School of Rock Montclair General Manager Kevin March Featured in Modern Drummer Magazine

Kevin March, the Berklee-trained General Manager at School of Rock Montclair, is the subject of a five page article in the April issue of Modern Drummer magazine. The story features a history of March’s work as a drummer for such “alternative A-listers” as Guided by Voices, Shudder to Think, the Dambuilders, Jeff Buckley, James Iha, the Rentals, Robert Pollard, and Ricked Wicky, as well as an interview with contributor David Jarnstrom.

“Modern Drummer is a bible for drummers around the world, whether they’re students, hobbyists, or pros, so it was an honor to be so prominently featured,” says March, who’s been a Montclair resident since 2012 and is the parent of a third grader at the Hillside School. “Along with talking about my work as a producer and a band member in the article, I also gave a shout out to School of Rock Montclair, which is where I have the best ‘day’ job in the world.”

March joined School of Rock Montclair in 2013 as the Creative Director, where he oversaw the School’s curriculum, faculty, and Performance Program shows. He became the General Manager in 2015 and oversees all aspects of the School’s operations.

“I was a drum instructor at School of Rock’s Brooklyn location back in the Guided by Voices days, and I was just blown away by how cool it was,” says March in the article. “It’s so rewarding when you see the smiles on the kids’ faces when they’re succeeding in doing something, even if it’s just playing quarter notes. Or when they come off stage for the first time and say ‘I want to keep doing this!’ I’m like, ‘I know exactly how that feels!’”

March’s busy schedule at School of Rock Montclair includes the overseeing of six Performance Program shows (tributes to Iron Maiden, The Doors, AC/DC, Radiohead, Paramore vs. Fall Out Boy, and a themed “Video Game Heroes” show) that are currently in rehearsal and will be presented in May at Just Jake’s and the Old Mogul Theater. March will also be making time to perform with Guided by Voices at concerts in late April and through the remainder of 2016.

“We’re not just teaching our students at School of Rock to be musicians, we’re also teaching them how to be performers and blow a crowd away,” says March. “Every time I come back from a gig or a tour, I can share a new tidbit of what works with the kids and help them to hone their on stage skills. They love trying out the recommendations, and they really love when they see how well it all works.”