediate to Advanced Guitar Lessons

As students gain skills and experience, we move them along to more challenging programs at higher skill levels. Intermediate and advanced students take the skills they learned in beginner guitar lessons, and layer on more difficult techniques and concepts. School of Rock Plainfield offers advanced guitar lessons for kids and adults that teach by playing challenging classic rock songs and emphasize playing the guitar in a real music venue. Our Plainfield guitar teachers will work with each student to develop a custom learning plan.

Kids learn to drum at School of Rock Plainfield

Drum Lessons for All Skill Levels

Beginner Drum Lessons for Kids

School of Rock Plainfield is the best option for anyone looking to learn the drums. Our beginner drum lessons get kids behind the drum kit and on their way to taking the stage. That’s why at School of Rock Plainfield we combine private drum lessons for beginners with weekly band rehearsals—it prepares students to perform live. With years of experience teaching drums in Plainfield, our drum instructors teach beginner drum students core techniques, including how to groove, play rudiments and more.

Beginner Drum Lessons for Adults

Our drum lessons for adults are designed to accommodate all skill levels. At School of Rock Plainfield, our beginner drum lessons for adults are built for musicians with little to no experience. We teach adults using the same core performance-based education philosophy as our drum lessons for kids—performing with a band accelerates the learning process. Adult students will perform live at a venue in Plainfield. Unlike other Plainfield drum lessons for beginners, School of Rock combines private drum lessons with weekly band rehearsals so students are ready to play in front of real, live audiences.

Key Concepts
  • RUDIMENTS
  • TIME SIGNATURES
  • TECHNIQUE
  • GROOVE

Intermediate to Advanced Drum Lessons

More experienced to advanced drum students need a drum lesson curriculum that builds upon foundational skills and continues to grow musical proficiency. That’s why at School of Rock Plainfield, our drum lessons are customized for each student and his or her goals. Our Plainfield drum instructors integrate more complex techniques and concepts—intermediary grooves, shifts, meters and more—into a student's individual lessons and group band rehearsal, and will also select more difficult songs for his or her live performances.

 

Kid learns to sing at School of Rock Plainfield

Singing Lessons for All Skill Levels

Beginner Singing Lessons for Kids

School of Rock Plainfield offers beginner singing lessons for kids. Our unique, performance-based approach develops students' musical proficiency by preparing them to perform live. At School of Rock Plainfield, our vocal coaches are practicing musicians who integrate key music fundamentals—breathing, posture and more—into a curriculum based on performing with a band. Each week, beginner singing students participate in a private singing lesson and a band rehearsal.

Beginner Singing Lessons for Adults

School of Rock Plainfield teaches adults how to sing in our innovative Adult Program. Students develop vocal skills at a challenging pace designed to help you see results with every singing lesson. Adult vocalists learn how to keep tempo, stay on-key and master advanced vocal techniques for a powerful and healthy voice. Our curriculum teaches students how to sing by using popular rock songs that emphasize key concepts. Each week, Adult Program students have a private singing lesson for beginners and group band rehearsal.

Key Concepts
  • TECHNIQUE
  • HARMONY
  • POWER
  • READING

Intermediate to Advanced Singing Lessons

At School of Rock Plainfield, our singing lessons for kids and adults are designed to help our students reach a high degree of musical proficiency. Intermediate and advanced singers take skills learned from previous singing lessons and layer on more difficult techniques and concepts. Our advanced singing lessons teach students to sing by performing popular rock songs that illustrate a specific vocal concept or technique. We pair weekly private singing lessons with weekly band rehearsals with the goal of getting musicians to perform live in Plainfield.

Kid learns to play bass at School of Rock Plainfield

Bass Lessons for All Skill Levels

Beginner Bass Lessons for Kids

School of Rock Plainfield offers beginner bass guitar lessons for kids that blend weekly private instruction with weekly band rehearsals. This performance-based approach results in a high level of musical proficiency because it engages and inspires students. Every School of Rock bass instructor is a practicing musician in Plainfield and teaches bass lessons for kids that get great results. Beginners learn to play bass guitar by using popular rock songs that illustrate key concepts and techniques.

