From Langley to the Big Screen: How a Local Music Project Inspired School of Rock

Long before School of Rock became a global sensation—before Jack Black picked up a guitar and rallied a classroom of kids to rock out on stage—the real spirit of the story was already being lived out in a modest gymnasium in Langley, British Columbia.

That spirit was captured in the now-famous Langley Schools Music Project, an unassuming yet extraordinary collection of recordings made in the late 1970s by music teacher Hans Fenger and his students. It wasn’t just a music class—it was a movement. And decades later, it would go on to inspire Hollywood, touch hearts around the world, and remind us all that creativity has no age limit.

The Original Project: Raw, Real, and Revolutionary

Between 1976 and 1977, Hans Fenger recorded students from a few Langley elementary schools performing cover versions of pop and rock songs—from the Beach Boys to David Bowie. These weren’t polished studio performances. They were stripped-down, hauntingly beautiful interpretations sung by children, full of raw emotion and unfiltered sincerity.

What made the project so groundbreaking was that it didn’t follow traditional music education models. There were no auditions, no rigid structures. Fenger simply believed in giving kids the freedom to feel music, not just read it. The recordings were initially pressed in limited quantities for families, then forgotten—until a music collector rediscovered them in the early 2000s.

A Global Resurgence—and Hollywood Takes Note

In 2001, the recordings were re-released as Innocence and Despair, and the world took notice. Critics raved. Musicians were moved. NPR, the New York Times, and Rolling Stone all covered the story. David Bowie himself called the students’ version of “Space Oddity” better than the original.

Among those inspired was screenwriter Mike White, who was so captivated by the project’s emotional authenticity that it helped spark the idea for what would become School of Rock—the 2003 film starring Jack Black as a passionate but unconventional substitute teacher who turns a class of prep-school students into a rock band.

While School of Rock is fictional, its heart—the belief that kids can surprise us with their brilliance when we let them express themselves freely—comes directly from the spirit of the Langley Schools Music Project.

A Local Legacy That Still Resonates

Today, the Langley Schools Music Project is seen as a landmark in both music education and independent recording history. It's studied in universities, sampled in modern music, and used as an example of why creative freedom in schools matters.

More importantly, it serves as a lasting tribute to what’s possible when a teacher sees potential in kids that goes beyond grades and technique. Hans Fenger wasn’t trying to go viral—he was just trying to connect kids with music in a meaningful way. And in doing so, he connected a small town in British Columbia to a worldwide audience.

Final Thoughts

It’s not every day that Langley inspires a Hollywood film. But the story of the Langley Schools Music Project is a powerful reminder that some of the most beautiful, world-changing ideas begin in the most ordinary places—a school, a gymnasium, a classroom filled with voices and courage.

So the next time you hear School of Rock referenced as a cultural classic, remember: part of that rock 'n’ roll magic started right here in Langley, B.C.

Let’s Keep Talking:

Jenny is a business insurance broker with Waypoint Insurance.

She is also a business development consultant with Impresario Partners, helping Canadian Business expand overseas.

She can be reached at 604-317-6755 or jhansen@waypoint.ca. Connect with Jenny on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenny-holly-hansen-365b691b/.  Connect with Jenny at BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/jennyhollyhansen.bsky.social

Let’s Meet Up:

Jenny Holly Hansen is a cohost with Chris Sturges of the Langley Impact Networking Group. You are welcome to join us on Thursday’s from 4pm to 6pm at: Sidebar Bar and Grill: 100b - 20018 83A Avenue, Langley, BC V2Y 3R4

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