Simon Opens School of Rock
St. Louis Jewish Light 26 Nov. 2003: 3.

 

Some people have trouble finding a religion with which they are comfortable. Dave Simon has two. Fortunately, for him they go hand-in-hand.

“I think Judaism and rock and roll both struggle with tradition but also want to be very cutting edge at the same time,” Simon said, “and what I notice a lot with Jewish people and with people in rock and roll is that they are trying to embrace tradition but they also realize that in order to survive, they need to embrace newer ideas, newer thoughts.”

Simon, 36, runs Dave Simon’s Rock School, which operates out of the basement of McMurray Music in Overland. The school, a testament to Simon’s faith in rock, opened its doors in June and now has 40 pupils. Simon accepts children ages 10-18.

Simon and his love of music began with classical selections but an introduction to rock and roll left little doubt where his passions would eventually lie.

“I heard the Beatles and I just freaked out and became obsessed,” Simon said. “It was to the point that I couldn’t wait to get home from school and listen to the records.”

Simon also found a mentor. Though at the time, the teenage Simon sported spiked hair and a punk-style wardrobe, a young rabbi at B’nai Amoona took a liking to him.

“I think he really pointed out to me that what I was doing was very Jewish by challenging the status quo, by pushing my own limits, in terms of trying to see how far I could go with music,” Simon said.

Simon was in a few bands while growing up. One even opened locally for various big-name groups, such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

In college, Simon discovered a talent for song writing. He switched his major from jazz studies to English and started doing private music teaching on the side. At first, it was just to make extra cash but soon Simon discovered he felt rewarded in other ways as well.

“I began to love teaching because I realized that not only was I teaching kids but I was teaching myself all these new things because I found myself thinking about aspects of music that I hadn’t thought about before.”

Later, Simon found himself out of the music business, by choice rather than circumstance. Newly-married to his wife, Keri, he had new responsibilities and a stable job in the information technology industry. The lure of the club scene just wasn’t appealing anymore.

Still, it didn’t take long for Simon to get the bug again, and it was Keri who suggested Simon go back to doing what he love most. After much brainstorming and even career counseling, Simon visited a Philadelphia music school that taught rock and roll. He immediately saw a need in his own community.

“I was so surprised when I got into rock and roll there wasn’t the mentor-student relationship that I was so accustomed to in classical music,” Simon said. “I found out that if you’re going to go into rock and roll you’re pretty much on your own as a kid.”

Simon set out to remedy that deficiency. The first two weeks of his program focus on the basics of music terminology, music theory and ear training. By the third week, students begin playing, with lessons focusing on contemporary rock hits. The 10-week course culminates with a concert in front of more than 200 guests.

Lessons at the school are $100 per month. With Simon’s personal instruction, the cost is $140.

Though Simon is the teacher, he encourages students to explore their own style, often through original compositions.

“There’s probably a hundred ways for me to say one idea,” Simon said. “It’s the same in music. There are many different ways to express an idea.”

In the end, Simon said rock and roll can be as spiritual an experience as anything else.

“Rock and roll and Judaism,” Simon said. “They’re both my religions. I’m able to get to the same point, just from different avenues.”

 

David Baugher
Associate Editor