As the days shorten, the air acquires a chill, and the fuzzy socks make a comeback, cozy up with the Rock 101 fall playlist. The staff and instructors have shared their current favorite songs. By doing so, we are providing a glimpse of what each of us are thinking and feeling in this particular moment in time. Please enjoy.

Twelve years later, Issac continues to find joy in teaching music as well as exploring his own musical journey. For him, it is all about having a willingness to learn.

“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.” F. Scott Fitzgerald nailed it in this line from The Great Gatsby! Can you feel it? Enthusiasm, anticipation, and tricks (or treats) are coming our way. In line with all the autumn feels, I can’t wait to introduce you to our Students of the Month. When it comes to their musical journeys, both of these students contain that October energy of excitement. Grab your hoodies, sit down with a warm beverage, and read on.

For those who don’t know, the Songwriter’s Collective is a specialty music class for teens (ages 12-18) offered by Rock 101. During the weekly classes, Kevin Herig instructs students in the multifaceted skill of writing their own melodies and pairing them with unique lyrics.

As we move through this thing called life, our community is important. Mauricio loves the tight knit music scene in Albuquerque and enjoys contributing to it not only as a musician but also as a member of Music Go Round.

There’s just something about music, am I right? The ability to bring seemingly dissimilar people together is really its super power. This is the opinion of both students of the month for September. Although different in age, instrument, and hobbies, their ability to sit down and openly discuss their love of music was equally charming and fun.

Freebirds is a Rock 101 class specifically geared towards young rockers ages 3-6. This class meets weekly for 45 minutes at a time. What do the students learn in Freebirds? To be very official and professional, I will tell you that they will learn guitar, ukulele, drums, piano, and singing. If I were to talk to you off the record—you know, just between us—I would tell you that these students are learning much more.

“The true gift of the wayfinder’s journey is not arrival at a destination; it is who we become along the way as we fulfill our potential.” - Dr. Chellie Spiller, Hoturoa Barclay-Kerr, & John Panoho

We are so lucky, here at Rock 101, to have our very own wayfinder. She has been with the company from the very beginning; in fact, we might argue that she has been with the company since before its inception.