Move over, Jack Black – there's a new School of Rock in session.
A Springbank high-school teacher is encouraging his students to unleash their inner rock star through his very own school of rock, allowing students to try their hand at playing their favourite rock’n’roll-inspired instrument, learn the ins-and-outs of band membership, and even perform in front of a live audience.
According to Colin Chrabaszcz, music educator at Springbank Community High School (SCHS), the concept for the rock band class evolved over several years, with it beginning as a guitar class for students who were interested in playing electric and acoustic guitar.
He said the class was popular among guitar aficionados, but added it felt limited with only one instrument on offer. He then decided to open it up to vocalists, drummers, and bassists to join the ranks.
“You can only do so much when you only have a single instrument,” he said, adding talented guitarists were starving for a more fulsome experience. “You can’t do anything more unless you have a full band.”
He said he started experimenting with various class concepts and inquired among the SCHS student body to determine if there were students who played other rock instruments.
With growing demand, the idea soon came to life.
“We just started putting together groups where they performed covers of songs,” he said. “From that, I realized there was a need and a desire for students to take the instruments they are already pretty proficient in, in terms of rock, and turn it into a band.”
Chrabaszcz added teens aspiring to a life of musicianship oftentimes find forming and organizing a band to be a challenge, and so he sought to teach his students proper band etiquette, such as how to arrange gigs, set up equipment, and more.
“I have converted this straight guitar class to a rock band class where I help them know the ins and outs of what it means to be in a band and how to put together music with other musicians,” he said.
He said over the last couple of years, talented students have helped to develop the class into what it is today.
“This year, we have some amazing music happening where we’re workshop-ing together,” he said. “And then we were able to perform in front of the school and I think that really showcased the great work and the great music that we’re able to do in the [class].”
He added the idea for the class and concept exploration came about prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and an official class was formed in 2020 when classes were cancelled due to increasing public health restrictions.
“We were just about to do our first debut of some wicked music and that’s when the first shutdown happened,” he said. “There was this really huge letdown where we had the ball going, we had something really amazing happening and things got shut down.
“When that happened, I was terrified because it was just something new that was starting to blossom.”
Chrabaszcz said he was concerned that the work the students had done over the last couple years to develop the class would be lost during the lockdowns. He said he feared it might take additional time to get the concept going again once in-person classes resumed.
Fortunately, his fears were never realized and upon returning to school, the rock band students picked up right where they had left off.
“This was the first year we had a normal school year and I just happened to get the right people in the right place at the same time, and we’ve been rocking ever since,” he said.
He added the students practice and perform a wide variety of music, from current pop songs, lyrical numbers, and rock ballads, to twangy country tunes.
“When I have students come into the class, everyone wants to play their own kind of music, but as a band, you have to understand everyone has their own passion for different genres,” he said. “So, what I do is I ask every single student, ‘What is one song you absolutely want to play in this class?’
“I ensure that everyone gets their pick and we have this agreement within the space that I’m going to play your song because I know you’re going to play my song.”
Following a school year chocked full of practice and preparation, the rock band class finally had their chance in the spotlight, performing a series of upbeat songs last month at the school’s dodgeball tournament.
SCHS Rock Band (yes that's a class you can take!) students performing #TheTrooper by @IronMaiden during the intermission of our #SCHSDodgeballFinal pic.twitter.com/PeVORrGqlO
— SCHSrvs (@SCHSrvs) April 16, 2022
More from the #SCHSRockBand performing #TheTrooper by @IronMaiden at our #SCHSDodgeballFinal pic.twitter.com/ZQyCmDQSAU
— SCHSrvs (@SCHSrvs) April 16, 2022
According to Chrabaszcz, the rock students stole the show.
“We chose some of the songs we had going already that would fit well with the event, so we picked all our really high-energy tunes that were like crazy rock songs and solos that really get students hyped up,” he said.
“And it really did that – it got everyone roaring in that gym. It was a really cool event.”
The class can currently accommodate 10 students in grades 10 and 11, which according to Chrabaszcz, is an extremely small class size relative to other classes in the school.
“The music that we’re producing, nobody in the school even knew this was happening,” he said. “We performed [at the tournament] and they did such an amazing job.
“I think now that students in the school are seeing what is happening and what they could be a part of, I have a feeling that I’m going to see a lot more people trying to walk through those doors to get in on this.”
He added he is looking forward to finding the space and equipment to facilitate a large influx of students to the class next year.
“There’s an art studio for the art students. There’s a football team for the football students. There is the calculus class for the math students,” Chrabaszcz said. “I really think there just needs to be this class for the rock students.”
