Arts & Entertainment
Montclair High Senior Selected to Join National School of Rock AllStars Tour
Montclair's Sam Schuman was chosen to join the School of Rock AllStars, which is comprised of some of America's top teen musicians.
MONTCLAIR, NJ — Local rocker and Montclair High School senior Sam Schuman was chosen to be a member of the School of Rock AllStars Band, which recently completed a national tour.
“Sam is a guitarist, a violinist, and one of our most dedicated and talented students,” says Kevin March, General Manager of School of Rock Montclair. “He was one of hundreds of School of Rock musicians from across the United States to audition for the AllStars opportunity, and we’re thrilled that he was selected to represent us.”
According to a news release, Schuman first submitted a video audition clip for the AllStars in February. He then took part in a live audition in April, and was notified in May that he was chosen to be part of the band. His fellow band members, which included School of Rock students from locations in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, assembled on July 16 for rehearsals in Atlanta and began a six city tour on July 19.
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The AllStars’ itinerary included shows at rock clubs and venues through the Midwest - including The Record Bar in Kansas City, Old Rock House in St. Louis, Woodward Theater in Cincinnati, Joyful Noise in Indianapolis, and Schuba’s Tavern in Chicago. The tour’s final concert was a gig by Schuman and his fellow AllStars for 100,000 attendees at the 11th annual Lollapalooza Festival in Chicago’s Grant Park.
“Meeting and playing with School of Rock musicians from around the country was incredible,” says Schuman, who played guitar on the tour and was featured on the AllStars’ performances of hits by The Beatles, Jefferson Airplane, Radiohead, and Lynyrd Skynyrd. “There was an immediate sense of camaraderie, and going through the touring experience together brought us incredibly close.
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“The AllStars challenge pushed me to hone my skills not only as a musician but also as a performer. Being in a program with such high expectations and being on stage with a talented group of young, driven musicians inspired me to work harder than I ever have, and to perform with more energy and confidence than I ever thought possible. It was a truly transformative journey.”
