The awesome end of year concert at Sir David Brand School with Music Rocks Australia has hit the newspapers.

Twelve of the 43 participants took to the stage and the results were ground-breaking. A fitting showcase of the work the young people with autism, cerebral palsy and many other difficulties overcome to shine.

The Guardian Express article is below.

To read the full article please go to http://www.communitydigital.com.au/olive/ode/GuardianExpress

Be a part of the crowd on Sunday, December 11th !!!! 210 performers over 2 big sessions at the Charles Hotel… The best, young, elite musicians who are waiting on their ‘Australia’s Got Talent’ next stage, along with beginners performing for the first time, to those with special needs performing their hearts out with amazing precision, to everyone in between improving and enjoying musical performance – Music Rocks Australia presents ‘Music Rocks the Charles’… Our young performers performing songs of their choice on this famous Perth stage that has seen the likes of INXS, Rose Tattoo, Nat King Cole, Deisel and Australian Crawl to name a few.

The details are:

Venue        The Charles Hotel, 509 Charles Street, North Perth

Date            Sunday, December 11th

Tickets       From Music Rocks Australia (08) 9275 2111 or 0417 976 980

Adults $15 , Children $10 or at the Door for $20/$15

Times        Session 1 – 12pm for a 12.15pm start

Session 2 – 3.15pm for a 3.30pm start

Session Allocations

Session 1 – Arbor Grove PS, Lathlain PS, Hampton Park PS, Morley SHS, The Blue Door Band (Josh, Justin, Aaron, Bryce, Harry, Isaac), Therapy Focus Groups,  Wed Allstars 1 (Kyle, Casey), Wed Allstars 2 (Rio, Luke, Stephen, Dylan, Alex), Divided Horizons (Ilija, Sam, Luke, Scott, Tyler), Wed Allstars 4 (Sheydn, Jack, Shelby, Riley, Paul), Tues Allstars 2 (Matt, Sam, Jordan, Jessica, Tyler).

Session 2 – Duncriag PS, Hillcrest PS, Belmont Youth Centre Group, Shelley PS, Embleton PS, Autism West Saturday morning group, Tues Allstars 1 (Hayley, Callum, Ellis, Nick, Stephanie), Thurs Allstars 1 (Brianna, Jasmine, Max, Keira, Amelia), The Alignment (Ashlee, Patrick, Georgia, Andrew, Caitlin), Limitless (Michael, Nathan, Peter, Nick, Cody).

A big door prize for participants resigning for 2012 will be drawn. This is the big one, so don’t miss out… If you have a family member or friend performing make sure you bring everyone to see – Nanna, neighbours, work colleagues… Let’s reward the hard work of the young music rocks musicians with a big noise and a big audience. For people seeing the amazing results in a short time of Music Rocks ensembles it will be even more amazing…

See you all there!

Kind Regards,

Dean Blanchard

Good luck to the 5 Music Rocks Australia All-star bands auditioning at the request of Channel 7 at the Perth Convention Centre for Australia’s Got Talent this Sunday. Have your fingers crossed around 11am when the bands will perform in front of the judges… Everyone at Music Rocks Australia is proud of you and the perosnalities and music you all have will make some great TV I’m sure…

Best of Luck

“Just thought you would like to know – thoroughly enjoyed Saturday!  Great fun and very proud!  Wasn’t sure if she would go to pieces – which she has done before!  Tears…shaking the works!!  But she was great!  Just proves whatever you’re doing WORKS!  Her clarinet/sax teacher will be amazed!  I brought her daughter along to watch aswell.  Well done – nice and relaxed for the kids and no stress!” J Manning

