SCHOOL OF ROCK - Key Persons
Aaron is from Brooklyn, New York, and started playing drums when he was 12 years old and has been teaching for over a decade. During Aaron's growth as a drummer, he participated in both middle school and high school band, along with taking private lessons at home. During his private lessons, he learned how to play all types of musical genres spanning from rock and metal, to even jazz and Latin music. Learning all these different musical styles as well as learning how to play in a school band helped shape Aaron into the musician he is today. Shortly after high school, he received a music scholarship to Muhlenberg College, where he studied Music Education. He was involved in the jazz ensemble and had the opportunity to play with local musicians at a young age.
As a School of Rock drum instructor, Aaron is comfortable teaching students of all of levels music theory, drum grooves, and insight into how they can become more proficient, versatile, and successful musicians. Along with teaching, Aaron has worked with multiple bands in New York and played at a variety of venues such as The Knitting Factory, The Mercury Lounge, Bowery Electric, Berlin Under, Queens Brewery, The Chance Theater, and The Hideout. He is a member of the band Her Dark Heaven and continues to work as a drum teacher and show director at School of Rock.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Keyboard Piano Teacher, Vocal Teacher
Abby Carpenter is a singer and multi-instrumentalist with a bachelor's degree in Music Composition from the University of Michigan. She began her musical journey with classical guitar, eventually falling in love with singing, songwriting, and music theory as well. She enjoys teaching voice, guitar, and keyboard across a wide range of genres including pop, rock, and classical. Outside of teaching, Abby loves to listen to 70s rock and record music of her own.
School of Rock East Cobb is owned and operated by Adam Lavinsky, who discovered his love for music when he started playing a drum set at the age of 6. Adam graduated from Berklee College of Music where he studied Music Business and was the original drummer for Columbia recording artist Passion Pit. He currently plays drums for the Atlanta-based band, Waller and Asheville, NC-based rock group Ryan Sheffield and The Highhills.
Adam is an accomplished multi-instrumentalist and vocalist based out of St. Louis, MO. Over his career, he has performed with many notable St. Louis musicians, often on lead guitar and vocals, but also on drums, bass, and as a DJ. As a performer, Adam currently works regionally, with shows from Kansas City to Chicago, and is also scheduling national tours. His debut album, Bird Leaves, was self-released in September 2022 and he has several more albums of varying genres also planned to be released.
Adam, a lifelong musician, began with the violin at age 6 but switched to the electric guitar at 10 after discovering Queen. High school band experiences solidified his passion for performance. Currently, Adam channels his deep-rooted musical desire into writing, recording, and performing original music. As a self-taught, disciplined instructor, Adam imparts valuable insights on mastering the fretboard. His code of honor, emphasizing discipline, aims to shape aspiring rockers into tomorrow's heroes. Influenced by Mastodon, Megadeth, The Reverend Horton Heat, Dethklok, Nujabes, and Primus, Adam is driven to share his musical mastery and guide students toward becoming well-rounded rock warriors.
Adi Hayble is a vocal instructor at the School of Rock in Ankeny, Iowa. She is originally from London and her earliest performances took place at church. With the help of some awesome after-school training, Adi attended the prestigious BRIT School where her vocal abilities blossomed. After obtaining her first degree in New York City and her master's degree in Los Angeles, Adi graduated with the opinion that Iowa is the most rock-and-roll place to be, thus finding a home at the School of Rock in Ankeny.
Some of Adi's favorite bands (excluding those who only made one album… which would make this part a lot harder for her) are Harvey Danger, Home Grown, Blink-182, and Bloodhound Gang. A la High School Musical-another major influence on her penchant for people who want to love music-"Pop punk is my passion."
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Alek Graham is a guitar teacher and bass guitar teacher at the School of Rock in Ankeny, Iowa. Alek is the grandson of a guitar player whom he unfortunately never got to meet, but Alek keeps his spirit alive by playing some of his guitars. Starting the guitar at age 13, Alek took lessons at Reiman Music and became a School of Rock student shortly thereafter.
Alek is currently working on writing, recording, and performing his own music, taking inspiration from players such as Steve Vai, Randy Rhoads, Eric Clapton, Joe Perry, and many more. While he was a member of his school's House Band, Alek developed a love of being an instructor by working with students during the summer camps. He loves to teach because he believes that it helps him and others grow musically and find their path in the world of music.
