What is the Bach to Rock Teaching Method?
With our unique curriculum, kids stay in music lessons longer
Traditional music lessons just aren’t that fun. The process that takes a learner from unskilled to competent really lets kids down. Take a child who’s already distracted and maybe not that into it in the first place, put him into a stodgy learning environment, and you’ve got a giant fail.
At Bach to Rock, we’ve come up with a unique approach to teaching music that engages kids from the very first moment and keeps them interested long after they would have given up on traditional lessons. On average, our kids take lessons for more than 70 weeks, which can cost several thousand dollars. This outpaces what we believe is the typical 20-24 weeks a child sticks with traditional lessons.
Some students stay with us for years, and parents typically spend $4,000 per year per student. This creates more revenue opportunities for our franchisees, and it also lets them do something they won’t necessarily get to do with a typical fast-food franchise: They can make a real difference in children’s lives.
“Every now and then, I will see a new picture that pops up on our website of kids who are really inspired by music, and that’s when I know we are doing something right,” says Aaron Schmidt, Director of Curriculum. “It’s really cool seeing those kids. I think that inspiration of seeing kids who want to learn music, having a good time doing it, really makes everything worthwhile.”
Some of our best advertising is our students’ Instagram and Facebook pages.
The innovative Bach to Rock approach is based on the belief that everyone learns faster if they get to play the music they love with their peers. It doesn’t matter whether it’s ZZ Top or Tchaikovsky or Jay-Z; it only matters that the child is really into it. Our teachers use age- and skill-appropriate musical arrangements drawn from our large library of songs so students can begin playing almost right away. We put our students into bands in their favorite genres and get them performing together in public venues. That makes them feel like stars. It makes learning fun.
Watch these seventh- and eighth-graders jam at a Battle of the Bands:
A music school franchise for all ages
At Bach to Rock, we don’t believe anyone is too young — or too old — to learn to play music. Our Rock n Roll early childhood program uses structured musical games and activities to expose children as young as 1 year to the fundamentals. Kids ages 3-5 learn about instruments, musical symbols and rhythms in our Rock City program. Our group piano class, Kids n Keys, is perfect for ages 5-7 to learn music fundamentals. By about age 7, kids are ready to pick out the instrument they want to learn and start taking individual and group lessons. We offer birthday parties and corporate events that cater to people of all ages, and our senior citizen programs help retirees play instruments they’ve always wanted to learn. We also have adult bands, often formed by parents who’ve seen their children succeed at Bach to Rock.
Our core enrollment, of course, is school-aged children. Children can actually learn everything they need to know to become professional musicians, although many simply gain a lifetime of enjoyment through a fulfilling hobby. We combine individual lessons with ensemble instruction and hold weekly jam sessions that lead to Battles of the Bands and recording in our in-house professional studios. We regularly schedule public concerts that instill confidence in our students and help them polish their performing skills. These activities foster teamwork, build self-esteem and motivate students.
It’s a far superior approach to traditional music instruction, and it’s one of the reasons our corporate and franchise locations have been so popular. Aaron now sees what was lacking in his own classical piano training growing up. He wonders what might have happened if Bach to Rock had been around when he was a kid.
“It made me think about where I would be as a musician if I had been given the opportunity to play in a band or to play music when I was little,” he says. “My upbringing was very classically trained. I learned to read music out of a book, and when I was done with that book, I went into the next book. It was very methodical in that sense. I never played with anybody. It was just something that I did by myself.
“We are very focused on a well-balanced music education from a curriculum standpoint because, ultimately, that music education is really what the parents are looking for,” Aaron says. “They obviously want their child to have fun and create a relationship with their teacher, but at the end of the day they need to be learning something. Unlike other music school franchises, Bach to Rock has an extensive curriculum. Our students learn the intricacies of music — from theory to how to read music.”
Find out more about Bach to Rock’s niche in the music instruction industry by clicking on the link below.
