Columbia
School of Rock

Explore School of Rock

Columbia

NOW ENROLLING FALL PROGRAMS!   CLICK HERE
Map
School of Rock Columbia
6935 Oakland Mills Road Suite N
Columbia, MD 21045
(410) 415-1970

Location Specifics

Our cross Street is Snowden River Pkwy.

Get Directions
Hours
  • Monday: 3 PM - 9 PM
  • Tuesday: 3 PM - 9 PM
  • Wednesday: 3 PM - 9 PM
  • Thursday: 3 PM - 9 PM
  • Friday: Closed
  • Saturday: 10 AM - 4 PM
  • Sunday: Closed

Music programs at School of Rock Columbia combine one-on-one lessons with group band practices

Expand your musical knowledge at School of Rock Columbia, which serves Columbia, Laurel, Ellicot City, and surrounding areas with quality music lessons taught by real, practicing musicians. While guitar and vocals are most popular at this school, students can learn everything from keyboard to piano, bass to drums, and much more so they can one day rock out like local legends All Time Low and Good Charlotte.

Programs we offer

Rock 101 music program in Columbia for kids and beginners
Rock 101
Ages 8-13

Rock 101 is one of School of Rock Columbia's top programs for kids and beginners. Students have one weekly group rehearsal where they learn to play classic rock songs that have been simplified for beginner musicians. Additionally, Rock 101 students in Columbia have a weekly private music lesson with an instructor who helps them learn the concepts and skills behind their performance songs.

What To Expect
  • 1 WEEKLY PRIVATE LESSON
  • 1 WEEKLY GROUP REHEARSAL

The Path to Take the Stage

Our music programs for kids in Columbia are designed to get students on stage performing, with the goal of building strong musical proficiency. Younger students at School of Rock Columbia who have participated in the Rookies program can move to our Rock 101 music program once they’re ready. Additionally, students (typically ages 8 to 13-years-old) can begin Rock 101 without any prior experience. The goal of this rock program is to quickly develop a basic competence on students’ chosen instruments before moving on to our famous Performance Program.

Performance music program for teens in Columbia
Performance
Ages 8-18

The Performance Program at School of Rock Columbia is our hallmark music program, where tens of thousands of students enroll each year. It consists of a weekly group rehearsal where kids and teens learn by playing rock music's most iconic songs with a band composed of their peers. Students are assigned songs and parts that are tailored to them based on their age, experience and ability to learn new skills and concepts. Students then work through their parts in weekly private music lessons, refining the skills and concepts that those songs introduce. The goal of this curriculum is to prepare kids and teens for live performances. Every few months, School of Rock Columbia Performance Program students take the stage and play at local Columbia music venues in front of a live audience.

What To Expect
  • 1 WEEKLY PRIVATE LESSON
  • 1 WEEKLY GROUP REHEARSAL

The Path to Take the Stage

School of Rock Columbia's music programs for kids and teens are designed to inspire by getting students on stage and performing. All of our other music education programs focus on readying students for our famous Performance Program. This is where students develop incredible musical skills. Performance Program students have often gone through our Rock 101 program first or have some previous basic music experience. These young musicians will have custom development plans outlined by their instructors with key concepts reinforced during private lessons and group rehearsals, all with the goal of performing live at a Columbia music venue.

Rookies music program for children in Columbia
Rookies
Ages 6-7

At School of Rock Columbia, our music program for children with no previous musical experience (typically ages 6 to 7-years-old) is called Rookies. Rookies students have one weekly group music lesson where they learn fundamentals like chords, rhythm and song structure. Kids get to learn and experiment with multiple instruments so they can later decide which one they ultimately want to continue pursuing in Rock 101.

What To Expect
  • 1 WEEKLY GROUP LESSON
  • USE OF SIMPLIFIED ROCK INSTRUMENTS TO TEACH KIDS TO PLAY MUSIC

The Path to Take the Stage

All of our music programs are designed to inspire students to learn and develop a strong musical proficiency. At School of Rock Columbia, younger students who are not ready for a more comprehensive program like Rock 101 can start in Rookies. Additionally, students who have completed the Little Wing program will progress into the Rookies music program. No prior musical experience is needed for Rookies. Once your child is ready for private music lessons (typically older than first or second graders), they will graduate into our Rock 101 program.

