Stillwater Rock Academy teaches kids how to form rock bands

Apr. 15—Kids and teens who want to form their own rock bands now have a chance to do so with Stillwater's own rock 'n' roll academy.

Stillwater Rock Academy, a creation of Jesse Tabish of the band Other Lives, and his wife, Kim, began offering classes in February.

The classes are held from 4:30-5:30 p.m. (Group A) and 5:30-6:30 p.m. (Group B) on Monday-Friday at the Stillwater Community Center.

Classes are divided into age groups, from 9-13 and from 14-17. Tabish said the academy also offers classes to students 18 and older, but those are typically private lessons.

Lessons are $160 per month for four one-hour lessons. Tabish said a typical class has between three to five students, but even with that size, every class has developed its own band within a few short months.

Lessons are available in guitar, bass, drums and voice.

For Jennifer Birchfiield's daughter, Ainsley Sexton, the lessons are a dream come true.

Sexton, 13, wanted to take bass lessons, as she was already playing upright bass in Stillwater Middle School's orchestra.

Birchfield first saw a flier for the academy at SMS, but later visited Daddy O's. There were no afternoon lessons available, but they told her about Stillwater Rock Academy.

At first, she didn't know what the academy was.

"I thought she was just taking bass lessons," Birchfield said.

Lessons were delayed unexpectedly, but when Jesse Tabish called to tell her about the change, he said they already had a whole band in place.

"I almost cried on the phone because my daughter ... is so social and she has big dreams for every aspect of her life," Birchfield said. "I knew she'd be so thrilled to find out that she was in a real band."

Sexton said she loves classic rock and was inspired to start playing bass because her brother, Grayson Sexton, plays.

"Jesse is a brilliant teacher, and it's cool that he helps me learn to play bass and that I'm in a band that will perform in public," Sexton said. "I love Stillwater Rock Academy because I'm living my dream."

Tabish lets students choose songs, then brings tablature (or musical notation based on finger position) for the students to learn the songs.

"She can already play three songs," Birchfield said, of her daughter who started lessons in February. "Now she's learned that ... if she wants to do something, there's a way to do it."

Tabish and his wife lived in Portland for a time but moved back to Stillwater about two years ago. Tabish, who built his own band in Stillwater as a 13-year-old, has made it his mission to help support the Stillwater music scene.

One of those ways is through offering classes to students interested in learning to play music, forming a rock band and playing at community events.

Right now, about 15 students are enrolled in classes. Tabish said he and Kim have watched how quickly the students have caught on.

"We've seen bands form kind of overnight, and they're playing and singing full songs," Tabish said. "Kim and I are just kind of amazed at how fast these kids learn. It's been really fulfilling."

Tabish said the academy has grown mostly by word of mouth, although they are on Instagram and Facebook. He said they wanted to start slow, but things have begun to pick up.

"Now we're really in the thick of the program, and have a better idea of what we're doing," Tabish said.

A new aspect of the program in the last month is the Stillwater Rock Academy Scholarship program. There are two scholarships available for students who want to attend the academy, and people can make donations to the fund.

"We want to be able to say 'Yes' to every student," Tabish said. "We don't want to turn anyone away, no matter what financial restrictions (they may have). No matter what, you can be in the program and we'll find you a scholarship."

Tabish also said the academy does their best to provide an instrument if a student needs one, and most of the instruments have been donated.

"If someone doesn't have a guitar, we'll find you one," Tabish said. "If you don't have a drum set, we're going to find you one."

Although Tabish and Kim offer lessons in traditional rock band instruments, they are open to students using other instruments, such as the violin, xylophone and accordion.

"My history with my band, we've used so many different instruments over our records, and so I think it's always interesting to introduce new elements to rock n' roll," Tabish said.

Some of those included the trumpet, vibraphone (percussion instrument similar to a xylophone) and clarinet.

Tabish said he enjoys watching each student "come out of their shell."

"The first couple of lessons, I think everybody was kind of a little nervous (like), 'How is this going to go,' including me and Kim," Tabish said. "... But you really start to see them gel as a band, and I think that's the coolest thing to see."

For most of the students, playing together with other people is a new thing.

"It's the first time they're doing it, and to start to see that connection musically that you can only get through playing with other people, I think that's the biggest thing to see," Tabish said.

Tabish said although the academy is in its third month, they are planning on each band opening with two or three songs for an event in May, with a to-be-determined date.

For more information and to sign up for classes, visit stillwaterrockacademy.com.