TJ will soon have recording studio

By Eric Seiverling

eseiverling@yourmvi.com

Thanks to musician and art instructor Kirk Salopek, Thomas Jefferson High School will soon have its very own School of Rock.

Salopek, the school’s art department coordinator who’s been with the district for 19 years, is also a veteran of the Pittsburgh music scene, having performed and recorded in numerous rock bands since the 1980s.

When the district opened the new, $95 million high school in August, Salopek saw an opportunity to approach the school board about creating a new recording studio in the building where students can learn the art of recording instruments and sound effects to be used in band demos and video soundtracks.

With the help of Thomas Jefferson High School senior Lydia Shaw, Salopek’s vision is taking shape, complete with soundproofing, custom-built windows, a silent vent, condenser and dynamic mics, guitars, amps and an 11-by-14-foot isolation room that will house drums and keyboards.

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