“I am lost for words!!! All the bands  that I saw were awesome! They get better every time I see them perform. You are doing wonders with the kids, along with your support staff. You are an inspiration. Needless to say R and the boys blew me away! When R told me he wanted to do my fave song I thought “what the!” How the hell can he reach that note that blows your brains out? It was faaaantastic, and the boys’ music was spot on. You are so encouraging and supportive and I gotta tell you R absolutely loves and adores you! He wants you at his 18th birthday bash next year so don’t forget it! S was good too, he found his range and Ive been telling him for an age that style of song is perfect for him. R smirked a bit when you said he could be the new front man!!! He won’t like that idea much!! haha! Anyway so much for lost words, I managed to find a few descriptive adjectives!!! You are the best” L Tana

“Some of you would be aware that Aaron and Bryce are in a band called “The Blue Door”.  Today they had their second ever gig at a pub called The Shed in Northbridge around lunch time.  Below is the link from the gig filmed via my phone.  Bryce sings and Aaron drums, Josh is on the keyboard (he’s aged 16) and Justin is on base (he’s 20 yrs old and is dressed like Angus).  It’s really important to note that all these boys have some form of Autism and it’s just amazing what music can do for them and all the other children that were involved today. I’m so so proud of Aaron, Bryce, Justin and Josh they all did such a superb job. But especially Aaron and Bryce.  I think Bryce has been holding out on us, such a groover!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3i1ytba9aJo    Rock stars of the future!  Eat your heart out Bon Scott! ” L Cocks (One of the proudest mum’s in Perth!)

“Im the Father of Jene and Jarrod Jackman Skele who are ten and eight years of age and are participants and preformers of this fantastic experience that Music Rocks Australia has organized. They both are about to participate in there second performance at The Shed in Northbridge. I have sat through practice sessions at Hillcrest Primary School and have noted the excitement of the children. I have also seen the dedication of Dean taking the young rockers along the process of what it takes to do this. His way with the children is awsome and both they(chidren) and myself are totally energised by the opportunity to practice and then perform at a professional level. My children continually want to practice, research the songs and use my instruments,(they have there own too) in which Im so proud of their dedication. Not only are they playing contemporary songs but also the classics of Rock which is resulting in the neighbours and the district to tap their feet. With all the negative violence and vandalism of some of our youth in the wider community, Music Rocks offers a ‘Ray of Light’ and a sound alternative to keep the children inspired and off the street, creating and not destroying with all there wonderful energy. I highly recommend this initative and know that in the future we may see some of these little talents achieving thier goals in Music and in Life. Thank you Dean for your unflagging effort and thanks children” Jason Skele

To all Music Rockers, friends and families,

‘Music Rocks the Shed’ Term 3 performance is on this Saturday – doors open at 12pm for the 1st school based session and then at 2.15pm the  Allstar’s session entry where the most talented bands play their parent’s choice of repertoire – it is going to be big…

Tickets from Music Rocks Australia – Adults $10, Children $5 – No Door Tickets – for those getting them on the day – Music Rocks HQ (Unit 2, 3 Bookham St, Morley) will be open from 9-11am for ‘on the day’ tickets @ $15 Adults, $10 Children

Also on the day, Screens showing the West Coast Eagles / Geelong preliminary AFL final will be a part of the venue so noone misses out on the game.

I look forward to seeing you all at the Shed on Saturday

Kind Regards,

Dean

Hollywood bound… 19yo Trent Carroll will leave this month to study a 2 year music degree on guitar at the famous Musician’s Institute  in Los Angeles. Jeff Buckley, Paul Gilbert, John Frusciante, Jennifer Batten (Michael Jackson’s Guitarist), Justin Derrico (Pink’s guitarist) and Robben Ford to name a few, are those that have studied at what is the most famous contemporary music school in the world.

In 2008, Trent was in one of two song-writing Music Rocks Australia groups at Trinity College and performed original material in the very first ‘big’ MRA concert at the Astor Theatre. The following year Trent joined the original Music Rocks All-star band where they performed their final gigs before members went on to WAAPA and TAFE music courses.

