1. How did School of Rock end up at Del Mar Plaza?
We spent months looking for the perfect location for a School of Rock in Del Mar. When we found the space at the Del Mar Plaza, we immediately knew this was going to be a perfect fit for our School of Rock families. The comfortable vibes in the plaza make for an inviting environment for everyone. Parents can drop off students for lessons and then go relax on the ocean deck and just enjoy the ocean breezes. Peak Del Mar lifestyle for our community!
2. Walk us through what a typical week looks like for a student here. How does it work beyond just showing up for a lesson?
Students typically come to the school two times a week, once for their 1-on-1 lesson with one of our specialized instructors and once for their weekly band practice. Both our Rock 101 and Performance Group bands assign students songs and parts based on their experience level and group theme in order to challenge their current skills and help build new ones. The students learn and practice their songs with their instructor in a weekly lesson where they get 1-on-1 attention to really nail their parts and practice them at home. Later that week, they come in for band practice and work on their songs with other students in a band format.
3. Your model is performance-based, which means kids actually get on stage. Where are they playing and what does that first show feel like for them?
School of Rock is all about getting students of all levels real experience on real stages. Our Rock 101 beginner bands perform every 2 to 3 months, both out on the Del Mar Plaza Ocean Deck and inside the school. Our Performance Program holds shows at a variety of different venues around San Diego County, including local establishments like Happy Does, The Roadies Brewing Co., The Holding Company, The Music Box and more. Our House Band kids take it even further; they regularly perform around San Diego at various community events like Go Skate Day and Encinitas Classic Car Night and even at some legendary venues outside of San Diego like The Whiskey A Go Go and The Roxy.
We really want that first performance to be a confidence building experience for new students. The goal is that they come away from the show excited to keep learning and feeling good about the work they’ve put in so far. “I did great up there! I can’t wait to get on stage again!”
4. You teach guitar, bass, drums, keys, and vocals. Is there one instrument that surprises people in terms of popularity?
I think every kid has some part of them that wants to be a drummer. Maybe it’s the physical feedback of moving your body and hitting something. Maybe it’s getting to really feel the groove of a song when you play with other students. Maybe drummers are just naturally the coolest. Whatever it is, it seems like every week we have multiple trial students of all ages trying out the drums.
5. A lot of parents are probably weighing this against traditional private lessons. What’s the pitch for why the band-based approach works differently?
Our performance-based approach really helps bring structure and tangible goals to a student’s musical journey. Unlike traditional lessons, students learn concepts, techniques, and songs, and then have a space with the band to actually execute the things they’re learning. The band commitment helps make sure that they’re putting in the work to keep up with their fellow students while also giving them the opportunity to enjoy the most fun part of the process from the get go. Playing music with other people is easily the most fun part of learning an instrument. Incorporating that immediately is way more exciting and helps get students both socially and musically engaged.
6. Do you have families that have been coming for years? What’s your favorite thing about your regulars and the community you’ve built here?
We’re very fortunate to have several families that have been a part of our community for a long time, some of them for 5 years even! The best part of what we do is seeing a student grow from a newbie holding a guitar for the first time, to a confident and capable shredder. There’s always a moment where it all clicks together and they “get it” so to speak. All of the sudden, music is something more than an activity or a hobby, it’s a way for a student to express and define themselves. Seeing that transition is the absolute best. It’s why we do what we do.
7. Have you gotten to know the other businesses at the Plaza? Any go-to spots you and the staff hit up between lessons, or any fun crossover moments with other tenants?
Several of our teachers are frequent Kini Coffee and Valley Farm Market visitors during lunch breaks or at Monarch after we close. We’ve gotten to know a few of the great people at each place. Personally, Camino Books has been my go-to spot. I love stopping by on my lunch break and seeing what new books they have in stock. We’ve been part of their “Where’s Waldo” event for the past two years and we recently collaborated on a set of School of Rock bookmarks as part of their San Diego Book Crawl event back in April.
8. The Plaza has live music on the deck during Seaside Sessions. Have any of your students played those, or is that something you’d want to do?
Our House Band has played twice actually! It’s a super fun party environment out on the deck and we typically put together a bouncy and danceable setlist to get the crowd moving. We’d love to play again!
9. Do you run anything special for the local Del Mar community? Any deals for Plaza regulars, family discounts, or open house events where people can come try it out?
We offer a neighbor discount for other Del Mar plaza businesses, along with military and educational worker discounts. We also offer 10% sibling discounts so brothers and sisters can also join in on the fun. We’re actually in the planning stages for an open house/halloween event happening in October, so keep an eye out for more information.
