Fort Washington
School of Rock

Explore School of Rock

Fort Washington

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Map
School of Rock Fort Washington
425A Delaware Drive
Fort Washington, PA 19034
(215) 542-0503

Location Specifics

Just off the PA Turnpike next to Lifetme Fitness.

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Hours
  • Monday: 3 PM - 9 PM
  • Tuesday: 3 PM - 9 PM
  • Wednesday: 3 PM - 9 PM
  • Thursday: 3 PM - 9 PM
  • Friday: 3 PM - 7:30 PM
  • Saturday: Closed
  • Sunday: 11 AM - 5:30 PM

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

Programs we offer

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

Rock 101 is one of School of Rock Fort Washington'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 Fort Washington 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 Fort Washington are designed to get students on stage performing, with the goal of building strong musical proficiency. Younger students at School of Rock Fort Washington 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 Fort Washington
Performance
Ages 8-18

The Performance Program at School of Rock Fort Washington 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 Fort Washington Performance Program students take the stage and play at local Fort Washington 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 Fort Washington'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 Fort Washington music venue.

Rookies music program for children in Fort Washington
Rookies
Ages 6-7

At School of Rock Fort Washington, 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 Fort Washington, 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.

Little Wing music program for toddlers and preschoolers in Fort Washington
Little Wing
Ages 4-5

At School of Rock Fort Washington 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 Fort Washington, 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.

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 Fort Washington, 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 Fort Washington is designed to create musical proficiency through the creation of original music. Students at School of Rock Fort Washington 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 Fort Washington, 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 Fort Washington for students over 18
Adult Program
Ages 18+

School of Rock Fort Washington'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 Fort Washington 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 Fort Washington.

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 Fort Washington 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 Fort Washington.

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

The School of Rock Fort Washington 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 Fort Washington's House Band. Once selected, House Band members become leaders in their School of Rock community and perform live shows at PA 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 Fort Washington and the rest of PA. 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 Fort Washington

Kid learns to play guitar at School of Rock Fort Washington

Guitar Lessons for All Skill Levels

Beginner Guitar Lessons for Kids

At School of Rock Fort Washington, 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 Fort Washington is an experienced musician, and they emphasize foundational music theory and technique when teaching guitar lessons to kids. Unlike other Fort Washington 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 Fort Washington'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 Fort Washington, we teach beginner guitar lessons for adults in our Adult Program. This program gets students performing onstage at a local Fort Washington 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 Fort Washington 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 Fort Washington guitar teachers will work with each student to develop a custom learning plan.

Kids learn to drum at School of Rock Fort Washington

Drum Lessons for All Skill Levels

Beginner Drum Lessons for Kids

School of Rock Fort Washington 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 Fort Washington we combine private drum lessons for beginners with weekly band rehearsals—it prepares students to perform live. With years of experience teaching drums in Fort Washington, 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 Fort Washington, 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 Fort Washington. Unlike other Fort Washington 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 Fort Washington, our drum lessons are customized for each student and his or her goals. Our Fort Washington 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 Fort Washington

Singing Lessons for All Skill Levels

Beginner Singing Lessons for Kids

School of Rock Fort Washington 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 Fort Washington, 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 Fort Washington 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 Fort Washington, 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 Fort Washington.

Kid learns to play bass at School of Rock Fort Washington

Bass Lessons for All Skill Levels

Beginner Bass Lessons for Kids

School of Rock Fort Washington 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 Fort Washington 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 Fort Washington, 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 Fort Washington 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 Fort Washington, 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 Fort Washington

Keyboard Lessons for All Skill Levels

Beginner Keyboard Lessons for Kids

At School of Rock we teach differently than other music schools in Fort Washington. 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 Fort Washington, 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 Fort Washington 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 Fort Washington Adult Program puts beginner keyboard students in a band. Adult Program students in the Fort Washington 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 Fort Washington 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 Fort Washington, 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 Fort Washington, 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 Fort Washington’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.

Music Director, Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher Mike
Mike
Music Director, Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher
Mike is a multi-instrumentalist, session player, producer, recording engineer, and film composer. He currently plays keyboards in the Philly-based psychedelic rock band St. James & The Apostles.

He started playing piano at age 4 but didn't take music seriously until picking up guitar and bass at 9 years old. After taking guitar lessons for over a year at the original School of Rock, he also picked up the drums. After moving on to the music program at Archbishop Ryan High School, he rotated between instruments in different ensembles.

