The lights dim, and the waves of chatter across the room silence as the band members make their way to the small stage. The audience leans forward with anticipation as the members exchange quick last-second nods, something like pure adrenaline in their eyes. With the strum of a guitar and the beat of the drum, the audience is soon electrified. Meet the CVHS School of Rock, Carnegie’s very own rock band!
The band’s journey began unexpectedly one afternoon when Junior Joshua Rivera, lead guitarist and vocalist, decided to do something new at Music Appreciation Club.
“One day, I brought my guitar just for fun, and everyone was like, ‘Yo, this is kinda tough’,” Rivera recalls with a grin.
Soon, other people began to join the room, bringing their instruments and playing along.
“Shawn was the first to come along and play bass, and then I saw Zach’s long hair and figured he had to play guitar,” Rivera laughs.
Michael Santos, the drummer, was introduced by Marco, another guitarist, and before long, a full band formed!
“When we started, we were just a group who loved music, and we figured, why not make it something more?” Zachary Bang, lead guitarist, said.
“We each have a different style and taste, which makes the music more dynamic,” explained Vaddi. “It’s like everyone contributes a different color to the same canvas.”
However, the band faced hardships down the road, like limited resources and inadequate rehearsal space at school. This caused issues for the band’s first-ever performance at Carnegie Vanguard’s Annual I-Fest in March of 2024.
Anything that could’ve gone wrong did,” Bang recalled. “The amp cables broke, and we couldn’t fix it on the spot. Half the crowd couldn’t even hear us.”
Despite the hurdles, each setback became an opportunity for growth.
“After that, we knew we had to prepare way more,” Rivera added. “It’s about being ready for whatever can go wrong and having backup plans in place.”
The lessons learned in these early performances would become crucial to their development as a band. With each performance, the band grew stronger and more unified.
“We weren’t just playing music,” says Bang. “We were creating something together, learning from each other’s styles and pushing ourselves.”
Their breakout concert at Cinco de Mayo 2023 attracted an audience of over 150 people, a testament to their rising popularity.
“It was insane,” Rivera remembered. “We had 20 people at first, but then the place was packed.”
The high-energy performance cemented their place in Carnegie’s social scene. Santos noted, “People really loved us that night. I think that was the moment we realized just how much we could do.”
Building on that momentum, the band took on Rhino Fest, delivering memorable renditions of “American Idiot” by Green Day and “In Bloom” by Nirvana.
“We chose songs that would make an impression,” said Vaddi. “After I-Fest, we wanted to redeem ourselves and make a name for the band.” In an unexpected turn, “In Bloom” became a last-minute addition that was quickly perfected. “It became one of our best songs,” Bang shared. “People still request it.”
“Each show felt like a new level of growth,” Vaddi added. “And every time we messed up, we learned to rely on each other more.”
As the band’s popularity grows here on campus, it wants to expand into a club to share its love of music with others; offering lessons and open jam sessions to students, from beginners to advanced musicians.
“When we came to Carnegie, it was disappointing that there wasn’t a music program,” Vaddi shared. “That’s why we didn’t just want to be a band; we wanted to be a club that could teach others and create a community.”
“It doesn’t matter if you think you suck,” Rivera emphasized. “Just trying is enough. Nobody expects you to be a rock star overnight. But if you have a passion, you’ll get there.”
For Santos, music is more than practice. “It’s not a job or a class — it’s a way to connect with people and have fun. That’s why we do it.”
CVHS School of Rock’s ultimate goal is to leave a lasting legacy at CVHS. “We started this club to give others what we didn’t have — a space to play, learn, and grow,” Rivera said. “And hopefully, that’s something that’ll stick around long after we’re gone.”
