Olathe: Overview of the top 9 music camp

Appreciate SoR OP hosting Lee’s Summit SoR!

I LOVE THIS PLACE!!!

The band concept has been a fast way for our kid to improve his playing skills and make friends. Weeklong camps are great in the summer, too.

Unless your a child, or have done school of rock before, you won’t find success here. I’ve wanted to learn to play the piano for as long as I can remember, but I always focused on singing instead. I’ve also been in a band for awhile now, but I feel that being the lead singer gets boring, and I didnt like not being able to contribute in another way. I thought I’d try school of rock for about a year before I turned 18, because I want to make friends and learn a new thing. Also I just heard amazing things about it! I went in for the free session to try it out, and not only was I deterred from joining due to my age, he basically said I could not afford it. I was going to pay for it myself, and he stated “yeah you might want to look at the price before you say that” amongst other things. Rest assured I looked at the price, and I would have been able to afford it. I bet School of Rock is GREAT for kids, but if you’re trying this at 16 or 17 I would just skip the free session, because its a waste of time and go to a personal instructor.

Cost:
$320 per month which does not include mid-season show tickets (additional $15/person), end of season show (I think it’s $150 for a pack of tickets), and no make up sessions for 6 holidays or the week they take off at the end of each season. That’s like splitting apartment rent with a friend…certainly does limit the type of clientele though.

Safety:
1) First day I went to get my son and the kids were watching a band music video LOUD. I asked why no one was wearing ear protection and the desk person pointed to a decibel meter…which was actually too high so they then had *just my kid* put on ear protection.
2) The practice rooms are closed off in the back with no video and almost no windows. There is a very large shared bathroom with shower, no windows, and lockable. These kids look up to their teachers and some are in a vulnerable stage…if someone wanted to take advantage of the situation inappropriately, I think they could.

Staff:
When we first came there was a nice manager at the desk who I think generally cared. She left and was replaced by someone who I think generally does not care. Example would be I asked about the mid-season concert tickets which added up to a lot for my six kids and grandparents. She just said corp sets the price and nothing to be done…though when I arrived at the concert the nice lady at the booth ushered in my kids and just had the adults pay.

Instructors:
We experienced four (one was a sub with no notification outside the form reminder email). I would say one was ok, two acted stoned, and the one who taught my son the most (Joel) was good.

Communication:
I emailed several times (eg: concert ticket prices, ending mid-season, and make up session) and never got a reply

Mid-season Concert:
Concert was running 1.5hrs behind schedule and we had both an appointment and an elderly grandma attending in the rainy cold. I asked (same manager lady, Avery) if there was an option to switch bands or have my son do his song at the beginning of his band segment and got the same don’t care treatment. My son has some developmental delays though that does not impact his drumming. His song was last (of course) and he was so enthusastic to go up…but it was a total pity song. None of the other members, so energetic for the other songs, had an ounce of energy for this one (couldn’t even hear them) and my son was given the same beat the entire time. Thank G-d he loved it, but I left cold, wet, and feeling like the rock n’ roll world didn’t have a place for kids with Special Needs.

So there’s my experience. Love that so many other reviewers found a good match for them (seventeen 5* reviews…wow!)…but it certainly didn’t work out for me.