Attending The Detroit School of Rock and Pop Music has helped me grow in so many ways. My first exposure to this program was through the summer camp program in the first few years this place was established. I was scared to death going into it, not knowing what to expect and not knowing anyone else who would be there, and also being amateur on my guitar, having little to no experience. It was life changing, and ended up being the most fun I’d ever had. Within just three weeks, my guitar skills improved so much, I gained a great deal of unknown confidence and I even started singing!

I then joined the early girls band, Define Loud, and started performing at the Hard Rock Cafe, the Roller Derby, festivals in Royal Oak, and so much more. The rehearsals were always the highlight of my week, and performances were so much fun. Not only did I love this place to death, but I made so many great friends and got to hang out with some of the coolest people I’d ever met every week. After that i was placed in the Super Band, where we performed on the news with Tommy Clufetos, Ozzy Osbourne’s drummer! The Detroit School of Rock and Pop Music really helped me come out of my shell and gain confidence.

A few years ago, I could have never gotten up on stage and performed. This establishment also helped me find myself as a person and allowed me to grow and improve in a non-judgemental, encouraging environment. This place provides so many great opportunities to perform and get yourself out there as a musician. It has exposed me to so many great people and great musicians. It is open-minded and supportive, and such a great place for both budding musicians and anyone who wants a safe, fun, and professional place to get together and make music.

Their motto, stop practicing, start performing really holds true for me and many others, and now I am a junior in high school and going off to major in music. This is something I probably would have never considered had it not been for the DSRP. I hope the legacy of this community lives on forever, and I know it has a positive effect on anyone who has ever attended a class, rehearsal, lesson and performance. Thank you, DSRP, for helping me find my true colors.

- Frankie L.

i was a part of the summer rocks 2011 camp and all i can say about it is…..it changed my life. i have never loved summer camps but this one is making me wish for summer when i haven’t even been in school for two full months.  i love detroit school of rock and pop because it was nothing like real school. i loved it at dsrp because i felt like it was a safe zone where i had a bunch of amazing friends that all loved the same thing i did…music. i loved being surrounded by people with the same passion that all were so amazing on their instruments. watching them play was so mind blowing, I can’t say anything negative.  i felt nervous going into camp because i was the youngest but when your at dsrp no one cares how old you are, they only care about having a good time playing music and honestly, thats the bet kind of school i know:). i had to send this email to thank jason and cherri and jimmy for giving me the best summer of my life i can’t wait for next year!!!!!!!!:)

  thanks for a magical summer!!!

 Claire:)

With a passion for music, but no knowledge of where to start, I met Jason from the Detroit School of Rock and Pop.  In a matter of a few sessions, Jason had assembled a team of adults with similar interests to make a band. Shortly, we were cranking out song after song from rock history and soon after found ourselves on stage playing for a packed house at Memphis Smoke.  This alone was an incredible experience I wouldn’t have found elsewhere.  However, I couldn’t get enough of the DSRP.  I soon began working with Jason and a team of engineers to write, produce, and record original material.  To see my own music and lyrics come to life in a full arrangement was mind blowing.  It was at that point that I was introduced to Carey Denha from Tangerine Moon Productions.  With a recommendation from Jason, I auditioned and was hired into the band “The X-Generation.”  Since then I have had the chance to “rock out” for fans every weekend.  Thank you Jason and the staff at the DSRP for everything you have done!

Tristan K.

Brian H.

Professor D.

English 1210

22 March 2011

The School that Rocks!

Many people may believe that it’s normal for preteens or teens to go through an “I want to be a rock star” phase.  For me, it started in the 9^th grade.  I had gone to a U2 concert, in Baltimore, Maryland.  From that moment on, I knew I wanted to be a singer and guitar player in a band.  I convinced some of my friends that we should start a band of our own.  One of my friends volunteered his aunt’s barn as an ideal place to practice since it was already equipped with an old set of drums.  It wasn’t long before the four of us were rockin’ and ready to roll!  We were really getting into it; we were starting to write our own songs.  We couldn’t wait to perform in front of an actual audience.  That’s when we hit it—our roadblock!  We did not know where to perform.  We did not know how to get an audience.  It was like we had hit a brick wall.  As we tried to figure out what to do about our predicament, my dad suddenly announced that we would be moving to Michigan.  My band mates realized that they were going to have to solve the problem on their own.  Meanwhile, I became more concerned with other issues such as how I was going to safely transport my instruments to Michigan and where I was going to play music once I got there.