Songwriting
Age 12 and over

Our Songwriting program for kids and teens teaches the fundamentals of songwriting, arrangement and music theory, and helps students compose original works.  At School of Rock Columbia, songwriting students receive one weekly private lesson where they learn concepts, technique and theory on an instrument of their choice. These principles are then applied in a weekly group lesson where students work together on songwriting exercises and lyrical workshops.  Every few months, Songwriting students take the stage to perform or band together to record their original songs.

What to Expect
  • 1 weekly private lesson
  • 1 weekly group lesson

The Path to Take the Stage

Our Songwriting program for kids and teens in Columbia is designed to create musical proficiency through the creation of original music. Students at School of Rock Columbia who have completed our Rock 101 program can move to our Songwriting program once they’re ready. Additionally, new students who have prior experience with and basic knowledge of an instrument can also begin Songwriting. The program culminates with a live showcase where students perform their original compositions in bands at a local music venue. Students taking the Songwriting Program online will remotely record their original songs to produce a demo of the class's music.

Adult music program in Columbia for students over 18
Adult Program
Ages 18+

School of Rock Columbia's Adult Program is for students over 18 years old who are looking to either improve their musical proficiency or pick up an instrument with no prior musical experience. As with most School of Rock music programs, the Adult Program uses a performance-based music education approach. This means the curriculum focuses on learning music concepts and applying them in a live performance setting. Our Adult Music Program includes one weekly private music lesson and a weekly group rehearsal. Every student at School of Rock Columbia is placed in a band of fellow adults and then assigned specific songs as a way of learning key music concepts and skills. Adult students then take the stage to play at a live show in Columbia.

What To Expect
  • 1 WEEKLY PRIVATE LESSON
  • 1 WEEKLY GROUP REHEARSAL

The Path to Take the Stage

All of our music programs are designed to inspire by getting students on stage and performing, with the goal of building strong musical proficiency along the way. The School of Rock Columbia Adult Program is open to all experience levels and each student will follow a customized learning plan developed by their instructor. Adult students will work together during rehearsal to prepare for a live performance at a real rock venue in Columbia.

House Band program for gigging at local venues in Columbia
House Band
Age 17 and Under

The School of Rock Columbia House Band music program gives students under 18 the opportunity to join a gigging band composed of fellow musicians from their school. These students perform additional live shows throughout the year. All students in the Performance Program have the opportunity to audition for a spot in School of Rock Columbia's House Band. Once selected, House Band members become leaders in their School of Rock community and perform live shows at MD rock venues throughout the year.

What To Expect
  • A GIGGING MUSICIAN'S EXPERIENCE
  • FREQUENT LIVE PERFORMANCES IN COMMUNITY

The Path to Take the Stage

Performance is the core of School of Rock's educational approach. Therefore, we create additional opportunities for students to perform on stages throughout Columbia and the rest of MD. The House Band music program allows each school's most talented students the opportunity to join a band and play routinely in front of live audiences. Once a member, students will gain real music experience associated with gigging musicians and will become leaders and mentors inside the School of Rock community.

The AllStars national tour features the best child and teen musicians
AllStars
Age 17 and Under

The School of Rock AllStars Tour takes the very best students from around the world and sends them on a nationwide summer tour across the United States. Less than 1% of School of Rock students are selected each year to represent School of Rock as an AllStar. All Performance Program students are eligible to audition for this prestigious program. The intensive audition process starts off with video submissions followed by live auditions. Once selected, AllStar students will have an authentic touring experience including traveling on a tour bus, doing tour publicity and starring in nightly performances at famous venues and festivals during a two-week tour.

What To Expect
  • A MULTI-CITY, COUNTRY-WIDE MUSIC TOUR EXPERIENCE
  • PERFORMING ON SOME OF THE BIGGEST AND MOST FAMOUS STAGES IN THE WORLD

The Path to Take the Stage

Becoming an AllStar is the highest level of achievement for a School of Rock student. They play on legendary stages large and small, including The Knitting Factory, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, The Troubadour and Lollapalooza. AllStar students often go on to have accomplished careers in the music industry. Former AllStars have gone on to become touring artists, star in Broadway musicals, get signed to record deals, become finalists on talent competitions like "The Voice" and "American Idol" and have other notable roles in the music industry.

