The practice rooms at the McAllen school on North Ware Road bear the names of musical icons whose songs students learn to play.

Zeppelin, Hendrix, Queen and Rush are among the names on windows looking into the practice rooms at School of Rock McAllen. Inside there are guitars in blues, black and green standing tall on stands where the instruments lean over just right. Drum sticks line up like pencils on small tables. Drum kits are arranged and set to be played in most rooms. 

The instruments aren’t there just for show. The students who fill these rooms – and most of them are teenagers – will be taught to play the music of AC/DC, Metallic and The Beatles. They form bands at the school to play songs from those groups and many others as well. Once reaching a level of mastery, they will take the next step in the learning process and perform before live audiences at venues in McAllen and other area communities.

“This is a performance-based music school,” said JJ Gomez, the music director. “We want to put them on a stage.”

One poster at the school highlights the performance piece. It says “Classic Metal,” featuring the music of Green Day. The outdoor concert took place June 26 in Mission on the 5X5 Brewery parking lot. Bands formed from School of Rock students played that evening, as they do quarterly before live audiences that can number in the hundreds.

“We put them in a position to not only learn how to play an instrument, but to do it on a stage with lighting and in front of people,” said Leo Salazar, the school’s owner. 

Beyond the music, Salazar wants students to be inspired and learn how to work together. He wants them to know what it is to be accountable to others in meeting responsibilities. He saw firsthand years ago the difference a School of Rock in the Houston area made in the life of his son. Salazar wanted to bring that kind of experience to the Rio Grande Valley. It took a while to convince School of Rock brand managers that such a school could work in this region.

Bringing The Concept Home

The two-story music school in McAllen opened in the summer of 2019.

Its range of programs and lessons is extensive. Guitar lesson offerings range from beginner to the more advanced player. There are also programs for drummers, bass guitar, keyboards and singing. The goal is to move toward being part of a band and learning to play whole songs. The eventual aim is then to perform live. 

It was a challenge to bring the School of Rock concept to the Valley. Salazar, who also owns businesses in construction and real estate, tried for a year to persuade School of Rock operators to give him a franchise for the Valley market. 

“They kept telling me there wasn’t enough money here,” he said. “I told them, `come and visit,’ and when they did, they saw for themselves. They ended up saying, ‘you could do three schools here.’ The demand is here. Kids want to be musicians.”

That goes for adults as well. Being in a rock band can be a bucket list item for some grownup men and women. Salazar described a lawyer, “a straight-up attorney,” he said, who becomes someone else behind a drum kit, rocking it to a different groove. 

“It’s a dream come true,” said Gomez, who oversees a staff of 15 instructors. He sees the joy students of all ages experience at the school. “I’ve seen the school grow and seen our students become better musicians.”

Expanding Reach

From here, Salazar wants to add more Schools of Rock in the Valley.

“We haven’t even touched one percent of the Valley,” he said of his school of 200 students. He’s cheerful and enthusiastic about what is possible. 

“It’s everything else in addition to the music,” Salazar said of the impact he sees the music schools making. “It builds confidence, friendships and learning how to work as part of a team.”

He finds fulfillment when parents tell him how much their children are enjoying taking lessons and find meaning in what they’re learning.

“I’ve had parents come to me and say, ‘Thank-you for everything this school has done. This school has saved my son or daughter,'” Salazar said. “It gives them a place where they can fit in and find a sense of belonging.”