After high school, Mike ended up in the music program at Community College of Philadelphia, graduating with honors in 2010 with a double major in Music Theory and Sound Recording Technology. While there he sang as a tenor in the school choir and rotated between bass, drums, vibraphone, and percussion in the Jazz ensemble.

Soon after graduating, Mike formed St. James & The Apostles with his cousins, while also teaching one-on-one lessons on the side. The band has since released four albums and started their own recording studio, Green Rock Recorders, with the purpose of producing their own records, which soon blossomed into a fun side career as a sought-after production team. They were also awarded 2019's "Best Band" by Philadelphia Magazine.
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum TeacherMark
Mark
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher
Mark started early in his life with music. At age 6, he was playing drums along to all his favorite albums. As a teen, he taught himself guitar along with bass, mandolin, and piano. After years of touring as a multi-instrumentalist, Mark took the knowledge he gained and focused it on teaching all the tricks, secrets, and fundamentals of music he has picked up over the years.

Mark has been influenced by many different genres and bands. Ranging from the classics like Pink Floyd, Genesis, and Yes to the more obscure acts like Magma, This Heat, and Talk Talk. He has taken his love for all things experimental and put that into over 20 original albums written, produced, and recorded by himself.
Singing Teacher Laura
Laura
Vocal Teacher
Laura’s love for learning music started early when she spent time with her sister figuring out the different harmonies to Beatles tunes so they could perform “shows” for their parents. Growing up, Laura took classical music lessons training in singing Italian opera and playing the cello. Though she has a deep appreciation for the classics, it wasn’t until she picked up one of her dad's guitars that she began to experience the magic of learning to play songs that she felt truly connected to and the rewarding feeling of performing songs that speak to the soul. Laura enjoys a wide range of music, spanning from prog-rock to classic bluegrass. A few of Laura’s favorite artists are Pink Floyd, Jeff Beck, Neil Young, Stevie Wonder, Radiohead, Hot Tuna, and Esperanza Spalding.

Over the years, Laura has written many of her own songs and worked on various projects as a session vocalist and guitarist. She spent three years performing as a vocalist in a Pink Floyd cover band (Think Pink Floyd), where her experience as a performer truly developed. She is currently learning the ropes of music production and is expanding her knowledge of audio recording, mixing, and engineering.
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher Dakota
Dakota
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Dakota is a multi-instrumentalist and audio engineer from Plymouth Meeting, PA. His musical journey started at the age of 11 when he decided that he wanted to pick up guitar and drums. Video games such as Guitar Hero and Rockband really got him involved with music, but the plastic instruments were soon traded in for the real thing. Since then, Dakota has picked up other instruments such as bass, piano, and various smaller stringed instruments. Dakota currently holds a Bachelor of Science in Music Technology degree from Temple University, where he graduated in 2020. Dakota was trained in audio engineering, composition, conducting, and music theory. As a producer, his influences span a wide variety of genres and styles so that he can constantly take in new information and approaches to the craft. His primary influences include Tame Impala, Mac DeMarco, Dream Theater, Flume, Queen, John Mayer, and many others. He has performed and composed in various styles of music including rock, metal, R&B, funk, and psychedelia. Dakota has been a part of many different bands and projects over the years, but in June of 2019 he decided to take matters into his own hands and go solo. He has been releasing music independently since then, taking full control of the creative process. Dakota is excited for his future at the Fort Washington School of Rock, and looks forward to helping musicians blossom into their full potential.
Drum Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher Sammy
Sammy
Drum Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Sammy is a multi-instrumentalist, producer, and songwriter from Lake Charles, LA. His musical journey began at the age of 8 when he received his first drum set for Christmas and started taking lessons soon after. While listening to many artists including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, and Rush, he had the desire to be like those artists and perform on stage. After watching the Foo Fighters documentary, Back and Forth, he was inspired by Dave Grohl to start playing other instruments and taught himself to play guitar and bass. Throughout his middle school and high school years he participated in his local after school music program, Young Band Nation run by SWLA Studios, and had the opportunity to play shows in his local scene including landing a spot at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. When he turned 18 he moved to Boston, MA, where he was enrolled at Berklee College of Music under scholarship and graduated in Spring 2022 with a bachelor's degree in Professional Music with concentrations in Music In Special Education and Recording and Production for Musicians. Sammy has played around the Boston area with many bands and has toured across the northeast with emo-punk band, Villain of the War, as well as his own solo project, Chair Umpire. He now resides in Philadelphia, PA, still playing as well as helping put on DIY shows in the Philly scene. He also enjoys his time in the recording studio whether it’s playing or recording someone else. Sammy’s main goal in teaching is to show his true passion and love for music and how to have fun, especially seeing kids have that same passion that he had when he was young.
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher Dylan
Dylan
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Dylan is a multi-instrumental musician and producer in the Philadelphia area. Having begun his musical journey at 8, Dylan maintained singing and playing guitar on stage throughout his childhood. He was heavily influenced by many artists including AC/DC, Sublime, Avenged Sevenfold, Queen, CSNY, Good Charlotte, the Doobie Brothers, Dream Theatre, Tom Petty, Paul Gilbert, Linkin Park, 50 Cent, Johnny Cash, and Bob Marley. He has played in various musical projects from rap, rock, reggae, country, metal, and bluegrass while expanding his instrumentation into drums, piano, bass, banjo, mandolin, and dobro.