Job Titles:
- VICE PRESIDENT of MARKETING
Alexandra joined School of Rock at the beginning of 2020 and is currently the Vice President of Marketing. She is responsible for the company's marketing strategies both domestic and international, leading a passionate and data-driven team. Her team provides a comprehensive brand support system, helps craft local-level marketing support for individual schools, and works with Franchise Development to grow the brand's footprint. Before joining School of Rock, Alexandra built a world-class digital marketing presence and infrastructure from the ground up at the Fortune 500 homebuilding company KB Home. She is a classically trained vocalist with a performance background that includes a bluegrass band and regional opera houses. Alexandra's favorite musical artists include Gary Clark, Jr., Rolling Stones, and The Dip.
Job Titles:
- Member of Our Studio Coordinator Team
- Studio Coordinator
Aly is the newest member of our Studio Coordinator Team. She was born and raised in Albuquerque and has a background in Retail Operations and Visual Merchandising
Job Titles:
- Vocal Teacher, Keyboard Teacher
Alyssa is a musical theater performer, singer, and dual degree graduate from William Paterson University in Music Business and Vocal Performance. She started studying music in elementary school within the Beacon City School District, playing both Trumpet and French Horn, and singing in chorus. She continues to explore various vocal styles including classical, opera, musical theater, rock, pop, jazz, and punk rock.
Alyssa has experience producing and directing shows, including projects with the Metropolitan Opera, the Concerts for Young People Series with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, and an 80s Rock Concert Fundraiser which featured Daryl McDaniels from Run DMC and MTV VJ Mark Goodman. Alyssa has taught voice and keys for several years and is excited to be a part of the School of Rock Beacon team!
Job Titles:
- Vocal Teacher, Studio Coordinator
Amanda is one of our school's vocal teachers and our studio coordinator. She is currently studying Music Education in hopes of becoming a high school choir teacher.
Amanda has been singing for as long as she can remember and was involved in choir during her middle and high school years. In addition, she has taken two years of music theory and loves listening to, singing, and teaching music of all genres but specializes in pop, soul, and R&B.
Andrew is an accomplished and versatile pro drummer who lives and breathes his instrument. He is at home in all genres including Guitar Hero. Andrew has an unrivaled passion for the instrument and very much enjoys sharing his passion in a fun and welcoming way.
Job Titles:
- Owner, General Manager, Music Director, Drum Teacher
Andrew is the Owner, General Manager, and Music Director at School of Rock Bay Ridge in Brooklyn. His passion for music began at age 8 when he took on the accordion which he used to write his own punk songs.
In 1986, Andrew was thrown behind a drum kit in front of a live crowd and told to play the loudest, fastest punk beat he could in his best friend's high school band. There was no turning back and he has been playing drums ever since. Andrew has toured extensively and played in some of America's most iconic rock clubs. Today he takes pride in being a father of three and watching his children discover their own talents in music, theater, and dance.
Andrew is especially proud to bring School of Rock to Bay Ridge, Brooklyn not only to teach kids how to rock, but also to foster community, friendship, and teamwork.
Annalise Panken is a voice instructor and also teaches Rookies and Little Wing at School of Rock Arlington Heights. She has studied voice, guitar, and bass for several years and is actually a former student of School of Rock Arlington Heights!
Job Titles:
- CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER / As School of Rock 's Chief Development Officer
Born in Lubbock and raised in Austin, Anthony has been playing drums since he was a toddler. In the summer of 5th grade, Anthony realized that drumming was his life passion. He excelled in percussion with the Texas All-State band and played drum set with the Austin All-City Jazz band. Professional drumming gigs started while in high school when Anthony was hired by the AISD Music Director for his jazz band. After graduating from McCallum High School, he was hired as the percussion specialist for the marching band. Anthony has also spent a lot of time learning to play electric guitar and bass. Anthony's early influences include his father, Buddy Rich, John Bonham, and Neil Peart. He loves spending time with family and friends. His other passion is playing foosball and he is ranked a semi-pro. Anthony looks forward to sharing his passion for live performance and helping others achieve their goals in a positive environment.