When Music Rocks first met Trent he had a shaved head in preparation for brain surgery and even the day after surgery had already forced his parents to bring his guitar bedside for him to continue his passion. Recently in his own words, Trent again used music as his ‘medicine’ to cope with the passing of his mother from cancer, who he described as his best friend in life. Guitar and music have been the vehicle for Trent triumphing over his adversities. A big part of Trent’s triumph has been to become a truly awesome guitarist and now he will take his musical career to the next level in Hollywood.

Music Rocks Australia wishes Trent every success in the U.S.A. Below is the front page of the recent Stirling Times with Trent front and centre…

This week the Community Newspaper group have reported on the pioneering work of  Music Rocks Australia and the impact we are having in the comunity, amongst educators and musicians and for our awesome young people. A big thank you to MRA All-stars Rio Tana and Luke Kersey for being a part of the photo shoot last week… Very handsome boys, I’ll let them tell everyone what we were talking about when the photo was taken… A shame too they used the foyer photo instead of the studio photo with light and smoke machine provided by Kosmic Stay tuned to the Eastern Reporter and the Stirling Times in particular for more Music Rocks Stories. Below are two of the articles.

Dean, I just wanted to tell you what an awesome job you are doing with the kids! It was a fantastic show, totally blown away with the talent and how they have grown. You have a great support group too, Julian is great! You are filling in a very important and greatly needed gap. Keep up the brilliant work you are doing, the difference in Rio is amazing, thanks to YOU!!! How amazing, you have been so good for him. and yes, no problem using my email, every word is straight from the heart.xxLove love love

Lina Tana

Get your face-paint and your hair gel ready!!! The Term 2 performances now have a date and a venue!

“Music Rocks the Civic” and “MRA All-stars Players Choice” Concerts will occur in the awesome band room at the Civic Hotel in Inglewood (981 Beaufort Street), on Sunday the 3rd of July. The main session for school based groups will start at 1.30pm with doors opening at 1.00pm. The All-star session will begin at 3.30pm with doors opening at 3.00pm. All first session attendees are welcome to the All-star session at no extra cost and this will be the chance for everyone to see the most elite MRA musicians and their music.

Tickets will be available from your Ensemble Directors   in your weekly rehearsals – Adults will be $10, Children $5 and door tickets will be available at $15 and $10 respectively

For our school based groups this will be the first concert for 2011 and the first taste of performance and what it’s like to be a Rock Star. Invite the whole family and friends and make a day of it at the Civic with food and drinks available

Dean

Music Rocks Australia turns 5 years old on the 1st of June 2011…

The very first ensemble session took place at Morley SHS on the 1st of June, 2006.

I remember the lighting rig falling, the wooden stages moving too much to the point of breaking a stage wheel and it taking 55 minutes to get the stages down the hill and into the common room setup – the transit system wasn’t quite what it is today! I won’t admit it too easily but I do recall tears in my eyes after all the hard work thinking “what have I done?”… What I failed to focus upon on that day was how much

the kids loved it, something that become evident in the days, weeks, months, years after that fateful first attempt, escpecially once we started to perform – the Astor Theatre performances have been a major highlight… Music Rocks was certainly unique, certainly for hardcore and passionate educators, certainly the most worthwhile and rewarding thing I have ever done in my life – even from that first day it was evident that we created a monster!!!

…and here we are WA’s biggest, best and most unique music school

A huge thank you to all the young people who have been Music Rocks musicians – past and present – to all the Music Rocks ensemble directors past and present… Thank you for all of your enthusiasm, dedication and most of all ‘the music’ – so many stories, so many achievements, breakthroughs and amazing performances, so many characters and quite a number of careers in music have been forged!

A special thank you to sponsors Kosmic for all your support…

It will be great for everyone – parents, friends and musicians to post about their memories of Music Rocks and what it has meant to each of you in the coming days… Also look out for the inaugural Music Rocks Newsletter about to hit current MRA musicians so get to www.musicrocks.com.au to sign up We’ll be thinking hard for our next set of concerts for how to celebrate this milestone by rewarding as many of you as possible…

What’s exciting is what will come next…