Q: I tried a conservatory school and it was hard. Your school will be easier, right?
A: WRONG. Kids and parents often have the misconception that rock music is easier to learn. After all, look at those rock stars on television - they make it look so easy! Well trust us when we tell you it only looks easy, but in reality, it took tons of hours of practice to get where those musicians are today. The bottom line to getting anywhere with your music education can be summed up very easily - DEDICATION AND PRACTICE. If you are the kind of student who doesn't touch their instrument between lessons, you are in for a real surprise when you realize other students are progressing and you are not. To make music lessons worth while you must be committed to the program, otherwise the results may be very limited. At the same time remember that every student progresses at a different rate, so as long as you are trying your very best, you will have no worries.

Q: How much should I practice?
A: At least 20 minutes every day (half an hour is recommended). Life can get very busy sometimes, so we understand that you might not get to practice every day. But make sure that you make up for it the next day, otherwise it may become a habit and you will end up limiting your progress. Of course you may practice a lot more than half an hour a day. In fact those that do choose to practice instead of playing video games or chatting on MSN, will soon realize how important it really is and how much more they can get out of music when they put some real effort into it.

Q: Do I have to pay for the whole year up front? Are there any other payment options?
A: Our music program at RockStar runs from September to June (10 months or 40 lessons), Although we do offer monthly lesson fees, we do give the best lesson rates to those that are committed to the school for the full season. This way we emphasize the importance of dedicating your time to your music lessons, and not making quick decisions when it comes to continuing with the program. Quitting after a few lessons is not a valid attempt at learning music - you must spend some time in order to get to a rewarding level of play. The full season fee can be paid in 2 installments in order to make it a little easier on your wallet.

Q: My child plays a lot of sports, do I have time for music lessons?
A: When you sign up for our music program, just like any other program, it's super important that you make a real effort to put in the time necessary in order to achieve your goals. You must decide that music will be an important part of your child's life and other programs, especially sports, must not get in the way of your lessons and practicing. If you put music last on your list then you are only cheating yourself.

Q: I have heard from some other schools, that RockStar is just about learning one song for a concert. Is that true?
A: WRONG AGAIN. What other schools don't realize, but probably deep down understand, is that some students are simply not capable of learning much more than one song for the year. And just like we mentioned before, those students are the ones that do not practice. Many other schools in these cases will constantly express disappointment and frustration with under-achieving students and often shatter their confidence. At RockStar however, not only do we have an incredible amount of patience when it comes to learning music, but we also have something no other music school in the area has to offer - A REAL ROCK CONCERT IN OUR VERY OWN CONCERT HALL. We can't count how many times our concerts have made the difference in getting students to take their music to the next level.

Q: Are music lessons expensive?
A: Yes and No. If you compare the cost of music lessons to a cheap video game, yes they are more expensive. Or maybe you might find that music lessons are not affordable because you have too much money and time invested into hockey, soccer, lacrosse, dance, etc. You must realize that music can be very rewarding and dare we use the word - priceless - if a student shows a real appeciation for what they are learning and takes the time to practice. Don't forget our music lessons are PRIVATE ONE-ON-ONE sessions, unlike most other programs and the FREE band practices are a very valuable asset to your child's music education.

Q: Can I try it for a month to see what it's like?
A: Yes, but please remember that taking 4 music lessons is only the beginning of a music education. You will not be able to truly assess how much you enjoy music unless you can actually play something. Parents AND students must make the desicion to commit to at least one full season of lessons before they can decide if they want to continue. RockStar also believes getting a chance to actually perform in a rock concert is one good way to get the student to be excited about their lessons. On countless occasions we have witnessed students that were not interested in their lessons until they started band practices and played in our concert hall. Many students need that extra boost of a rock concert to get them to understand how much fun performing on stage can actually be.

Q: Do I have to perform on stage?
A: No. At RockStar, we believe one of the main reasons you learn to play music is to share it with the world. Playing in our concert hall is a real blast, but at the same time it's not for everyone - you can just take lessons for as long as you like and if you decide to change your mind, we'll be waiting!

Q: I took lessons at another music school and the instructor was not very nice. Will this happen at your school?
A: Just because you have a music degree and you mastered your instrument at the finest music schools in the world, DOES NOT MEAN YOU CAN TEACH!!! Unfortunately, we have heard of so many students being mistreated at other music schools and it is completely unacceptable. Your teacher's JOB is to make your music lesson educational and enjoyable. Our instructors are not in a position to show frustration or anger when a student is not practicing, paying enough attention during class, or progressing at a certain level. You have paid us to teach music, and we agree to try our very best to make that happen. All our teachers are dedicated to this school and are accomplished musicians, but most important of all, they have the one ingredient necessary to teach - PATIENCE.

Q: How do I know if I am progressing?
A: Our teachers give out mid-term progress reports in December in order to give parents and students an idea of how they are progressing. Whenever you have doubts or concerns about your progress, make sure you make an appointment to speak with your instructor, where you can ask questions or express your concerns. We do our best to give every parent a quick assessment of how their child is doing at the end of their lesson but please respect the fact that our lessons run back to back all day, so we have very little time to discuss details during lesson times. You are also welcome to sit in on a lesson or discuss matters during your lesson time.

Q: This school looks like it's too much fun - do you actually learn music?
A: RockStar Music School is both fun AND educational. Our standards of music education are as high as any conservatory school out there: learning chords, scales, theory, rhythms, reading music and performing are all a very important part of this school. The instructed band practices are such a valuable lesson in learning to play with other musicians, and the concert is our version of an RCM exam - with a lot more pressure! Just because we are learning songs by Led Zeppelin instead of Mozart or a hundred year old nursery rhyme, does not mean it's nonsense - it's music.