HPS School of Rockers raise the roof in Parham

Jun 03, 2010

Hinchinbrooke Public School students nearly rocked the roof off the IOOF Hall in Parham on May 29 at the fourth annual School of Rock concert.

First up on stage was School of Rock founder and grade 7/8 teacher at Hinchinbrooke, Ms. Julia Schall, who initiated the program at the school four years ago and with the help of grants from the Limestone Learning Foundation acquired all the instruments and gear necessary to teach students the ins and outs of good old-fashioned rock and roll.

Saturday night’s show opened with Ms. Schall accompanying special guest performer and fellow teacher Kelly Graham who sang two original songs from her soon-to-be released first album.

Next up were 13 members of the School of Rock who opened with Wild Thing and cruised through a number of rock classics including Smoke on the Water, I Love Rock and Roll and ACDC’s TNT.

Band member Jackson Crain performed an original called Silver Saddles towards the end of their set.

Next up was HPS student band HD Supply, who got their start in the School of Rock but who practise independently at the school. Made up of Jordan Lowery on lead vocals and guitar, David Hole on drums, Collin Hamilton on rhythm guitar and Daniel Stanton on bass, their tight, hard rock sound had the crowd cheering and screaming for more. They performed a couple of originals, Night Train and Prison Break and saved their best cover for last, Paranoid by Black Sabbath, during which Lowery sprang off the stage into the audience to much applause.

Ms. Schall highlighted how the students benefit from the School of Rock program. She said, “It offers the students a chance to interact and learn in ways not usual in the regular school setting. They have to problem solve for themselves, interact, listen and learn from each other.”

Music is obviously a great love of Ms Schall’s and she admits how much joy it brings her. “I want the students here at the school to have that same opportunity.”

Thanks to Ms. Schall and the generous support of the LLF, the HPS School of Rock offers students at HPS a musical opportunity they might not otherwise have and Saturday night’s concert proved that they are wholly grateful for it.