Plainfield School of Rock encourages children to create music as a group

PLAINFIELD – At just 30, Jason Fein of Oswego owns one successful School of Rock franchise and is working on two more.

Fein opened his first – in Plainfield – on June 1, 2013. He plans to open a Geneva store in four to six months and a Schaumburg location in 14 to 18 months. The Plainfield venue already has more than 100 students, unusual for a new School of Rock, said spokeswoman Kelly McNamara.

According to franchising.schoolofrock.com, School of Rock is an after-school music education program that is performance-based. The first school of rock opened in 1998. Franchising began in 2005. Its more than 100 schools are located in the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Canada, Chile and the Philippines.

Shelli Awalt of Plainfield knows exactly why Fein's school is so successful. Through the year her son Dalton Awalt, 12, has been learning and playing guitar at the School of Rock, Dalton has changed from shy to outgoing, Shelli said.

"We love Jason," Shelli said. "He's an incredible instructor and good with children. He can bring out their 'inner person.'"

School of Rock was Dalton's first experience with music lessons, Shelli said. Although Shelli's husband, Erich, is a guitarist, she and Erich let Dalton select his own instrument. Shelli wasn't surprised when Dalton chose the guitar.

"It didn't hurt that we have 12 [guitars] in the house," Awalt said.

Like Dalton, Fein grew up surrounded by music, he said. His father, Mel Fein, of Naperville, played the recordings of Jethro Tull and Led Zeppelin. Fein, a child of the mid-90s, doted on Pearl Jam, Green Day and Nirvana.

Fein started piano lessons at 9 and guitar two years later. When he was 12, Fein did what many 12-year-old music lovers do. He founded a band and not a very good band, Fein said. Neither he or nor his friends could play very well, he added.

"We just set up a video camera and played cool songs," Fein said

Fein tried again at 14 with another band. He also sang in the chorus at Naperville Central High School and discovered his talent was vocals. Fein attended Lincoln College on a performance scholarship and came full circle by participating in a men's a cappella chorus that sang '60s songs.

After college, Fein began teaching music at a School of Rock in the Chicago area, eventually becoming that school's general manager and music director, he said. Fein also continued membership in bands.

For the last six years, Fein has sung lead vocals for The Run Around, a punk rock band that tours nationally and has opened for musical acts as Tom Petty and Blues Traveler, he said.

Opening a School of Rock allowed Fein to combine and balance his business sense with his zeal for music. Fein's approach to music instruction also resonated with the franchise's premise that the best way to teach children music is to allow them to play music, Fein said.

According to the website at plainfield.schoolofrock.com, School of Rock offers weekly private lessons in guitar, bass, vocals, keyboards, drums, as well as group rehearsals so the students can perform a concert together, on stage and to live audiences.

"Just like a real band does," Fein said.

Children older than 10 rehearse for three hours a week, with half that time allotted for the 7- to 10-year-old set. School of Rock also offers modified musical programs for children younger than 7.

Although running a music school also keeps Fein's schedule flexible for touring, Fein's two worlds sometimes nearly collide.

"The night before our grand opening," Fein said, "The Run Around played at the House of Blues."

Fein’s two business partners are his parents, the very people who fueled his music fire. Mel is an attorney and Chery Fein is a certified public accountant. Mel and Chery oversee the legal and financial aspects of the Plainfield School of Rock, while Fein manages overall school operations.

Chery agreed the school was a natural fit for her son. Although she felt confident her son would succeed, Chery said Fein's success has surpassed hers and Mel's expectations.

"We go to the school and watch the performances," Chery said. ”We've seen the impact on the kids. They just blossom."

Fein is especially proud of one student, a withdrawn fourth-grader that was removed from the regular classroom and placed into one for children battling social issues. After a year at Fein's School of Rock, that child no longer needs the special class, Fein said.

"He still spends a couple hours a day there," Fein said, "helping the other kids."

MORE ONLINE

For a complete listing of programs, camps and events, visit plainfield.schoolofrock.com