Music Lessons in Columbia

Kid learns to play guitar at School of Rock Columbia

Guitar Lessons for All Skill Levels

Beginner Guitar Lessons for Kids

At School of Rock Columbia, we offer beginner guitar lessons for kids. Our expert guitar instructors guide your child from start to finish with private instruction and weekly group band rehearsals. Every instructor at School of Rock Columbia is an experienced musician, and they emphasize foundational music theory and technique when teaching guitar lessons to kids. Unlike other Columbia guitar lessons and programs, School of Rock is designed to get students performing in a band.

Beginner Guitar Lessons for Adults

It’s never too late to learn to play the guitar. Similar to our kids guitar lessons, School of Rock Columbia's beginner guitar lessons for adults utilizes a performance-based curriculum. Our experienced instructors teach adult students through popular rock songs, and teach students to play guitar in a way that’s challenging and fun. We believe the best way to learn is by doing, which is why we combine weekly private guitar lessons with group band rehearsals. At School of Rock Columbia, we teach beginner guitar lessons for adults in our Adult Program. This program gets students performing onstage at a local Columbia venue.

Key Concepts
  • Technique
  • Solos
  • Chords
  • Theory

Intermediate to Advanced Guitar Lessons

As students gain skills and experience, we move them along to more challenging programs at higher skill levels. Intermediate and advanced students take the skills they learned in beginner guitar lessons, and layer on more difficult techniques and concepts. School of Rock Columbia offers advanced guitar lessons for kids and adults that teach by playing challenging classic rock songs and emphasize playing the guitar in a real music venue. Our Columbia guitar teachers will work with each student to develop a custom learning plan.

Kids learn to drum at School of Rock Columbia

Drum Lessons for All Skill Levels

Beginner Drum Lessons for Kids

School of Rock Columbia is the best option for anyone looking to learn the drums. Our beginner drum lessons get kids behind the drum kit and on their way to taking the stage. That’s why at School of Rock Columbia we combine private drum lessons for beginners with weekly band rehearsals—it prepares students to perform live. With years of experience teaching drums in Columbia, our drum instructors teach beginner drum students core techniques, including how to groove, play rudiments and more.

Beginner Drum Lessons for Adults

Our drum lessons for adults are designed to accommodate all skill levels. At School of Rock Columbia, our beginner drum lessons for adults are built for musicians with little to no experience. We teach adults using the same core performance-based education philosophy as our drum lessons for kids—performing with a band accelerates the learning process. Adult students will perform live at a venue in Columbia. Unlike other Columbia drum lessons for beginners, School of Rock combines private drum lessons with weekly band rehearsals so students are ready to play in front of real, live audiences.

Key Concepts
  • RUDIMENTS
  • TIME SIGNATURES
  • TECHNIQUE
  • GROOVE

Intermediate to Advanced Drum Lessons

More experienced to advanced drum students need a drum lesson curriculum that builds upon foundational skills and continues to grow musical proficiency. That’s why at School of Rock Columbia, our drum lessons are customized for each student and his or her goals. Our Columbia drum instructors integrate more complex techniques and concepts—intermediary grooves, shifts, meters and more—into a student's individual lessons and group band rehearsal, and will also select more difficult songs for his or her live performances.

 

Kid learns to sing at School of Rock Columbia

Singing Lessons for All Skill Levels

Beginner Singing Lessons for Kids

School of Rock Columbia offers beginner singing lessons for kids. Our unique, performance-based approach develops students' musical proficiency by preparing them to perform live. At School of Rock Columbia, our vocal coaches are practicing musicians who integrate key music fundamentals—breathing, posture and more—into a curriculum based on performing with a band. Each week, beginner singing students participate in a private singing lesson and a band rehearsal.

Beginner Singing Lessons for Adults

School of Rock Columbia teaches adults how to sing in our innovative Adult Program. Students develop vocal skills at a challenging pace designed to help you see results with every singing lesson. Adult vocalists learn how to keep tempo, stay on-key and master advanced vocal techniques for a powerful and healthy voice. Our curriculum teaches students how to sing by using popular rock songs that emphasize key concepts. Each week, Adult Program students have a private singing lesson for beginners and group band rehearsal.

