The Music Lab at Jefferson Center, which came to life about a decade ago as the Downtown Music Lab elsewhere, has been helping musically gifted high school and middle school age kids for years. Now The Music Lab, founded by developer Ed Walker, and still funded with proceeds from Walker’s Kirk Avenue Music Hall, is about to go a step further.
Introducing: “Suite 325,” a six-man band comprised of Music Lab students, plus guitar teacher Greg Ayers. Suite 325, which includes members from Roanoke and Blacksburg, will make its stage debut this Saturday night (June 5) at 8 p.m., in a free concert at Kirk Avenue Music Hall. Most of the band members range in age from 13 to 16. The group’s name comes from the suite at Jefferson Center where The Music Lab is located.
Simon Kiser, who plays piano, other keyboards and sings backup vocals, is home schooled in Blacksburg. He comes to Jefferson Center to take classes at The Music Lab, which also exposes students to the production and business side of the music world. Kiser says Suite 325 is a mixed bag creatively. “It’s hard to say – we do so many different [style] songs, [from] The Police and The Beatles … to alternate modern rock bands. There’s so many different sounds of rock represented.”
Suite 325 is working on their first original songs but won’t have them ready for Saturday’s performance at Kirk Avenue Music Hall. “The plan is to write and record a few of them this summer,” said Kiser, whose teenaged sister Claire is a talented ballet student at a prestigious school of dance in Washington DC. True to his nature as a 15 year old, Simon Kiser said the notion of recording their own songs “is a blast.”
Kiser is impressed by how “really professional” The Music Lab is, and he appreciates the support of people like director Chris Stup. “The equipment is certainly professional,” he adds. “It feels really real.” As students progress through a series of classes at The Music Lab they get to use progressively better equipment. “It’s all about putting in the time and effort,” said Kiser; “You can’t just show up.”
Jefferson Center artistic director Dylan Locke has encouraged musicians booked for the main stage to spend time with students at The Music Lab, who come there after the school day is over. Kiser has been able to hang with the group Snarky Puppy and blues piano player, the Rev. Billy Wirtz. “He’s awesome,” said Kiser.
Appearing at a music-friendly venue like Kirk Avenue is icing on the cake for Kiser and Suite 325. “Usually the first concert is in your parent’s basement or backyard,” he notes. Kiser expects “a ton of people,” with friends and family in tow on Saturday. A second concert is planned for August, with plans to sell a CD of songs yet to be recorded.
Suite 325 has practiced under stage lights at Jefferson Center’s rehearsal hall, getting them ready for Saturday. “I’m pretty sure we know what we’re doing,” chuckles Kiser.
Being in a band like Suite 325 at such a young age fulfills one of Kiser’s “childhood dreams … really everything about it is pretty cool.”
(See kirkavenuemusichall.com for more information.)
By Gene Marrano [email protected]