Montclair Students Jam in NYC School of Rock Competition

Students from School of Rock Montclair were chosen as finalists in a performance competition at the Highline Ballroom in Manhattan on this past weekend.

On March 3, 30 young musicians representing Montclair, who ranged in age from nine to 17, competed against bands from eight other School of Rock locations in New Jersey, Westchester, N.Y., and Long Island, N.Y.

“The diversity of musical styles and performance talent that the Montclair musicians brought to the stage was dizzying,” said Matt Sandoski, owner of School of Rock Montclair.  “We covered a wide range of genres, songs, and energy that truly rocked the crowd and blew the judges away.”

The Montclair students played the best songs that were featured in their winter performance season shows, which included hits from their live tributes to Queen, Rush, Jack White, Eric Clapton, and hip hop/r&b.  

The Montclair school's spring shows will include tributes to Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Wonder, underground artists from New Jersey. The best songs from these concerts will be presented in a spring competition that will also take place at the Highline Ballroom.

“The confidence, joy, and total rush that our students got on the Highline stage will be an experience that they’ll never forget,” says Sandoski.  “Playing for a screaming crowd of 500 people with full sound, lights, and stage effects in one of New York’s premier performance venues — this was the real deal, and Montclair definitely came to play.”