Key Concepts
  • TECHNIQUE
  • HARMONY
  • POWER
  • READING

Intermediate to Advanced Singing Lessons

At School of Rock Columbia, our singing lessons for kids and adults are designed to help our students reach a high degree of musical proficiency. Intermediate and advanced singers take skills learned from previous singing lessons and layer on more difficult techniques and concepts. Our advanced singing lessons teach students to sing by performing popular rock songs that illustrate a specific vocal concept or technique. We pair weekly private singing lessons with weekly band rehearsals with the goal of getting musicians to perform live in Columbia.

Kid learns to play bass at School of Rock Columbia

Bass Lessons for All Skill Levels

Beginner Bass Lessons for Kids

School of Rock Columbia offers beginner bass guitar lessons for kids that blend weekly private instruction with weekly band rehearsals. This performance-based approach results in a high level of musical proficiency because it engages and inspires students. Every School of Rock bass instructor is a practicing musician in Columbia and teaches bass lessons for kids that get great results. Beginners learn to play bass guitar by using popular rock songs that illustrate key concepts and techniques.

Beginner Bass Lessons for Adults

Adults looking to learn bass guitar can enroll in School of Rock’s Adult Program. No experience is necessary in our beginner bass guitar lessons for adults. At School of Rock Columbia, our experienced, local bass guitar instructors have the patience and skills to help adult students gain musical proficiency. As with all School of Rock music programs, our bass guitar lessons for adults ciriculum is performance-based, and include both weekly private instruction and weekly band rehearsals.

Key Concepts
  • GROOVE
  • TECHNIQUE
  • THEORY
  • TONE

Intermediate to Advanced Bass Lessons

Our intermediate to advanced bass guitar lessons teach Columbia students the skills they need to become the backbone of a band. Students take skills from previous bass lessons and layer on more difficult techniques and concepts. At School of Rock Columbia, our bass instructors use popular rock songs as a way of teaching students advanced concepts and techniques. We pair weekly private bass lessons with weekly band rehearsals to inspire and engage students throughout the learning process.

Kid learns to play piano at School of Rock Columbia

Keyboard Lessons for All Skill Levels

Beginner Keyboard Lessons for Kids

At School of Rock we teach differently than other music schools in Columbia. Our curriculum is performance-based, meaning that we prepare students to perform. Our piano lessons for beginners combine weekly private instruction with weekly band rehearsals. At School of Rock Columbia, our beginner keyboard lessons for kids take key concepts and music fundamentals—finger placement, scales, key differentiation and more—and teach them through popular rock songs. This approach inspires and engages students, which results in attaining a high level of musical proficiency. Our piano teachers have years of experience teaching music in the Columbia area, and know how to coach and motivate students of any skill level to play the keyboard.

Beginner Keyboard Lessons for Adults

The School of Rock Columbia Adult Program puts beginner keyboard students in a band. Adult Program students in the Columbia area learn to play piano through a combination of weekly private beginner piano lessons and weekly band rehearsals. At School of Rock, our piano lessons give adult students the chance to perform in a band at local Columbia music venues, taking them out of the classroom and onto the stage.

Key Concepts
  • TECHNIQUE
  • TONE
  • THEORY
  • READING

Intermediate to Advanced Keyboard Lessons

At School of Rock Columbia, our keyboard lessons for kids and adults are designed to help students get results. Intermediate and advanced students take skills learned from beginner keyboard lessons and layer on more advanced piano techniques with concepts. Our local keyboard instructors are all practicing musicians in Columbia, and use popular rock songs as a way of teaching complex skills. We pair weekly private piano lessons with weekly band rehearsals to inspire and engage students throughout the learning process.

Our Experienced Music Teachers

All of School of Rock Columbia’s music teachers are experienced musicians devoted to helping students attain musical proficiency. Our instructors guide students one-on-one to personalize learning, inspire confidence and build social skills.