Beginner Bass Lessons for Adults

Adults looking to learn bass guitar can enroll in School of Rock’s Adult Program. No experience is necessary in our beginner bass guitar lessons for adults. At School of Rock Plainfield, our experienced, local bass guitar instructors have the patience and skills to help adult students gain musical proficiency. As with all School of Rock music programs, our bass guitar lessons for adults ciriculum is performance-based, and include both weekly private instruction and weekly band rehearsals.

Key Concepts
  • GROOVE
  • TECHNIQUE
  • THEORY
  • TONE

Intermediate to Advanced Bass Lessons

Our intermediate to advanced bass guitar lessons teach Plainfield students the skills they need to become the backbone of a band. Students take skills from previous bass lessons and layer on more difficult techniques and concepts. At School of Rock Plainfield, our bass instructors use popular rock songs as a way of teaching students advanced concepts and techniques. We pair weekly private bass lessons with weekly band rehearsals to inspire and engage students throughout the learning process.

Kid learns to play piano at School of Rock Plainfield

Keyboard Lessons for All Skill Levels

Beginner Keyboard Lessons for Kids

At School of Rock we teach differently than other music schools in Plainfield. Our curriculum is performance-based, meaning that we prepare students to perform. Our piano lessons for beginners combine weekly private instruction with weekly band rehearsals. At School of Rock Plainfield, our beginner keyboard lessons for kids take key concepts and music fundamentals—finger placement, scales, key differentiation and more—and teach them through popular rock songs. This approach inspires and engages students, which results in attaining a high level of musical proficiency. Our piano teachers have years of experience teaching music in the Plainfield area, and know how to coach and motivate students of any skill level to play the keyboard.

Beginner Keyboard Lessons for Adults

The School of Rock Plainfield Adult Program puts beginner keyboard students in a band. Adult Program students in the Plainfield area learn to play piano through a combination of weekly private beginner piano lessons and weekly band rehearsals. At School of Rock, our piano lessons give adult students the chance to perform in a band at local Plainfield music venues, taking them out of the classroom and onto the stage.

Key Concepts
  • TECHNIQUE
  • TONE
  • THEORY
  • READING

Intermediate to Advanced Keyboard Lessons

At School of Rock Plainfield, our keyboard lessons for kids and adults are designed to help students get results. Intermediate and advanced students take skills learned from beginner keyboard lessons and layer on more advanced piano techniques with concepts. Our local keyboard instructors are all practicing musicians in Plainfield, and use popular rock songs as a way of teaching complex skills. We pair weekly private piano lessons with weekly band rehearsals to inspire and engage students throughout the learning process.

Our Experienced Music Teachers

All of School of Rock Plainfield’s music teachers are experienced musicians devoted to helping students attain musical proficiency. Our instructors guide students one-on-one to personalize learning, inspire confidence and build social skills.

Jason Fein Owner, House Band Director, Show Director & Singing Teacher

Jason's musical journey started very early. He started piano lessons at the age of seven and it wasn't long after that he decided he wanted to learn how to play the guitar. Still not feeling like he had found his true musical calling he decided to give his school chorus a try when he entered high school. Things started moving fast from there. He formed his first band as the lead singer and by the time he graduated high school he went away to college on a vocal performance scholarship. While in college he formed his first touring band called Next Best Thing. They had some success including two albums and a song placed in a very popular motorcycle DVD that pressed over 500,000 copies. After college NBT broke up and Jason was left searching for a new musical outlet. Little did he know he would soon find it in multiple forms. He co-founded The Run Around. In the ten years The Run Around has been together they have played shows all across this country, sold thousands of albums, have a successful music video and shared the stage with such national acts as Tom Petty, Bowling For Soup, Local H, Blues Traveler, Alien Ant Farm, Mest, Head Automatica, Lucky Boys Confusion, Nine Days, Gavin Degraw and many, many more.

