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What Is Rock Academy?
Rock Academy is a band performance program for teenage musicians. The program is designed to connect young musicians, help improve skills, and provide a recording and performance experience.
The Melbourne program runs during school holidays and is facilitated by professional, touring, and recording musicians who provide direct mentoring to the participants.
Participants are in charge of all creative decisions and are supported by mentors who facilitate and guide them towards their goals. The program operates in a safe, supportive, non-competitive environment with a firm deadline of a performance show.
The program focuses on more than just music performance, with a strong emphasis on building self-confidence and self-esteem, as well as developing leadership, collaboration, listening, and teamwork skills.
When is Rock Academy?
Rock Academy is staged in Melbourne each school holidays across a single week. When demand dictates individual programs will be run in multiple weeks during the school holidays period. In regional cities Rock Academy will run on nominated dates over two consecutive weekends.
What hours does the program run?
In Melbourne, rehearsals are staged from 10am-4pm Monday to Thursday, Recording from 12-5pm on Friday and the live show on Saturday you’ll be required from 1pm until 5pm.
For our regional programs the Friday will run 5pm-8pm, while other rehearsal says will be 9.30am-4.30pm with breaks for lunch.
Times for each day may vary, if there are any changes the information will be shared verbally and via email notification.
What’s the duration of a Rock Academy program?
Rock Academy Melbourne has rehearsals Monday to Thursday, audio and video recording on Friday and a live show on Saturday.
Peninsula and other regional Rock Academy’s run rehearsals across Friday, Saturday, Sunday and the following Saturday and the the live show is stages (and recorded) on the second Sunday afternoon.
Days of specific programs may vary dependent upon the holiday period and public holidays overlap.
What are the dates for Rock Academy in 2024/25?
Melbourne
Peninsula
Who can participate in the Rock Academy?
The Rock Academy is open to musicians aged 12-18 who play an instrument or sing. All skill levels are welcome.
Is Rock Academy only for really good musicians?
The Rock Academy is open to teenage musicians of all skill levels. If you can play a song from start to finish on your instrument or sing, you’re welcome to join us. While musical ability is certainly important, we also value social skills and the ability to interact with others, collaborate, and have your voice heard. No matter what your current skill level is, we encourage you to join in the fun.
Is there an audition process to be accepted into Rock Academy?
No, if you can play a song start to finish keeping good time then you’re all good. Rock Academy is not an elite program and welcomes players of all skill levels to come together to make a killer band.
How many musicians participate in a week of Rock Academy?
In Melbourne, we can accommodate up to 65 musicians in a single week. When demand is high, such as during the summer, we may add an additional program in an alternate week to meet the demand. In Peninsula and Regional Cities, we can currently accommodate up to 30 musicians, and this may increase as we grow.
If you have any questions about availability, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
What happens during the week of Rock Academy?
We Get Loud!
How are the bands and bandmates selected?
To determine who will be in which band, everyone plays a short piece and answers some questions about their musical experience and interests on the first morning of the program. This helps the mentors get to know everyone and understand their musical preferences and abilities.
Based on this information, as well as age and other factors, the mentors carefully select bands that they believe will work well together. We aim to create a balance of musical interests, age and capabilities in each band to ensure an amazing outcome for everyone.
For cover song selection, is there a song list of approved songs?
No, all musical and creative decisions are made by the participants (Young Lions). As long as the songs are not offensive, you’re welcome to perform any songs that you choose. We believe that the music should be driven by your interests and passions, and we want to support you in exploring and expressing your creative vision.
How do I join the Rock Academy?
To join the Rock Academy, on our website select the program you wish to participate in. Follow the prompts to the registration and payment section, where you can complete the process in a few minutes. It’s that easy! If you have any questions or need assistance, don’t hesitate to contact us.
How far ahead of time should I book?
We recommend booking your spot in the Rock Academy program as soon as you can to secure your place.
We’ll send email notifications to all registered and interested participants and parents as soon as bookings open, and you can register and make a deposit at that time. Keep in mind that drum and bass spots tend to sell out quickly, so if you’re interested in those instruments, be sure to book early.
In Melbourne, bookings for the next program typically open on the same day as the live show for the previous program. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us.
Other cities will be announced based on the specific schedule/timing of the program.
