In the Spotlight

Piano student Lucas Deng was very nervous going into his first big audition for School of Rock’s House Band. He’d spent the last week practicing and preparing, but he still couldn’t be sure he was ready. He only had 15 minutes to show what he could do, and there were lots of other people auditioning. “It felt somewhat intense,” Lucas says.

Lucas had been learning with Powers piano teacher Tristan Bouchard for several years, exploring songs that made Lucas excited to learn. He says “Tristan and I had worked on a bunch of songs last semester, probably around ten in total, and he helped me, from the music notes to the technique and to the expression…. In the end, I picked the two I liked the most, and we polished them up for the audition.”

In addition to Lucas’ choices, School of Rock also picked five songs, and would randomly pick one from the list in the audition. The school announced the songs while Lucas was overseas, so he didn’t see them until he returned. He says “I had to work super hard to learn and memorize everything in a short amount of time…it felt overwhelming.”

Luckily, Lucas was able to ask his teacher, Tristan, for help!

“Tristan helped me so much with this. He was really patient, supportive, and encouraging, and he showed me great methods to memorize and understand the music better. Thanks to him, I was able to feel more confident and prepared.”

Back in the audition room, Lucas says “I had practiced a lot, but I didn’t know what songs they would pick from the audition pool or what questions they would ask…so I was pretty scared. Once I started playing, though, I tried to focus just on the music and expression.”

His preparation with Tristan paid off. Lucas’ performance (including the two pieces he chose, “Piano Man” and “Somebody to Love”) earned him a spot in the House Band!

Lucas’ reaction: “When I found out I got accepted, I felt so relieved and happy. All the hours of practice and the nerves were worth it. It made me feel proud of myself and gave me more confidence for what’s ahead.”

After taking this risk, Lucas feels ready for his new opportunity, and the new challenges that come with it. He says “I’ll need to start new pieces on my own, learn them before rehearsals, and be ready to pick up more songs in a short amount of time.” He’s excited about “playing gigs and making music with others”!

The band’s first gig, a Halloween themed show, is coming up at the end of October 2025. Break a leg, Lucas!