By the summer of 2009, the move had been completed.  My family had relocated to Michigan, and so began my quest to find a suitable place to take music lessons and possibly join up with a band.  I took lessons from a couple of different places but could never figure out how to get hooked up with a band.  Fortunately, one day while I was riding in the car, I heard a radio ad for a family festival that was going to be held in the town of Royal Oak.  The commercial mentioned that the entertainment would be provided by the Detroit School of Rock and Pop (DSRP).  That name really spurred my interest.  I thought to myself, “What is this Detroit School of Rock and Pop?”   I can confidently say today, after having been with the school for a year now, that I can answer that question.  It is an awesome place to (as the DSRP motto states) “Stop practicing, start performing.”  The Detroit School of Rock and Pop is a music school that provides many unique hands-on learning opportunities for anyone (any age) who wishes to enhance his musical knowledge.

There are several things that make this school different from other typical schools that offer music lessons: live performance opportunities, awesome summer camps, special music classes, and opportunities to meet prominent professionals from the music industry.  DSRP offers a package deal that includes a weekly private lesson along with an opportunity to join a band of  peers.  The band practices for two hours each week and then performs approximately once a month.  The band plays cover songs and is given the opportunity to pick their own set-list (choose which songs they want to perform).  The owners of the school set up the performances for the students.  Some of the places where school bands have performed include the Hard Rock Café in Detroit, the Detroit Zoo, community festivals (such as the Royal Oak Clay and Glass Festival, the Farmington Founders Festival, and Arts, Beats, and Eats Festival in Royal Oak), charitable events (such as the St. Aloysius Soup Kitchen Outdoor Event), and parade performances (such as the Christmas parade in Royal Oak).  For students who wish to delve even deeper into their musical pursuits and desire more performance opportunities, the DSRP also offers an awesome summer camp program.

There are three sessions of camp offered in the summer.  Each session is three weeks long from 9:00 am. to 4:00 pm. daily.  Some kids even sign up for more than one session.  Each day the students spend time with a teacher practicing on their instrument of choice.  Music theory instruction, songwriting tips, and lessons on how to record are presented to students at various times throughout the day.  A couple of hours each day are dedicated to practice time in a band setting.  The student bands prepare for a final show, for family members, on the last day of camp and for a concert tour at the end of the summer.  During the three week session there are also occasional field trips to places such as a recording studio in the Detroit area and the Mo-Town Museum.  Then finally at the end of the summer students from all three of the sessions come together for the grand finale event—a road trip (concert tour)—which includes hands-on music education through sight-seeing events and performance opportunities.

Last year’s culminating tour involved a bus trip to Ohio.  The summer camp bands toured and performed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland and at Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky.  They even made time for a quick stop and performance at a mission church in downtown Cleveland.  There they performed for people recovering from substance abuse.  Plans are currently underway for this year’s summer camp concert tour.  Camp participants will be traveling to Ohio and Tennessee with performances in both states.  In Tennessee sight-seeing and concerts will occur in both Nashville and Memphis.  However, if a student wants even more than all of this, there are additional classes and musical opportunities available through the school.

Separate classes in songwriting and recording are offered at various times throughout the year.  These are usually about three months long, meeting once or twice a week.  At the end of each session there is generally an opportunity for students to showcase what they have learned in the form of some sort of performance opportunity.  DSRP also occasionally offers a program that they call “Access to Superstars”.  This means at various times throughout the year, they will provide opportunities for their students to meet with professionals in the music industry.  For instance, a couple of years ago students met with Ginger Reyes the bassist for the Smashing Pumpkins and Kris Pooley the musical director for Gwen Stefani.  Then in 2010 students got to meet the percussionist for Kid Rock’s live band when DSRP hosted “Access to Superstars” at the Ford Arts, Beats, and Eats Festival in Royal Oak.  Present also at this event were record label representatives and recording studio personnel who provided career tips and answered students’ questions.  Unique opportunities like these seem to abound at the Detroit School of Rock and Pop and are available to students of all ages and ability levels.

Since its inception three years ago, the Detroit School of Rock and Pop has progressed in its mission to provide aspiring musicians, both young and old, with ample performance opportunities.  This program is helping to revolutionize the way music is taught to students in the Detroit area.  They are committed to their motto: “Stop practicing, start performing”.  In the future, they are likely to continue their pursuit of providing outstanding hands–on musical learning opportunities for any interested student.  The commitment of the DSRP to motivate their students through an array of performance opportunities and unique learning experiences definitely makes it a popular school amongst its members.  The Detroit School of Rock and Pop really does “rock” in the eyes of its students and many spectators who have watched their outstanding performances.