Rock Academy inspires budding young musicians
By Charles Christian
Teens with dreams of being in a rock band can jam together at the Rock Academy at Lanham Music in St. Joseph.
Instructor Tom Keller is a Lanham employee and longtime musician. He said that the idea of a weekly academy sprang from the success of the summer School of Rock program, which Lanham has offered for about a decade.
“We’ve had such a great pull from the community in the last 10 years,” Keller said. “Students we talked with wanted to make music throughout the school year, so we started the Rock Academy.”
Each Saturday at 1 and 3 p.m., young musicians gather to learn more about their instruments of choice, including vocals, and expand their skills as rock musicians. This includes learning both the classics and contemporary rock tunes.
“I don’t really pick the music as much as they do,” Keller said. “I sometimes give them some suggestions to start off with, but they pick their own path and style they want to do.”
For the young musicians, it’s more than just a jam session. The students learn how to care for their instruments, play in tune together and the importance of blending with others in the band. For some, like junior high student Tianna Trigg, it is the first opportunity they have to connect with others who have similar musical interests.
“I’ve never been able to play with other people,” Trigg said. “I just kinda sat on my couch and messed around. So, now I’ve got people to play with and people to assist me in doing that.”
Some of the young musicians have been playing for only a few months, while others have grown up around music and instruments. Regardless of skill level and expertise, the Rock Academy gives budding musicians a rare opportunity to hone their skills in an environment that encourages them to explore.
Classes run throughout each semester of the school year and groups give a public concert with a set list of their best songs. The current class will perform in April, shortly before the end of the school year, at a venue to be determined.
For more information about the Rock Academy, as well as the School of Rock program offered in the summer, go to www.lanhammusic.com.
