Rojo is Back, Summer Recital, and Audition Opportunities with American Idol and Nickelodeon

elisa9819
Aug 7, 2020
3 min read

Academy of Sound thrives in a virtual environment

Hello Academy of Sound families!

This summer we are again planning an online/virtual recital, to celebrate all our learning and have some fun.

Please visit our virtual recital registration page to sign up, and learn how to send in your video by August 15th.

The recital will be published on August 20th at 4:00 PM, though you can watch any time after that.

Instructor Mr. Rojo (Drum Set) Returns

Rogelio "Rojo" Carranza originally joined the Academy of Sound faculty in 2012. He brings many years of experience teaching music, particularly drum set as well as some concert percussion instruments such as snare drum and timpani. He began his study of percussion in fifth grade and continued on through high school and college. He was a member of Symphonic Band, Pep Band, Jazz Band, Pit Band, and Marching Band. With a lot of practice and support from his family, he was able to go on to the Rock Valley Conference Band two years in a row and State Solo & Ensemble four years in a row. Rogelio graduated from Clinton Senior High School and went on to earn his BS in Broad Field Natural Science with a Physics emphasis from Edgewood College in 2016. He recently joined the Board of Directors for the Latino Professionals Association with over 10 years of combined experience in public services, change management, and leadership. Rojo is fluent in English and Spanish, and is accepting students of all ages!

Welcome back, Mr. Rojo! See our openings to register with him today.

Meet New Instructor, Mr. Alex (Guitar, Ukulele)

Alex Frissell started playing the guitar and bass when he was 13, growing up amid communities of jazz and classical music in Cleveland, Ohio. He continued to study classical guitar technique and jazz improvisation throughout high school, and spent a dedicated year in the Jazz Studies Program at Cuyahoga Community College with his guitar teacher, Lee Bush. At the University of Rochester he studied English Literature and Music, taking private lessons at the Eastman School of Music with Bob Sneider (jazz guitar) and David Plylar (composition). After graduating in 2007, he lived and worked in New York City, Ireland, England, and Scotland, teaching classroom English and private music lessons. These experiences sparked the passion for teaching that has shaped his life and work ever since, and since 2011 he has been teaching college courses in Humanities and the Arts and College English at Marquette University, Lake Erie College, and Lakeland Community College. He also teaches private guitar, ukulele, and bass lessons in the Madison area. He loves working with all ages and all skill levels, and finds particular joy in helping each individual discover how to make music practice and performance enriching and rewarding. He is currently the guitarist for the Edgewood College Jazz Band, as well as other groups and venues in Madison and Milwaukee. Alex joined Academy of Sound in 2020, first at Mariposa, and later in the main lesson program as well.

Welcome, Mr. Alex! See our openings to register with him today.

Nickelodeon & American Idol Auditions

Important dates to remember

Academy of sound will continue to operate virtually (online lessons only) throughout summer and fall 2020

Thursday, August 20: Summer recital (online/virtual). Videos due August 15th.

Recital info & registration here.

Thursday, August 27: Summer session ends for our Oregon location.

Friday, September 11: Summer session ends for our Mariposa location.

Monday September 14: Fall 2020-2021 lessons begin. All lessons continue online-only.

You can always see the latest, and sync with us, at academyofsound.org/calendar

Keeping in Touch

Now, more than ever, it is important that we stay in touch. Since we don't have a chance to connect with you each week in the waiting area, please remember that we are here via email, phone, or video chat, for any questions, concerns, or things you just want us to know throughout the week. Join our Facebook group to connect with other AOS families!

Add some music to your social media feed!

Follow and Like us on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn and Twitter.

And we always appreciate reviews on Facebook, Google, or Yelp!

Refer a friend and receive a $25 credit for each student who signs up for lessons!

Support Academy of Sound Foundation

0.5% of your purchase totals at smile.amazon.com will support music scholarships through the Academy of Sound Foundation. There's no extra cost, and you will be helping area students in need to access music lessons!

Click the link or logo to begin shopping.