Dylan's band, Hepner’s Rebellion, has performed at local venues and private events in the Philadelphia area since 2013. Dylan also operates a recording studio called Madhouse Records out of Delaware County, where he hosts jam sessions, open mics, rehearsals, and private lessons.

Dylan has a deep passion for all things musical and enjoys creating an environment for everyone to find harmony. He encourages each student to challenge themselves with an open ear and a positive attitude.
Guitar Teacher Stephen
Stephen
Guitar Teacher
Stephen operates at the crossroads of creativity and education. Currently, he collaborates with many different musicians, writers, producers, and engineers of all styles of music. His versatile career spans roles as a live performer with bands like Beth Arnold Gilbert and Neisha Grace, a creative producer shaping the sounds of emerging talents, and a crafty engineer as well as a member of the Philadelphia Folk Fest Production staff. Beyond his impressive studio work, Stephen's musical footprint resonates on the airwaves, on streaming platforms, in commercials, and even on the theatrical stage. He has even contributed to reference tracks for well-known artists and graced the Red Carpet at the 57th Grammy Awards.

Complementing his creative career, Stephen brings 18 years of dedication to music education. With an associate's degree in Music from Montgomery County Community College and mentorship from various experts like Allen Krantz (Temple Univ.) in classical guitar and Ben O'Neill (U of Arts) in jazz guitar, Stephen offers a wealth of knowledge. His commitment to continuous growth, love for diverse musical styles, and vibrant teaching style make him an ideal mentor for students of all ages, embodying the perfect harmony between musical passion and pedagogical excellence.
Bass Guitar Teacher Forrest
Forrest
Bass Guitar Teacher
Music runs in Forrest’s veins. Since before he could walk he was listening to Teddy Pendergrast, Earth, Wind & Fire, Tower of Power, Patsy Cline, Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, and Frank Sinatra. Forrest began his formal music education at the age of 6 with the violin (following the Suzuki method) which then turned to trumpet, and then the French horn until he finally found his voice in the upright/electric bass.

Playing the bass has taken Forrest down a journey of performing in orchestras, bands, and various musical groups, recording for studio musicians, writing his own music, and teaching others the powerhouse that the bass can be. Being classically trained by Philadelphia Orchestra’s very own Robert Kesselman, Forrest has been given the tools to perform in all musical settings and genres. He is happiest playing with his friends and colleagues and being the backbone of any group he finds himself in. He is excited to share his love of music with his students and provide them with the tools to find their own unique voice through music.
Drum Teacher Bill
Bill
Drum Teacher
In the rhythmic tapestry of Bill's life, the beat began at the age of 6 with an unlikely inspiration: the uncontrollable Animal from the Muppet Show pounding away on the drums. From that moment, a passion
for percussion was ignited in Bill.

Bill embraced the world of music during his formative years in grade school. The allure of the drums beckoned, and Bill found a home in both the concert band and marching band, where the precision and power of percussion became second nature.

During high school and college, Bill honed his skills in local bands. The journey through local music scenes exposed him to diverse genres, fostering a versatile and dynamic musical style. The desire to create
original music led Bill and his bandmates to the studio, where they passionately recorded several original DIY EPs.

