Top-20 of music camp in Humboldt County

While I am not sure that my daughter actually learned anything she didn’t already know prior to the camp, just being around other young musicians is I think a positive thing.  Of the two music teachers, she said that Todd was a friendly teacher and very supportive.  However, of the other teacher, Anthony, she said “he was kind of nice, but not really.” Her feelings were hurt when she asked him to write down the chords for one of the songs they’d started creating (so that she could practice in the hotel room) and he responded in a rude tone “do you even know how to play the guitar?” and didn’t write them down.  While Chloe has been playing the piano for three years, she only 6 months ago started the guitar, and she’s still learning.  Cut the kid a break.

But the thing that really upsets me about this camp is what one of the other employees did (and I am leaving the employees name out in the hope that this review will lead to self-refection and positive changes in their future).  For people who are considering sending their child to one of these camps, FYI, they offer to the get the kids a lunch for $10 a day, and I suggest you always send your child with that exact amount.  On the first day of camp, I sent my daughter with two $5’s for lunch, and a $20 for emergency.  At lunch, she was unable to locate one of the $5’s (which she later realized had simply tightly pocketed itself within the other $5).  She went to the employee as they were the person in charge of getting the lunches, and told them that she couldn’t find a $5, but that she had a $20.  The employee said that was fine, and then asked my daughter if she would either like her $10 change, or would she rather have the employee keep it and apply it towards the next day’s lunch.  My daughter said the employee could apply it to next day’s lunch.  But, the next day when it came time for lunch, the employee approached my daughter and asked her for $10.  My daughter reminded the employee that she had given her a $20 bill the day before, and that when the employee had told her she could either give her change or apply it to the following day’s lunch, that my daughter had told the employee to apply it to the following day.  But, the employee’s response was that they would never do that; that if my daughter had given the employee a $20, they would just give her change, and that my daughter had to give the employee another $10 if she wanted lunch.  Unfortunately, the initial $20 transaction had taken place in the small office that the employee sits in, with just the two of them present, so there was nobody to witness what the employee did.  Obviously, my daughter wanted to eat, so she gave the employee another $10.  This left my daughter believing that one of two things had occurred.  She thought either the employee honestly didn’t remember that they’d told my daughter they’d apply to the next day the $10 dollars change owed her (which my daughter found hard to believe because in her words “there were only 8 kids and — is too young to have memory problems”) OR that the employee stole $10 from her.

This was a one week, Mon-Fri camp, and I found about the problem Wednesday morning before dropping her off. I did not feel comfortable addressing this with the employee and then leaving my daughter there. Suffice it to say, I made sure she had exact change for the remaining three lunches. On Friday, I had to send her with ten $1’s and told her to make sure the employee counted them out in front of her. I asked my daughter what she learned from the experience with the employee. She said that she learned you can never trust anybody, especially if you don’t know them. It stinks that my daughter had to learn that from an adult at a music school.

You will appreciate the music you love more than you ever expected.

My other child is in group kids class, it doesn’t seem like he’s learning anything. He spent one day drawing a picture of drums and played no music. It’s more like music themed daycare than music lessons. Classes start late every week.

I was using SoR in Elmhurst. They rarely had the same teacher from week to week, at least there each kid got to play their own instruments for the class. My scheduled changed and they don’t have Sat classes. Usually with the franchisee model things are held together a lot better.

It’s too bad because I like the model where kids play together.

***to the owner***
I did text at 9 am, letting SOR know of my kid being sick. When I called at 4 pm to confirm they had canceled, they told me it had not been canceled yet. I’ve never had an issue in the 2 yrs. Also, it is not just the policies. To be honest, kids want newer fun songs. They keep playing 1980s songs that they’re just not into. Also, in the 2 years, a few kids have enrolled SOR do to our referral, but was bummed that we couldn’t even get one make-up day for being sick. Feel free to call me if you want to discuss this further. Once again, the instructors & directors have always been awesome.

The problem isn’t that 30 minutes of study isn’t enough, it’s that the class should be 30 minutes long

Needless to say, I gave 1 months notice and cancelled and now my son goes to the School of Rock in Clark. He is loving it. In addition to private lessons he is taking Rock 101. When I asked the manager at the Clark location if it is School of Rock procedure to wait only 15 minutes, she said she never heard of that. She told me if someone doesnt show, they call to follow up and see if you are on your way. I believe this is common courtesy, especially since, we are early 99 percent of the time. I guess all Denise cares about is getting your money! She did me a favor though because the Clark location is actually closer to my house.

Take heed when dealing with her.