Learning to Rock: Poc's Music in DeKalb offers young musicians a different kind of instruction

Adam Dorland (front), bassist for The Rockers, plays during a concert Saturday at The House in downtown DeKalb. In addition to Dorland, The Rockers are Emma Valerias on guitar (back), Jake Maas on guitar and Jordan Nguyen on drums. The band formed through Poc’s School of Rock at Poc’s Music in downtown DeKalb. (John Puterbaugh - jputerbaugh@daily-chronicle.com)

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Dave “Poc” Miller celebrated his 55th birthday Saturday at a rock ’n’ roll show.

Miller, who owns and operates Poc’s Music in downtown DeKalb, didn’t attend just any rock show, though.

He was at The House Cafe, where a sellout crowd of at least 160 people were in attendance to see a duo of bands – The Rockers and Restless Minds – whose members range in age from 10 to mid-teens. The bands formed through Poc’s School of Rock, a unique curriculum offered through Poc’s Music in which participants play together as a band under the instruction of multitalented instructor Steffan Zarakas.

Poc’s Music has been in business for about three and a half years, Miller said. While 80 to 90 individual private music lessons are conducted at the store each week, Miller said the School of Rock is a next level for students who show the ability – and interest – to try their hand at playing in a band.

“We try to get kids advanced enough to start a group,” Miller said. He added that while students can be a bit nervous about the idea of learning with a group, the students who have taken the leap have shown a strong interest in the program.

Such is the case with The Rockers, whose members are 13-year-old Jake Maas, who plays guitar; 12-year-old Adam Dorland, who plays bass; 12-year-old Emma Valerias, who plays guitar; and 10-year-old Jordan Nguyen, who plays the drums. While they each have their own history and interests in music, they’ve enjoyed the chance to play together in a rock band.

The group meets weekly to work on new songs and old, the product of which showed in Saturday’s set at The House, where nearly 200 people ate up each of the four songs they played – “Smoke on the Water,” “My Sharona,” “Otherside” (Red Hot Chili Peppers) and “Born to be Wild.”

And experiences like Saturday’s show really vindicate Miller’s efforts to offer something unique and rewarding for young musicians.

“They got done and I had tears going down my face,” Miller said. “My wife asked me, ‘Are you crying?’ I said no, ‘I’m just happy.’”

Miller also beamed when describing moments in the store when he’s had to check in on the group just to make sure his young student musicians were the ones playing and not their instructors.

“I kid with them all the time; I say, ‘If you get famous, remember Poc,’” Miller said.

While the young musicians aren’t thinking about the day they become famous just yet, they are certainly enjoying the experiences they’re gaining through Poc’s School of Rock. The members of The Rockers described after their practice Monday how fun it is to learn and be able to play songs as a band. They also expressed admiration for their instructor, Zarakas, who by their account can play every instrument and just about every song, too.

Miller said lessons at Poc’s are unique in that they really push students to learn and play what they themselves are interested in.

“If someone brings a CD in, our instructor will help them figure out how to play it,” he said.

Besides the School of Rock, Poc’s also has instructors to offer individual private lessons in guitar, drums/percussion and piano. Miller also said he hopes to expand and install a stage and set for lessons and shows that could be held on site.

On the Net
For more information on Poc’s Music or Poc’s School of Rock, visit www.pocsmusic.com.