In the midst of all this, Jason was hired on as a vocal instructor at another School of Rock in the area. It wasn't long before he was recognized for his ability to direct and put on an impressive live show and was asked to direct the performance program. From there he went on to be the General Manager. He learned that he loved the School of Rock mission and everything it represented and decided he wanted to make School of Rock his life. Plainfield has always been a favorite town of his and just minutes away from where he grew up so he thought it was a great place to set up shop and start the next great chapter of his life. He can't wait to help mold the next generation of rock n' roll royalty.

Liana Chirkina General Manager

Liana is our friendly General Manager! Liana has been interested in music since she before she could remember and has experience with vocals and keys. She was apart of the Oswego High School choir and has been apart of many musical productions. In her undergrad, she was apart of Proclamation Gospel Choir, who toured across the Midwest. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Olivet Nazarene University and a Masters in Public Policy from DePaul University. She has spent years mentoring students of all ages and continues to bring a positive environment to School of Rock Plainfield.

Bunny Sobieski Studio Coordinator

Bunny is the new Studio Coordinator at School of Rock Plainfield. Her pronouns are she/her. Outside of school, Bunny is a multi-media artist, using acrylics, embroidery, and fabrics to create dreamy pop art, as well as a professional face painter. She grew up in Park Ridge before moving to Plainfield three years ago and is looking forward to meeting more members of her community through School of Rock.

Martin Farrell Rock 101 and Show Director, Bass Guitar and Guitar Teacher

Martin is a multi-instrumentalist who plays lead guitar, bass, sax, piano, vocals and percussion. A high-energy rocker with infectious enthusiasm, he is passionate about music and devotes his heart and soul to teaching kids to rock! Martin has 24 years of professional stage, recording and teaching experience.

Martin started his musical journey as a jazz saxophone player at 10 years old. An all-state saxophonist, Martin worked with elite directors gaining a solid foundation. Picking up the guitar at 16, he acted as lead guitarist in cover bands throughout High School.

After High School, Martin switched to bass and began his 24 year professional career as the primary songwriter and booking manager in the band Marble (https://youtu.be/TdVwoPxVld0). Marble recorded with Ministry producer Fluffy at Chicago Trax and became a staple at Cabaret Metro in the 90s. Marble was a heavy, grunge act notably headlining FreeFest in front of 10,000+ on Cricket Hill.

Martin then joined up with The Bennett Brothers Band, recording the timeless album Spy Boogie (https://youtu.be/VoMfRlSgHBE). BBB played many sold out shows, ultimately treating a huge crowd at Taste of Chicago. The Bennett Brothers Band was southern style rock and West Coast traditional blues.

Playing with the underground band Creepy D (https://youtu.be/fqKpFok6O5E), Martin entertained Mancow several times on national radio, appeared on the nationally syndicated Dave Attel show, and opened for Zwan at a sold out show at Cabaret Metro.

Martin also played lead guitar in the jam band Planet Gello as well as recording with various artists as a studio musician. Martin currently plays in the Chicago blues band: King Cake (bass and keys), Psychedelic Music Revue: Pearl - Janis Joplin Tribute (lead guitar and vocals), and Big Weekend - Classic Rock (lead guitar and vocals).

Colin Edmunds Adult Band and Show Director, Bass Guitar and Guitar Teacher

Colin Edmunds has been teaching guitar and bass at SOR Plainfield for over 5 years, working as a band director, resident audio tech/repair guy, and camp counselor. Drawing from a history of playing in punk and rock bands throughout high school and college years, as well as high school jazz combo, he covers a wide and diverse range of playing styles and genres. Having a passion for mad science, Colin can frequently be found tinkering with students’ guitars and teaching them how to maintain their equipment themselves. Colin also plays guitar in the sci-fi surf band Zerox.

Tim Daniels Show Director and Drum Teacher

Tim plays drums, bass, guitar, and piano. He learned how to play the drums at 8 years old, and has been performing live for over 20 years. His influences include Travis Barker, Joey Jordison, Dan Carle, Mike Portnoy, Ben Harclerode, and Justin Foley. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Therapy from Illinois State University, and has performed in ensembles such as the ISU Wind Symphony, Symphonic Orchestra, Big Red Marching Machine (drumline captain), and Pep Band (head drumset player).