Tony studied classical guitar at Valdosta State University. With over 20 years of experience playing in several bands under his belt, music is now his means of expressing himself, and he strives to help each student find their own way of expressing themselves through music.
As School of Rock's Chief Development Officer, Tony oversees School of Rock's global franchise sales and real estate efforts, as well as managing our New School Opening efforts, franchise renewals, and resale programs. With over 40 years of experience in Franchise Development, Tony has served in various leadership positions during his 22 years at Dunkin' Brands, including leading international development for 10 of those years. During that period, Tony launched Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins in excess of 30 new countries. Tony has also served as EVP, Global Development for BrightStar Care, the premier in-home care provider, VP of Franchise Development for Goddard Systems, and Senior VP of Development at AAMCO Transmissions Inc. He has also had senior development roles with BP Oil, and ReMax Realty, one of the leading real estate companies worldwide. A graduate of Loyola College in Montreal, Canada, Tony came to the US in 1987. Tony's favorite musical artists include Tina Turner, Adele, Fleetwood Mac, and Alicia Keys.
Aubrey Fleming is the general manager at the School of Rock in Ankeny, Iowa. She discovered her love for singing and music at a very young age, specifically after hearing the soundtrack to the 2003 hit musical Wicked.
Aubrey has been a vocalist since elementary school and now sings for School of Rock Ankeny's adult band, The Strip Mall Cryptids. She is always up for a new challenge and has recently started learning the guitar in addition to continuing her vocal training. A lover of alternative pop, crazy hair colors, and the amazing School of Rock community, Aubrey thinks there is nothing more rewarding than watching beginner students come into their confidence and absolutely rock out on stage.
Job Titles:
- Music Director, Bass Guitar Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Keyboard Piano Teacher, Vocal Teacher
Austin Corrick began taking piano lessons at age 8 and guitar lessons at age 11, and soon after joined the school band on upright and electric bass and trumpet through high school.
Currently, Austin plays guitar, bass, drums, vocals, piano, trumpet, and tuba, and is a member of the Des Moines-based Latin music group Son Peruchos. He enjoys all types of rock music and loves participating in a program that sees so much musical talent at such a young age.
Job Titles:
- Teacher
- Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher
- Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Keyboard Piano Teacher, Vocal Teacher
- Bass Guitar Teacher, Guitar Teacher and Vocal Teacher
- Bass Guitar Teacher, Piano Teacher, Vocal Instructor
- Guitar Teacher, Show Director
- Teacher, Drum Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Keyboard Piano Teacher
- Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Keyboard Piano Teacher
- Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Show Director
- Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Vocal Teacher
- Teacher, Keyboard Piano Teacher, Vocal Teacher
- Teacher, Vocal Teacher, Keyboard Piano Teacher
Greg spent the majority of the last 20 years playing bass in various Hard Rock and Metal bands in Austin TX. Having had the opportunity to open for bands like Anthrax, The Misfits, Type O Negative, Slayer, Staind, Machine Head and many others over almost two decades, he has ample experience performing live in front of crowds small and large.
Along with playing bass, his first instrument was drums, and he's stayed with both instruments over the years. Learning in his basement and keeping up with drummers in bands kept him on his toes over the years.
Philip Vincent began his formal music studies by learning piano with Beverly Holt and Katherine Tobey. He has a Bachelor's Degree of Music from Southeastern Louisiana University with a concentration in piano, studying under Dr. Kenneth Boulton. He has performed many times, both solo and collaboratively. Currently, he is the accompanist at First United Methodist Church in Gonzales, and has been teaching music for over five years.
Philip began his voice training in high school, singing in multiple school and honor choirs, including all-state honor choirs and the St. Joseph Cathedral Choir. He studied voice with Skip Harris, and currently sings with the Baton Rouge Symphony Chorus. Philip has been playing bass for almost 15 years in multiple bands. He currently plays as a full-time member of two bands of varying styles. He is a bass guitar teacher, piano teacher and vocal instructor at School of Rock Baton Rouge.
Brad discovered his passion for creating music at a young age. This quickly led to writing, recording, and touring with bands such as The Painter and the Canvas, Haint Blue, and Medium Cheetah. To further his knowledge of the industry, he graduated with an Audio Engineering degree from Sheffield Institute for the Recording Arts. He's been lucky enough to work with groups like Train, Portugal, The man, and Titus Andronicus as both an Audio Technician and musician. During the pandemic, Brad realized he wanted to get back to what he loves the most and is now proud to be a part of the SoR Baltimore family as a guitar/bass teacher!
