Franchise News

School of Rock Scholar Program to provide free music education for underserved communities

School of Rock, the leader in performance-based music education, announced today the launch of the School of Rock Scholar Program in partnership with the National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM). The program will provide access to School of Rock's performance-based music education program, live events, exhibits, and other opportunities for qualifying students in underserved communities at no cost. Applications will be open from Oct. 1 through Dec. 1, with accepted students beginning the music program in January 2023.

The Scholar Program is valued at $1,500 per season, covering 1-on-1 lessons in guitar, bass, drums, keyboards or vocals and group performance programs at participating School of Rock locations. Access to instruments and practice space will be provided to Scholar Program students. Students will also have access to exclusive experiences at NMAAM, including live events, exhibits and other opportunities.

"School of Rock is proud to partner with the National Museum of African American Music to provide students of all backgrounds and economic circumstances an opportunity to learn music," said Rob Price, CEO of School of Rock. "We're passionate about enriching lives through music education and this partnership with NMAAM offers even more children in our communities that experience. The School of Rock Scholar Program is an additional step towards greater diversity in our schools, and we can't wait to see how more lives are transformed through the power of music."

Family financial status is taken into consideration with preference given to students who are Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), or have disabilities. Other factors in consideration include ability, passion, and musical potential. Students must be between the ages of 9-13 and newly enrolling at the time of applying. Applicants must be able to participate in both weekly 1-on-1 lessons and group performance program rehearsals at the time of enrollment.

"I am thrilled for this partnership with School of Rock," said Tamar Smithers, Senior Director of Education at the National Museum of African American Music. "It will allow us to collectively impact and transform the lives of underserved and underrepresented students across the country, while also creating more diverse and equitable learning opportunities for current School of Rock staff, students, and families."

In October, students in the areas of Nashville, Tennessee, Red Bank, New Jersey, Watertown, Massachusetts, and Chicago, Illinois can submit an application for the School of Rock Scholar Program. A parent or guardian and student must complete the application, which includes questions about federal benefits and yearly household income and requires a written statement from the student. While the Scholar Program will initially debut in the foregoing cities, it will soon be rolled out to the rest of School of Rock's extensive network of school locations.

School of Rock provides students of all ages an exciting and engaging music education experience, which includes bass lessons, guitar lessons, singing lessons, drum lessons, and piano lessons. Drawing from all styles of rock and roll, School of Rock students learn theory and techniques via songs from legendary artists such as Aretha Franklin, Lenny Kravitz, and Led Zeppelin. Thanks to the school's performance-based approach, students around the world have gained superior musical proficiency, with some moving on to record deals and larger platforms such as American Idol, The Voice and Broadway.

School of Rock helps aspiring musicians master skills, unleash creativity, and develop tools they need to thrive in life. Founded as a single school in Philadelphia, Pa., in 1998, School of Rock has become a rapidly growing international franchise with over 500 schools open and in development across 15 global markets. Since 2009, School of Rock has grown its student count from 4,000 to 55,000. School of Rock offers a wide variety of music lessons, including guitar lessons, singing lessons and piano lessons. The company also sells musical instruments and music gear through its GearSelect program. School of Rock was awarded US Patent 10,891,872 in 2021 for its innovative music education method. School of Rock also has garnered the following industry awards: 2022 and 2021 Global Franchise's Awards Best Children's Service and Education Franchise; 2022 Entrepreneur Magazine's Franchise 500 Top Children's Music Enrichment Brand; 2021 Franchise Innovation Award for Most Innovative Use of Customer-Facing Digital Tools; Franchise Business Review's 2021 Top 200 Franchises and Culture 100 list; 2020 Entrepreneur Magazine's Top 200 Franchise and the #1 Child Enrichment Franchise; and 2018 Forbes # 2 Best Franchise Medium-Level Investment Award and the #1 Music Franchise in America.

Follow School of Rock on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SchoolofRockUSA and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/SchoolofRockUSA.

For more information on School of Rock visit www.SchoolofRock.com or call 866-695-5515. To learn more about School of Rock franchise opportunities head to http://franchising.schoolofrock.com/

The National Museum of African American Music is the only museum in the world dedicated solely to preserving African American music traditions and celebrating the central role African Americans have played in shaping American music. Based in Nashville, Tenn., the museum shares the story of the American soundtrack by integrating history and interactive technology to honor the musical heroes of African American music of the past and the present.

For more information, please visit www.blackmusicmuseum.org. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter and see all our latest videos on YouTube.