The School of Rock

Whilst glorious carols are still on the agenda for this Christmas, students from across Beijing international schools have been swapping Père Noël for Pink Floyd. Carefully positioning their orchestral instruments back in the music rooms, a number of students have gathered together to revive the era of rock, punk and funk for a new generation.


If it wasn’t John, Paul, Ringo and George sitting in a classroom some fifty years ago strumming on guitars, forming what we now recognise as The Beatles, it would have been hundreds of other legendary artists playing hand-me-down instruments trying to make it happen. At this moment, teenagers in school auditoriums have been striking a chord with their musical predecessors by reforming the ‘student band.’

Dan Albar has been exercising his bass guitar skills for the last six months in one of these student bands. “You get to accomplish more if you play your own music, because it allows you to be creative and you can be proud of the result.” Guillaume’s Band, (as the three-piece are currently known,) is Harrow International School Beijing’s resident funk and classic rock group, and they aren’t afraid to think outside of the box when it comes to music. Inspired by the improvised sixties stylings of BB King and Buddy Rich, the group differs immensely from some of the other bands also taking to the stage...

Read on: The School of Rock- Littlestar Mag