He currently plays drums in the Chicagoland metal band Fools’ Brew and has opened for national acts such as Powerman 5000, (HED) pe, Adema, Korn, Butcher Babies, Soulfly, Kill Devil Hill (ex-Pantera’s Rex Brown and ex-Type O Negative’s Johnny Kelly), Kyng, December In Red, Bridge to Grace, Crobot, Upon A Burning Body, and Green Jelly. Tim has 9+ years of experience in working with children and adults with Special Needs, including Autism Spectrum Disorders and Emotional/Behavior Disorders.
Show Director, Bass Guitar, Guitar, Piano and Singing Teacher Nicolas Kemp-Bystrzycki

Nicolas Kemp-Bystrzycki Show Director, Bass Guitar, Guitar, Piano and Singing Teacher

Nicolas is a professional multi-instrumentalist from the Chicagoland area. Nick has a vast musical history stemming from his youth and continues to expand his musical knowledge every day. Nick has an associates degree in guitar performance, along with abundant experience in playing in living, and studio settings alike. Nick’s ultimate goal as a music educator is to allow his students to find their own musical voice, allowing them to express themselves without limitations.

Aaron Opon Show Director and Drum Teacher

Aaron has been playing drums and percussion for 20 years. He started out playing concert percussion in school, later moving into jazz bands. During this time, he performed in the IMEA All-District Jazz Ensemble, which consisted of top students from across Chicagoland. From there he changed direction and participated in Allegro Music’s Rock School program, which allowed him to play Taste of Chicago twice. He has also performed with Moraine Valley Community College’s percussion ensemble. This diverse education has instilled in Aaron the importance of exposure to many different types of music and playstyles. From jazz to rock to Latin to funk and beyond, he believes it is important not just to learn different styles, but to blend them together, taking pieces from each one to compliment another. He also believes in being a truly well-rounded musician, learning a little about each instrument to help understand its role in the band and how each one interacts with one another. Never limit yourself to just your own instrument! Lastly, Aaron’s drumming influences include Art Blakey, Stewart Copeland, John Densmore, Joe Morello, Topper Headon, Matt Cameron, Chad Smith, and of course Ringo Starr.

Ruth Foltz Singing Teacher

Ruth has always had a deep-rooted passion for music. She has been singing as long as she can remember, and has played piano since the age of 8. In school, she was involved in choir in multiple types of ensembles, from traditional to jazz to pop. Outside of school, she was the keyboardist and backup singer in her dad’s rock band, from the ages of 12 to 18. In college she studied music education at North Central College, and was the music director of competitive a cappella group Sonata Problem at NCC.

Currently, in addition to SoR, she works as a barista at Starbucks with her awesome River Square fam, and as an associate producer for the Chicago Harmony Sweepstakes Festival.
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Piano Teacher Kyle McMahan

Kyle McMahan Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Piano Teacher

Kyle is an energetic multi-instrumental musician that plays guitar, bass, and piano. Specializing in guitar, he has 8 years of playing experience that started as a student at School of Rock Naperville! Since graduating high school Kyle has worked in a variety positions in the music industry, both on-stage and behind the scenes. With experience playing live in his band, The Righteous & Few, as the lead guitarist, and producing artists as a songwriter and professional studio engineer, he has a wide range of skills to help develop his students! With a love for many genres like Rock, Metal, Punk, and Jazz, a student of Kyle's will have the option to pursue whatever genre they're interested in!
Singing Teacher Rielly Sanders

Rielly Sanders Singing Teacher

Rielly was born in a small town about an hour south of Chicago. Growing up in the heartland helped shaped her into the person that she is today. Rielly started performing at a young age. She loved entertaining all of her family members through song. One day her grandmother insisted that her parents would take her out of dance classes and enroll her in voice lessons. Little did they know that these lessons would shape the rest of their daughter's life.

She began taking vocal lessons from a local studio at age 7. This led to local performances at malls, talents shows, and county fairs. She even sang in an all-girls group called Sugar and Spice.

