The guitarist carries his instrument to the center of the stage. Music blasts as the audience screams. With a determined smile, he raises the guitar above his head and smashes it to the ground with pure rock and roll fury. No, this isn’t a 1960s London underground club. It’s the grand opening of School of Rock Bend. [Photo above – School of Rock brings the study of music to the stage. Photo by David Kindler]
Owners Jeff and Niki Reading decided to open the music school after stumbling upon a School of Rock performance in Seattle. Watching their daughter mesmerized by the young musicians showed the pair the true power of music, even though they were not musicians themselves.
“Music is unique among the arts, as well as the most accessible,” said Jeff. “Pretty much everyone has music in their lives.”
Music Education for All at School of Rock
In 1998, music teacher and entrepreneur Paul Green opened the first School of Rock location in Philadelphia, with a desire to show children the importance of performing with others. To date, it has spun off more than 400 locations worldwide, as well as a 2003 eponymous movie starring Jack Black. The School of Rock Bend carries the band-oriented tradition by teaching a sense of community in a safe space. The school offers four-month sessions that culminate in a performance at a local venue. Its first event is scheduled for January 2026, where students will perform British Invasion and ‘90s rock songs.
School of Rock Bend has three youth programs, depending upon children’s ages: Little Wing, Rookies or the Performance Program. They also offer classes for adults. Weekly throughout the session, students have one private lesson and one group lesson, plus The Method App provides home practice direction. The school’s curriculum begins immediately by teaching a song first, to instill belief and self-confidence in students.
“In one session, kids and adults will learn to perform a rock show with a band of peers on stage,” explained cofounder Niki Reading. “It’s not just about hitting the notes. We’re teaching stage presence, teamwork and connection, confidence and vulnerability, and the historical context of the songs.”
“I hope every kid learns what it feels like to make music with others; to listen, collaborate and build something together,” adds Music Director Beverly Anderson. “It’s not about perfection; it’s about showing up, trying something new and realizing you can do it.”
A Rock and Roll Studio
SunWest Builders and Tricorn Black, who led the interior design of the space, transformed the school’s northeast Bend building into a rock and roll studio. This included two group practice rooms and nine individual instruction rooms, all appropriately named after iconic musicians from Jimi Hendrix and Jack White to Stevie Wonder and Alicia Keys.
Since School of Rock Bend focuses on performance, the Readings placed importance on having an instructor team made up of some of the top-performing musicians in the area. In addition to acting as music director, Anderson plays keys and sings with local band Mamas Boy, performs solo, and is an actor. She was most recently the lead in “Once” at Bend’s Greenhouse Cabaret.
“My dad got me into music,” explained Anderson. “He’d pull me up on stage with him when I was 5, and that’s where I first felt the magic of performing. I didn’t have any formal training until much later, so I’ve always understood both sides of learning—the joy of figuring things out through play, and the depth that comes with understanding theory.”
Whether the goal is to grow up to be a rock star or just have fun with friends, the School of Rock Bend helps students discover the wonders of playing music with others. Pyrotechnics and hair spray aside, the school teaches the community spirit of rock and roll. “Music connects people,” said Anderson. “It always has and it always will.”
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