The HOLLYWOOD ROCK ACADEMY (HRA) was founded with the belief that when it comes to achieving greatness, kids are not only capable - but immensely superhuman in their fresh creative strengths, determination and imagination.
Here's how it works: We have a fully equipped (amps, PA, drums, etc...) music studio in West Los Angeles that acts as home base as well as the rehearsal studio for our bands.
Each band has an HRA coach to see them through every facet of the creative process - including songwriting, stage presence, musicianship, recording and all of the political headaches that comes with being in a band. Bands that are already together can come in for coaching, or just one kid can sign up. Through our application, we find out what kind of music your into and what skill level you're at. In other words, if you're into Metallica we won't put you in a Grateful Dead - influenced band. The entire creative process is up to the band from that point on.
What makes the HRA different from other “rock schools” is that HRA students participate in a “real band” environment, writing, recording, and performing their own music. Children in the HRA program are able to forge their own creative identity while learning to work as a team, cooperating and negotiating through the creative process as a working unit.
The Hollywood Rock Academy is more a “school of free thought” than a “School of Rock.” How students learn to express their own musical and artistic voice is more important than how well they play classic rock “covers.” HRA bands stay together for an entire school year, and, in a number of cases, over three years. HRA does not operate a camp or a school so much as an original thought factory in the discipline of musical expression. Bands in the HRA after school program have two scheduled concerts: a February Mid Term Exam and a June Graduation Concert.
HRA has produced concerts at such venues as the Knitting Factory, Safari Sam’s, music festivals, school auditoriums, shopping centers, birthday parties, bar mitzvahs, retirement parties, and soon...children's hospitals. Hollywood Rock Academy concerts are held on weekend afternoons.
HRA’s older, more established bands also play some stand-alone gigs, taking their independence and HRA’s musical integrity to a higher professional plateau. Proceeds from all HRA events, concerts, and CD sales go directly to the chosen community supported by the Hollywood Rock Academy Foundation.
310.838.ROCK (7625) :: 3620 Overland Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90034 ::