As she got older her passion for performing only grew stronger. Her parents knew they had to take the next steps. They started driving her up to Chicago once a week. Also, the talent competitions grew for locals across the state and the country. She also joined the Illinois Country music association where she performed with the regular all throughout her middle school years.

Once she entered high school she began exploring musical theater and quickly fell in love. You could always catch her singing the national anthem at high school football games. Then by the time she was seventeen she starting singing with any band she could.

After high school, there was not a doubt in her mind what she would study in college. She was excepted into Joliet Junior Colleges Music Program, then Illinois State University’s School of music. During her time in college, she had a variety of studies such as music technology, acting, classical music, Musicals, Opera, choir, and stage directing. Throughout college, she regularly perform with her Band Ryle’d Up throughout the Chicago land Area.

During her time in college, she began to pursue another passion of hers. This is teaching/coaching Vocal Students. She had about twenty students during this time and realized how much knowledge she had gained over the years could impact others.

After graduating from Illinois State University with a Bachelor’s degree in music her heart called her to Music City. She lived in Nashville Tennessee for five years. She worked as a freelance vocalist who performed from downtown Nashville to local favorite venues. In addition to that, she taught Voice, Vocal Ensemble, and Piano lessons at three different schools of music in the Nashville Area.

She currently resides in Morris Illinois. When she is not teaching at the School of Rock in Plainfield you can find her at the family farm. There she enjoys spending time with her ponies. Some of her other hobbies include cooking, pageant coaching, and spending time with her family.
Keyboard Teacher Amanda Szulc

Amanda Szulc Keyboard Teacher

Amanda Szulc has over 20 years of piano experience. She was trained in classical music at the age of 6 and ever since then, she has played all genres of music. She considers herself a music omnivore and loves and appreciates all styles of music. She also has over 10 years of child care experience and her passion for music knows no limits. She also teaches the Little Wings and Rookies. Besides playing piano, She writes her own poetry and writes album reviews for local artists. She is so thankful for this opportunity here at School of Rock Plainfield!
Drum Teacher Otto Gomora

Otto Gomora Drum Teacher

Otto has been playing drums since he was 8 years old. Once in middle school, he joined the school band and remained in the program throughout high school. During his high school years, he started a band with his friends which really ignited his interest in music. Playing with people, like in the band programs here, was what secured his love for music. His high school band evolved into one of his more successful projects called Love in the Dark. After high school, he gained much of his performance experience playing Jazz and R&B gigs with students from UIC. Currently, he has a residency in a Jazz band at Hotel Lincoln on the Northside of Chicago.
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher Mike Cerqua

Mike Cerqua Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher

Playing guitar and singing since 5, Mike is skilled in many instruments including bass, drums, audio, and sound engineering. Not just playing solo, Mike is a part of many projects not only as a member but also as a musician for hire. When he's not performing, he is teaching music/private lessons, working in many different settings including schools, theaters, summer camps ,and his family-owned music shop where he started teaching at 16. Working hard to keep his calendar full, Mike brings a very professional, technical, but fun and sarcastic atmosphere. For the last 4 years, Mike has been a music director at a summer camp out in Pennsylvania, and briefly worked at the Gibson guitar factory in Nashville where he was a repair technician fixing and painting guitars.

School of Rock is where music and learning come together

For over twenty years, our amazing instructors have transformed hundreds of thousands of students across the world into skilled musicians. Become a musician at School of Rock.

Reviews

We love this program.

I love how my daughter has grown in confidence. She shines! My daughter is an accomplished singer and can sing in front of an audience with confidence. The support and camaraderie has been such a positive influence on her life.

What a Great School!

This is a great program because it teaches not only a musical instrument but also confidence, team building and performance behaviors.

The staff are wonderful!

It's great for all students. Everything the staff do is for the kids.

So much energy and engagement!

I love the musical fundamentals taught as well as the energy and engagement that is brought to each class.

  1. Locations
  2. USA
  3. IL
  4. Plainfield
  5. School of Rock Plainfield