Music Director Tabi
Tabi
Music Director
Tabi has experience in both music education and rocking out. She picked up the guitar at the age of three and has been in love with the experience of music ever since. Tabi has experience playing and performing various genres and styles of music, including indie, folk, rock, blues, and soul. She began performing her original music live in 2016 and has since rocked stages including Songbyrd Music House, the Fillmore Silver Spring, and many more. Tabi began teaching in 2017 and joined the School of Rock Columbia team a year ago as our Studio Coordinator. She now serves as our music director, a guitar and bass teacher, and a self-identified School of Rock Columbia hype woman.
Studio Coordinator Gracyn
Gracyn
Studio Coordinator
Gracyn is a certified audio engineer with experience in both recording studios and live sound. Drawn to music from a young age, Gracyn taught themselves guitar and piano while receiving vocal lessons at school. They performed vocally at weddings and even sang in Italy for the pope in 2018. Gracyn looks forward to growing within the School of Rock community.
Guitar Teacher Nick
Nick
Guitar Teacher
Nick performs in the death metal band Scum Sedition and has opened and headlined with bands such as Carnivore, Devourment, Eyehategod, Suffocation, Malevolent Creation, Blood Feast, Defeated Sanity, Immolation, and Blood Incantation.

Even though Nick plays death metal, he loves teaching and appreciates all genres and styles! Nick feels strongly that the love and learning of music never ends no matter what skill level you are!
Drum Teacher Patrick
Patrick
Drum Teacher
Patrick has a lifelong passion for music. Patrick has been playing the drums for over 13 years, beginning with learning from the best drummer he knows — his father. Over the years, he has gathered experience playing various styles of music live, including rock, jazz, funk, and Latin, performing anywhere from Church picnics to Merriweather Post Pavilion. Patrick hopes to pass down his love for rhythm to all of his students at School of Rock Columbia!
Keyboard + Piano Teacher Alex
Alex
Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Alex is currently a senior at the University of Maryland studying music performance. He has been playing the piano for over 15 years, performing a wide variety of genres such as classical, jazz, and rock. After years of being classically trained, Alex started exploring jazz/rock piano in high school, and has participated in jazz ensembles throughout college. His biggest musical influence is his mother who taught him everything he knows about piano from the earliest years. Alex has been teaching piano, clarinet and saxophone for over 4 years, including internships in Baltimore, Montgomery, and Prince George's county public schools. Alex considers music one of life's greatest joys, and can't wait to share his love for the piano with his students!
Singing Teacher Zackary
Zackary
Singing Teacher
Zackary spent much of his early life being enthralled by the music he heard throughout certain pieces of media, with Final Fantasy being his main inspiration for becoming a musician. Throughout his early years of life, Zackary taught himself several instruments including piano, clarinet, and flute. Vocals were a bit of a hidden talent he discovered in his high school years, and ever since then, he has been letting those talents flourish.

Zackary's many experiences range from attending as a contestant in multiple music festivals, acceptance into the San Francisco Men's Chorus, helping run a number of jazz festivals, being accepted into All-State Honor Choirs for multiple years in a row, and now teaching a whole new generation of musicians at School of Rock Columbia. Zackary has integrated music into his whole life and has a passion for making music in group settings.
Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Singing Teacher Kathy
Kathy
Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Singing Teacher
Kathy is a professional keyboard player and singer with experience in many different bands and musical groups since the age of 17. She is a coordinator of the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) Washington, D.C. chapter and also plays guitar and ukulele.

Kathy currently plays keyboards and sings lead and harmonies in three groups in the D.C. area: two classic rock/variety bands, and an oldies duo. She has previously played venues in San Diego, Las Vegas, Reno, Lake Tahoe, Alaska, and Calgary, Canada, sharing the stage with many amazing musicians.

Kathy is also a songwriter and independent artist. She plays showcases in the D.C. area, and has attended numerous NSAI song camps, coordinator training sessions, and workshops in Nashville. She has also pitched songs to publishing companies and secured two single-song publishing contracts.

Kathy has recorded her original songs at various studios in Nashville, and her music was featured in Cohesion Theater’s Baltimore performance of Coriolanus by William Shakespeare and their Political Cabaret.
School of Rock is where music and learning come together

For over twenty years, our amazing instructors have transformed hundreds of thousands of students across the world into skilled musicians. Become a musician at School of Rock.

Reviews

Our instructors are top of the line!

They are fun and instill confidence in students. They have a great relationship with the students who all look up to them. The students know that the staff care about their musical talents and therefore they are inspired to work hard.

School of Rock offers the whole experience!

It has great teachers and social experience for young musicians!

Everyone fits in here!

Everyone gets a chance to play regardless of skill or talent level. It allows every student to learn and improve.

They specialize in motivation!

School of Rock has allowed my daughter to step outside her comfort zone. The ability to take lessons and perform while learning has motivated her more than I ever imagined possible.