Bill’s primary influences are Foo Fighters, Fleetwood Mac, Soundgarden, Faith No More, and Tool.

Beyond the beats and rhythms, Bill remains a dedicated and humble artist, always seeking new ways to evolve and innovate within the realm of music. He currently plays in a local cover band, The Eighty
Six, and enjoys writing original music, and recording and editing his movie podcast. With each performance, Bill not only showcases proficiency but also an unwavering love for the art form that first captured his heart with the wild drumming antics of Animal.

From grade school percussionist to the local music scene, Bill’s journey is a testament to the power of passion, dedication, and the transformative magic of music.
Drum Teacher Max
Max
Drum Teacher
Max is a Philadelphia-based drummer with over ten years of experience. Originally from Montgomery County, Max’s musical origins include attending summer camps at School of Rock Fort Washington. He graduated from the University of the Arts with a degree in jazz drum set performance. In addition to his jazz training, Max spent much of his time at UArts studying traditional Afro-Caribbean percussion and playing in the salsa ensemble.

Max is very active in Philadelphia’s indie music community, having performed and recorded with a long list of local rock/pop/folk projects including Vague Positivity, Maax Power, Black Opal, Silas Spooner, and many others. More recently, he has started performing free jazz and improvised avant-garde music as a soloist and in groups. Max draws from an eclectic mix of influences and inspirations, with some of his drumming idols being Glenn Kotche, Brian Chippendale, Milford Graves, and Max Roach.

Max is excited to be back at School of Rock as a teacher and hopes to guide his students into becoming lifelong musicians and music lovers.
Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher Dan
Dan
Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Dan is a multi-instrumentalist, audio engineer, and game composer born in Philadelphia, PA, and based in Boston, MA. He plays Chapman stick, electric guitar, bass guitar, keyboard, tenor saxophone, and drums.

Music has been a part of Dan's life since he was 4 years old. He was constantly switching between instruments, including piano, trombone, drums, and saxophone, before finding the bass guitar at age 15. From there, he became a student at School of Rock Fort Washington. In his four-year tenure as a student, he performed in 27 different shows and was selected to the AllStars program before graduating.

Dan now studies at Berklee College of Music with a dual major in Contemporary Writing & Production and Game & Interactive Media Scoring. In addition to teaching at School of Rock, he writes and engineers music for video games and performs with multiple bands in the Philadelphia and Boston areas.
Guitar Teacher Tyler
Tyler
Guitar Teacher
Tyler is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and producer. He first picked up the guitar at the age of 9 and played in many bands throughout high school. Tyler is now a student at Berklee College of Music, studying contemporary writing and production.

Tyler has written, produced, and released many albums with several different bands in various styles. He has many different influences ranging from bands such as Meshuggah, Loathe, and Sleep Token, to Genesis, Porcupine Tree, and Quadeca, as well as many other artists.
Drum Teacher Matthew
Matthew
Drum Teacher
Matthew is a drummer and drum teacher from Philadelphia who is passionate about music for many reasons. Matt was inspired by his dad's wedding band who would practice on week nights in the living room. He is primarily a self-taught drummer involved in multiple music projects with experience playing live music.

Matt's musical inspirations include some of the rock and pop legends from the 1960s-1970s, and contemporary pop culture. He intends to create a safe, fun, learning environment for students and aspiring artists.
Studio Coordinator Emily
Emily
Studio Coordinator
Emily studied English and participated in the color guard with the marching band at West Chester University. She loves to spend her spare time reading and writing. She is a huge fan of Taylor Swift, Bon Jovi, Carole King, Metallica, and ABBA.
School of Rock is where music and learning come together

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Reviews

I cannot say enough about School of Rock.

Our son has been there almost two years and has thrived both musically and socially. He has had such amazing opportunities to play at such a wide range of venues! Everyone is so supportive of each other and the culture is positive and uplifting!

One of the best decisions we've made.

I like the community there and how everyone, regardless of anything fits in. The kids enjoy it, and they love everyone there.

You are transforming my child!

She doesn't hope for the 'I can' anymore- she KNOWS she can now. Our daughter is learning how to come out of herself, take risks, close her eyes and just fly. We are so grateful. More than you can ever know.

Couldn't imagine life without it!

School of Rock has been my constant since I was 10 and it continues to be my rock to this day.

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