Auditions at the Rock School's South branch

Always wanted your own band? Love pop and rock music more than anything else? Want to learn from professional pop and rock musicians? Here's your chance!

The Mitrovica Rock School's South branch is able to place five new students. Open auditions will be held for the following positions:


Guitar player for Sofra




Guitar player for Band 4




Bass guitar player for Missed Call
Singer for Missed Call



Keyboard player for The Frames



Auditions are open to anyone between ages 12 and 25 with at least basic skills in their instrument. Please prepare one or two pop or rock songs for the audition.

Time: Saturday October 31, starting at 1 p.m.
Place: Mitrovica Rock School (South branch), sports center "Fatime Xhaka" - Mitrovica

Contact:
Edon Ramadani: 049/146-322 / edon@mitrovicarockschool.org / edonramadani@gmail.com
Erhan Mujka: 049/436-855 / e_mujka@hotmail.com

Ambassador to open for the Sahbaz

Next Thursday, the Return of the Sahbaz benefit concert for the Mitrovica Rock School will be opened by Rock School band The Ambassador.

The "original" Ambassador first got together during the 2009 Skopje Summer School, and is featured in this short film by Tami Ravid.



The "new" Ambassador are:

Minja - vocals


Luka - solo guitar


Vanja - rythm guitar





Nemanja - bass guitar


Djordje - keys


Misko - drums

R.O.T.S. benefit concert for the Rock School

On Thursday October 29, the Return of the Sahbaz (R.O.T.S.) will give a benefit concert for the Mitrovica Rock School!

R.O.T.S. consists of Rock Academy trainer Ruud Borgers (vocals and guitar), CBM's Rock School Project Manager Milos Drazevic (bass guitar), and Rock School teacher Mladen Marinkovic (drums). The band first performed in Skopje on August 28, where they brought the house down during the Summer School closing concert.

Sahbaz sounds: ZZ Top, Iggy Pop, David Bowie, Ramones, AC/DC, Nirvana and Kylie Minogue. Wondering what that adds up to? Be there!


Date: Thursday October 29
Town: Mitrovica
Venue: VIVA Club


R.O.T.S. will be touring the region from October 26 through November 1. Tour dates are posted here. For surprise concerts on October 30 and 31, stay tuned to the Sahbaz blog!

Cuban box drums donated to the Rock School

Through Rock School friend Ryozo Teruoka, the International Citizens Network of Japan recently donated four Cuban box drums to the Mitrovica Rock School.



Here's what a box drum is according to Wikipedia:
A thin wooden panel forms the "skin." The bass cajon is large enough to sit on and is played with the palm, fist and fingers. Where you hit the box determines the sound/tone you create. Bass tones are found towards the center of the playing surface while higher pitched tones are found towards the edges. Played well, the sound of a box drum can resemble that of an entire drum kit.

"All very nice," you say, "but what does any of this have to do with rock'n'roll?" Have a look.



Many thanks to our friends in Japan for this generous donation!

Official Opening huge success -- Rock School students rock Mitrovica!

Official opening
On Sunday September 27, the Mitrovica Rock School celebrated its Official Opening.



Rocking performances
Rock School students and teachers performed together and with trainers from the Dutch Rock Academy at rocking events on both sides of the city.


Huge crowds
The opening ceremonies were hosted by Rock School students Vesa, Visar, Minja and Milos, who did an excellent job presenting their school to the enormous crowds that had gathered to help
us celebrate. All Rock School bands -- including the new Summer School-inspired band Ambassador -- delivered rocking performances.

Speeches and jamming
The ceremonies included speeches by CBM and MwB Directors Valdete Idrizi and Laura Hassler, the Rock Academy's two Directors Bertus Borgers and Gerard Boontjes, and IKV Pax Christi's Linda Schevers. Quite late into the evening, the opening night was fittingly closed with an awesome jam session starring Rock School teacher Goran Vucetic on guitar and Rock Academy Director Bertus Borgers on the sax.

Opening on TV
For those who weren't able to make it: the ceremony in the South was captured by KTV's Express program (you have to wait for Whitney Houston to finish, but it's worth it). And the ceremony in the North was broadcast by TV Most.

Enjoy!

And to all Rock School students and teachers: congratulations on a rocking kick-off!