Rock School bands ready to storm the stage

By Cindy Card Buchholz, Journal correspondent | Saturday, August 09, 2008

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Ryanna Nankovil of Rapid City wanted to form a band with her friend, Ashley Reyelts. Ryanna was going to play the guitar, and both would sing. But there was just one problem.

“Ashley’s mom wanted her to wait until she turned 10,” Ryanna said.

So the girls signed up for Rock School at Haggerty’s Musicworks, and the two 8-year-olds joined one of a dozen bands made up of other young musicians with the same dream.

Bands are formed by musical taste, ability level and age. The kids rehearse all summer in preparation for their own rock concert.

Any similarities between the movie “School of Rock” and Rapid City’s Rock School is no coincidence.

“I unashamedly imitated the movie,” musician and music instructor Scott Miller said.

Miller gives music lessons at Haggerty’s Musicworks in lesson rooms that are next door to other instructors and other students.

“I would ask the kids if they had anybody to jam with, and they said, ‘No. I don’t know anybody.’ So I thought these kids are within feet of each other, and they don’t know each other. There’s got to be a way to get them together,” he said. And after seeing “School of Rock,” he had his way.

This is Rock School’s fifth year, and it continues to grow. Miller said enrollment has grown from 18 or 20 the first year to 50 this year. It is becoming so popular that he said he has even had requests to start a Rock School for adults.

The 2008 Rock School will conclude with a two-night concert at 7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, Aug. 19 and 20, at the Elks Theatre. Admission each night is $5. The concert is sponsored by Haggerty’s Musicworks and Miller’s Fire Station Seven Recording Studio.

Students get to choose the name of their band as well the music they will play, with Miller’s guidance. Members of the group Band-Aid have chosen to play Pink Floyd’s “Brain Damage” and “Comfortably Numb” and Cream’s “Sunshine of your Love.” Even though these songs were considered classics before the young rockers were born, the kids were the ones who chose the selections.

Band-Aid consists of seven Rapid City boys ranging in age from 10 to 14. At a recent rehearsal, six of the boys prepared for their three-song set.

Twelve-year-old Josh Haisch plays the keyboards. This is Haisch’s first year playing in a band.

“I like it a lot,” he said. “Next year I plan on getting a keytar.” He said he has never held one before, “but it shouldn’t be that hard. I can play the accordion.”

Samuel Roth, 14, plays drums for the group as well as in band at Hill City High School. This, too, is his first year of Rock School, and he said he enjoys it.

Third-year Rock School musician Zachery Agena, 12, plays a red, white and blue electric guitar. He said he looks forward to rehearsals and playing with different people year to year. He said he is not nervous at all about playing in front of an audience. “It’s pretty cool,” he said.

Ten-year-old Samuel Garry has dual musical roles. He plays guitar and is the band’s vocalist. His new full-size guitar is nearly as big as he is, but as the lead vocalist, his stage presence surpasses his small size.

Thirteen-year-old Josh Kelly plays the bass. He has been taking lessons with Miller for two years, and is one of several students who perform in more than one band at Rock School. “It’s awesome,” he said.

Carter Nelson, 11, has played the electric guitar for three years, and this is his second year in Rock School. Band-Aid will be the third band to perform Wednesday, Aug. 20.

Miller is able to jump on the drums, perform vocals and pick up a guitar to demonstrate musical directions to his proteges. In addition to 17 years of experience as a music instructor, Miller once toured in a band for seven years as lead singer and bass player.

“I play all the instruments, and that gives me the ability to coach everybody,” he said.

He also teaches his students the all-important “big eyes” signal. He tells them to keep an eye on each other and to use the big eyes as nonverbal communication on stage.

“That is where I start getting them to pay attention to each other in the group.”

He said he coaches every practice, but at some point, the musicians have to take ownership to be able to perform on stage together.

“I just love watching these kids get the chance to perform in front of people. For some of them it’s the only chance they’re ever going to get,” he said. “It kind of blows you away when you go and see all these kids play. You just don’t forget it.”

For more information about Rock School, go to www.bhrockschool.com.

If you go

What: Rock School concerts

When: 7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, Aug. 19 and 20

Where: Elks Theatre.

Cost: Admission each night is $5.