School of Rock Adding Scholarships for Students in Need

Since opening a School of Rock this May in Oak Park, owner Amy Renzulli said she's met several children who would love to take music lessons but can't afford them. 

There was a boy who witnessed an attack on his mother, and a girl whose father was injured and unable to work. 

"Life is hard in general, it's hard to find work and some people are just down on their luck," Renzulli said. "The thing I see that they’re the ones that really need to be here. It’s an outlet. It’s the opposite of any stress they might have in their lives."

So the Oak Park location is holding its first fundraising event for the national Rock School Fund, which gives scholarships to aspiring musicians in need.

School of Rock is an international music school with locations in 31 states and four countries outside of the U.S. It teaches music to children, primarily ages 8-18, by preparing them for live concerts in a tuition-based program.

The event, sponsored by the School of Rock and Maya del Sol, is Thursday, Aug. 1 at the school, located at 219 Lake St.

Tickets are $125, which includes School of Rock swag, heavy hors d'oeuvres, cocktails and a show put on by the School of Rock All-Stars, the best of the best students who tour the country and play at the likes of Lollapalooza. 

"This is the cream of the crop," Renzulli said. "It’s an incredible sight to see. They own the stage."

The All-Stars will perform a free show earlier in the day, from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. The second concert and fundraising party begins at 6:30 p.m. 

Angie Fritz, a School of Rock teacher this summer, benefitted from the scholarship program, which allowed her to attend the school's Chicago location. She was on the All-Star team, and now she's studying voice at North Texas University.

"I wouldn’t have been able to go to School of Rock if it weren’t for the scholarship program," Fritz said. "Just being able to be there was a great opportunity. Suddenly I had a lot of really awesome adults in my life who believed I could make something of myself musically." 

For more information, check out the event listing on Facebook.