What gear do I bring?
Rehearsals
Guitarists
Drummers
Keyboard/Piano Players
Singers
Brass & Others
The Live show
We will provide a full backline of equipments, amplifiers, cables, pedal boards, drum kit and cymbals so you just need to bring the basics;
Is there a fee to participate in the Rock Academy??
There is a fee to participate in the Rock Academy, which covers the cost of our professional mentors, access to the rehearsal rooms, recording audio and video, use of equipment, and other program expenses. We believe it’s the best value school holiday program in the country. The specific fee can be found on each program’s page.
Is there any financial support offered?
We understand that the cost of participating in the Rock Academy may be a concern for some families. We do our best to keep pricing as low as possible, and we offer limited financial support for families in hardship.
In addition, the Peninsula Young Lions may be able to access grants from the Mornington Peninsula Shire to help fund the fees for Rock Academy Peninsula. If you have any questions or concerns about the cost of the program, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
What happens if I need to cancel?
We understand that from time to time illness or other family priorities take precedence and so cancellation is accepted until seven (7) days prior of program commencement with a full refund.
How early do rehearsal venues open for load in?
Melbourne’s Bakehouse Studio opens it’s door at 9.45am allowing for early access to set up equipment so you’re ready to rock from 10am.
Regional cities to be notified
What time do I need to arrive for live show?
The mentors will advise you during the week, but as a rule of thumb the performers will be required to arrive at the venue at 12.30pm for preparations, briefings and sound check. Family and friends will not have access to band room until 30 minutes before the 2pm show time.
Is the live show always at the same venue?
Our intention is to provide our teenage musicians with the experience of playing across a broad selection of suitable venues, that are current rock’n’roll stages, to give real life adventure.
Our goal is to give teenage musicians a real-life adventure by providing an opportunity to perform on a variety of current rock and roll stages. The Young Lions will get a taste of what it’s like to play at different venues and to gain experience performing in front of an audience.
Should I dress up for the live show?
Yes, bring out that inner Rock Goddess or God, make a statement – definitely no tracksuit pants!
Why do all performances get recorded?
We want to give you the experience of playing live in front of cameras, so you can get used to it and feel more confident in the future. Plus, it’s an awesome way to document all the hard work you put in during the week – you’ll get to watch yourself perform an original song that you co-wrote and a cover song that you prepared with other musicians who you may not have met until that week.
We’ll edit all the videos together to create the Rock Academy’s Big Show and premiere them on Facebook and YouTube about 3 weeks after the live show. You can check out all of the performances from the very beginning of Rock Academy on our YouTube channel.”
How can I stay informed about Rock Academy events and updates?
To stay informed about Rock Academy events and updates, we recommend following our social media accounts and signing up for our email newsletter. You can also check the Rock Academy website for news and announcements. By following us on social media and subscribing to our newsletter, you’ll be the first to know about what’s happening at Rock Academy and you won’t miss out on any important information.
What are some of the benefits of participating in Rock Academy?
Overall, participating in a music band’s a fun and enjoyable way to improve physical and mental health, develop valuable life skills and to connect with others.
And most importantly, they get to hang with Phil and Al.
Can I buy all/any tee shirt designs?
Unfortunately, the Luna Tunes and Sindy Sin designs have sold out and we won’t be reprinting them. For our current tees, once a certain colour has sold out, we won’t be reprinting it. Our tees are always limited runs, which makes them collectible. Don’t miss out on your chance to own a unique and exclusive Rock Academy tee!
I bought some Merch, when will I receive it?
What a legend! Thanks for your support! Your order will be shipped out within 48 hours, and you’ll receive a notification via email with a tracking number once it’s on its way. From there, it will be in the hands of Australia Post. If you have any questions or concerns about your order, don’t hesitate to contact us.
Can I get a refund?
Please refer to our refund and cancellation policies
We acknowledge that our events are staged on the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri and Boonwurrung, peoples of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respects to their land and waters, their ancestors and their elders—past, present and emerging.
Rock Academy is a school holiday music initiative for teenagers established in 2015. Currently staged in Melbourne and on the Mornington Peninsula, Rock Academy features established artists mentoring teenage musicians as they rehearse a cover song and write an original song to perform on a real rock stage.
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