Strike up the band

Como’s staid and stately style would have no place in this rocking room. A sign hanging above the entrance of the room says it all: “Jamming Location Here.” Nearly everyone inside is too young to drive.

Playing the bass — the least popular instrument by far among the music students — is the pupils’ teacher, Rob Melton. He stands at the center of the room, while fellow teacher Kyle Williams roves around conducting the students.

Melton, the owner and chief teacher at the Opus School of Music in Ridgefield, has brought the students together to rehearse their set in preparation for the school’s gig at the Holiday Gift Fair at the Clark County Event Center. That early-morning show on Nov. 17 was the school’s last before one of its two big concerts of the year: The second annual Autumnal Concert on Dec. 9 at the Old Liberty Theater.

During a break in the rehearsal, Melton becomes animated and offers some advice to his students before they continue: “I visualize

this song like it’s Thanksgiving, and you’ve had way too much food, and you’ve had way too many energy drinks,” Melton says, displaying the type of enthusiasm he expects from his students.

In short, he wants verve and vigor. As the band practices, it’s got plenty of that — in liquid form, at least. In the other room, energy drinks and deluxe-sized cans of Mountain Dew line tables.

After a couple of hours, the rehearsal wraps. “All right, that’s nine songs,” Melton says, as a couple of parents trickle into the lobby near the small entrance of the apartment-sized school. “That will take us up to 45 minutes.”

The kids pack up their equipment and some file into other rooms.

As the date of the Autumnal Concert approaches, the show is proving to be a large and nerve-wracking undertaking for Melton, his music teachers and their students. Despite looking the part of rock stars — all purple hair and slightly askew neckties highlighting otherwise casual attire — they’re not entirely used to being front and center.

But as much as Opus School of Music is about providing kids with the tools to be good musicians, it also provides an outlet to improve their confidence.

The concert will last two hours, and Melton expects a filled-to-capacity house. The concert will feature two bands — one of kids 12 and younger, another for kids 13 and older — as well as smaller groups and soloists.

It will also feature everything from versions of holiday songs to classical compositions, even a couple of modern pop songs. “It could be Katy Perry,” Melton says.

Under the canopy

At Opus, Melton emphasizes what he calls the “canopy curriculum,” which involves learning a little bit of everything and being comfortable in a variety of styles. Under the canopy curriculum, students of the school learn more than one instrument, including percussion, in addition to music history. They’re also expected to sing. That allows the students to understand what others are doing and play better as a group.

Being front and center is not something Mayhew particularly likes. But with a few gigs under her belt, she doesn’t mind having the audience’s eyes, and ears, tuned to her when she takes the stage.

It’s just a matter of keeping her mind in the right place.

“I just try to tell myself that everything will be OK,” she says.

Two big shows

When it comes to performing, the old adage remains true: Practice makes perfect. As such, the Autumnal Concert will act as one of the school’s two big shows of the year, a complement to the summer concert. That concert is called Polyroux and is Melton’s idea of a music festival dedicated entirely to youth acts. Performers don’t have to be students in his music school; they just have to be local and dedicated to crafting good performances.

After all, once the kids grow accustomed to performing live, Melton says, they can’t get enough of it

“After their first gig, it’s like a little fire is lit underneath them,” he says. “It’s the thrill of playing music, not only as a group but also providing it for a group. It’s like they’re giving a gift.”

Tyler Graf: 360-735-4517; http://twitter.com/col_smallcities; tyler.graf@columbian.com.