CINCINNATI — When you walk into the Madisonville School of Rock, you're almost immediately met with the sound and energy of live music.
Inside, you'll run into people of all ages. Some of them have years of experience, and others are picking up an instrument for the first time.
The School of Rock opened in 2018 as a performance-based music school.
General Manager Shannon Ullrich said they teach more than just learning scales and songs.
“Having a safe place to really express yourself is the main goal of our school here," Ullrich said.
Ullrich has been around since the school's beginning. She said she's seen a lot of growth over the years in her students' musical talents but the lessons go beyond the music.
“I’m most proud of our students who have graduated here who have made lifelong friends," Ullrich said.
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The work they've done isn't going unrecognized.
Of the roughly 500 Schools of Rock nationwide, Madisonville's was recently ranked in the top 10. They also received the School of Rock Headliner Award, given to schools that consistently deliver their mission of enriching lives through performance-based music education.
"It feels so great," Ullrich said. "I've worked really hard, but it really comes from our staff and our students as well."
There are various programs in the school, ranging from Rock 101 to the adult program.
Ullrich said it's common for some students to have a little stage fright at first. But she said the music helps amp up their personalities.
“We always say that we specialize in shy," Ullrich said.
Students like 17-year-old Ash are an example of that.
“When I first started here, I couldn’t even sing in front of my vocal teacher one-on-one; I couldn’t even do it in front of her," Ash said.
However, over time, students learn to build confidence in themselves.
It's not just students learning, either. Instructor Matt Flynn said music is his way of connecting with others.
“It gave me a lot of confidence, and it gave me a purpose," Flynn said.
Now, Flynn said he uses his experience with music to shine that spotlight on the next generation.
“I think one of my philosophies is just having an incredible amount of enthusiasm," Flynn said.
Students are also learning how to connect with each other and share their passion to create lifelong friendships.
“My best friends I’ve met here, and I wouldn’t trade that for anything else in the world," Ash said.
Through lessons, Ullrich said they help build the talent to go perform in the community.
She said the instructors and students each share a feeling of belonging and optimism.
“We’re all musicians and musicians are kind of weirdos, so it’s really cool that we all have a space where we can be our weirdo selves," Ullrich said.
Ullrich said anyone can sign up to join and said she believes music is a vital part of everyone's life.
“This is just as important as math or English or science, and it should be treated that way," Ullrich said.
