Award-winning School of Rock set to move to West End Theatre District
ALLENTOWN, Pa. (October 1, 2014) — The Lehigh Valley’s own School of Rock is expanding its reach, and the West End Theatre District will be the eager recipient of its newest location.
Scheduled to open November 1, 2014, at the rear of the building that houses the Shanty on 19th (613 N. 19th Street), the School of Rock is already an active member of the Lehigh Valley music community with locations in Easton and Allentown. The move to the West End Theatre District from its current location at 622 Union Boulevard in Allentown is the next step for an already proud organization.
The 3,200-square-foot space in the West End Theatre District is currently being retrofitted to enable it to accommodate 400 students a week.
The School of Rock is an international music school program that originally started in Philadelphia and has been educating musicians of all ages since 1998. With more than 100 locations in the United States alone, the School of Rock looks to inspire students both on the stage and in their everyday lives. Local owners, Sue and Ray Thierrin, brought this community-based music experience to the Lehigh Valley in 2009, and have provided the Valley with award-winning music ever since.
Part of what sets the School of Rock apart from other music programs is its performance-based approach to music education. Students learn in the classroom from local musicians while simultaneously preparing for live performances that take place throughout the year. According to the Thierrins, it is this layered approached that gives young musicians meaningful goals to strive towards as they hone their skills in the classroom and on the stage.
For the Thierrins, the School of Rock Allentown is a family affair. After seeing first-hand the impact that another School of Rock location had on their son, they made it their mission to share music with others using the School of Rock approach. This personal connection drives them in their work, and it shows with the number of community events and gigs that School of Rock Allentown students frequent. For their efforts, this year they were recognized by the Lehigh Valley’s Happenings List as the Best Kid’s Music Instruction in the Lehigh Valley. Over the years, they have also received multiple awards for their continued involvement in music and the community at large.
In Thierrin’s eyes, Allentown’s West End Theatre District is the perfect spot to expand the artistic and educational reach of the School of Rock. With recent additions such as the opening of the Shanty on 19th and local streetscaping projects, this burgeoning neighborhood is one of the hottest in the Lehigh Valley.
“Part of our charter is to be involved with the community. We selected our new location specifically in a place that has a community-based feel,” said Thierrin. “In the West End we have a good mix of businesses, retail, and residential a block away, in addition to the great cultural institutions like the Farmer’s Market and Civic Theatre. We really like the vibe of what we have here in the neighborhood.”
For more information on The School of Rock, visit: http://allentown.schoolofrock.com.
The West End Theatre District is overseen by the West End Alliance, a volunteer 501(c)(3) neighborhood development organization composed of neighbors, merchants, and stakeholders dedicated to the development of the neighborhood. More: www.westendtheatredistrict.com.
Contact: Michael Drabenstott, West End Theatre District
Ray Thierrin, School of Rock – Allentown
About the West End Theatre District
The city blocks between 17th and 22nd Streets and Liberty and Washington Streets that comprise the district are home to more than 150 businesses and shops. Culturally rich and ethnically diverse, the West End Theatre District is a destination for residents, visitors, college students, entrepreneurs, and artisans alike. Home of the Civic Theatre, this neighborhood sits adjacent to Allentown institutions like the Fairgrounds Farmers Market, Muhlenberg College, Lehigh Valley Hospital, and Phoebe Home.
About the West End Alliance
The West End Alliance is an organization whose purpose is to stimulate revitalization in the West End Theatre District of Allentown, by envisioning and catalyzing positive change among residential, commercial, governmental, and institutional entities. We seek to promote the development of the West End of Allentown as a local, pedestrian-friendly neighborhood through the support of diverse businesses and services.
