Students at the new Bach to Rock in Herndon perform as part of the grand opening Saturday, Oct. 20. Photo Contributed
Herndon — Bach to Rock, a music school for students of all ages, has opened its newest location at Worldgate Centre in Herndon. The school features lessons for a variety of instruments, as well as recording facilities and the Beat Refinery, Bach to Rock’s instructional DJ school.
“It’s a chance for kids to pick up the instruments, and feel what it’s like to play a guitar or a drum set to see if it’s something they want to pursue,” said Amber Koenig, the assistant site director at the Herndon location. “From there, students will have the opportunity to take lessons one-on-one, as part of a group, they can use software that turns it into a game, and eventually become part of a band if they want.”
After students reach a certain level, they can join a band, which Bach to Rock staff will put together based on age, interest and ability. The newly formed band will meet each other and their band coach, and if they gel, they begin playing together.
“Our bands are pretty flexible, it’s not uncommon for members to switch instruments regularly, even during performances,” Koenig said.
The Herndon location hosted a grand opening open house Saturday, Oct. 20, inviting the public to come in and take a look at their facilities.
“I keep thinking, man, if I had something like this when I first picked up a guitar, maybe I could have played in more than a high school battle of the bands,” said Mark Schur of Herndon. “It was hard enough finding the one kid who wanted to pick up a bass or play drums. I think teaching kids to play as part of a group early will go a long way toward learning how to play the right way.”
The Beat Refinery has been one of Bach to Rock’s fastest growing programs, and Herndon features it’s second location in the Washington, D.C. area, after Bethesda, Md.
“DJing is growing very fast, people come in with interests from everything to Top 40 music to high-energy club music,” said Brian Sadiarin, otherwise known as DJ Geometrix, one of the creators of the
Beat Refinery. “We provide everything they need to learn, with a setup that would be something like $2,000 to $3,000 if you were to buy it.”
A standard DJ setup includes a laptop with software, a turntable or two, a mixer and speakers, making it quite an investment for those who are interested. The Beat Refinery features professional-grade
equipment and eight full setups.
“One of the best things is the turnaround time, students can come in, get familiar with the equipment,
and get out and gig pretty quick,” said Isaac DeLima, aka DJ I-Dee, an instructor.
More information on Bach to Rock can be found at www.b2rmusic.com.