Chris is a guitar teacher and bass teacher at the School of Rock Baltimore. Chris began studying music starting at the age of 13, and he began composing original music soon thereafter. He has performed and toured the country as a member of The Matrimonials and has played shows alongside national acts such as Local H, ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, and J. Roddy Walston and the Business. He currently performs as a member of Medium Cheetah. Chris is a guitar teacher, bass teacher, and a seasoned Show Director at School of Rock Baltimore.
John's first album was released when he was 19 years old and his eponymous John Maxfield Band was formed shortly after. The John Maxfield Band still gigs and records, more often around St. Louis where John lives with his wife, Amber, and their three children, Anakin, Alister, and Sally.
Meg is a multi-instrumentalist and new to Austin. She will be teaching guitar, bass and vocals! She has also played in jazz ensembles and bluegrass groups. Some of her favorite Rockers include Pavement, Japanese Breakfast, Sheryl Crow etc - just to name a few.
Mike studied bass at the University of Kansas in the Jazz Studies program, and formerly classical piano during undergrad. He's performed in groups ranging from singer-songwriter, folk, rock 'n' roll, bossa nova, carnival, jazz, and chorro. Mike currently plays locally in the bossa nova band Nossas Novas, as well as indie rock band, Bridey Murphy.
Zeke was born in Austin to local jazz vocalist Tina Marsh and trombonist Randy Zimmerman, and has been immersed in the growing music scene his whole life. Though piano was his first instrument, he picked up the bass at the age 18 and hasn't put it down since. He studied music and dance at McCallum High School's Fine Arts Academy and Texas State University. His biggest bass influences are John Paul Jones, Jack Bruce and Bootsy Collins. His tenor voice is heavily influenced by Robert Plant, Ian Gillan and James Brown. Zeke currently plays bass in the funk group The Holy Child and has also been working as a bassist and vocalist in various cover bands that travel around Texas.
Luke's first time playing drums was at a School of Rock in Oceanside, California. He started playing drums when he was 11 years old and after about a year and a half picked up bass guitar as well. Through middle school and high school, he continued to be an active member of his local School of Rock playing all over Southern California with School of Rock Oceanside's House Band. He also played in personal bands and in musical programs throughout high school. Luke's musical adventures have led him to play a variety of different genres, including funk, pop, jazz, Latin, soul, and plenty of rock and his favorite, metal!
Luke is currently studying Audio Production at the University of Colorado Denver and is a nerd about all things bass, drums, audio, rock, metal, and anything else music-related. His goal as an instructor is to give other students the same incredible opportunities, wisdom, and challenges that he received from dozens of amazing instructors during his time as a student at School of Rock.
Gene has been playing in bands since the 1960s and has deep music roots in the southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island music community. He has shared the stage with many musicians and bands including Smoke Shop, Kickin' Brass, Alter Ego, Conviction, and The Noyz. Gene also sings and plays bass in The Strumdawgs and The Liz Spencer Band.
Angela began her path of musicianship in childhood playing viola in orchestra. When her friends invited her to play rock songs with them as their bassist, she embraced it as her main instrument. In her teens, Angela gigged in the Las Vegas music scene with local heavy metal bands before moving to Atlanta to study bass and music production. Now an alumnus of the Atlanta Institute of Music, she is the bassist of the Atlanta prog-metal band, Butterfly Sanctuary. Angela's major influences are Entheos, Cynic, and Beabadoobee.
Ben came to School of Rock after a distinguished career with the US Navy Band and has been teaching Electric Bass, Voice, and Piano lessons with us since 2011. Ben is also the director of School of Rock Annapolis' House Band as well as a show director.
As a performer, Ben has toured and done shows in over 30 countries. His service in the Navy Band culminated with him being both musical director and leading chief of the Navy's premier rock band.
Currently, he is a singer and bassist in his jazz trio "Oreo." He is also a session musician (both live and in the studio) with some of the region's top acts. When he's not on the stage, Ben can be found behind the scenes providing sound reinforcement as an audio engineer.
Cory started playing bass and guitar at 14 years old and has carried a passion for music with him ever since. He attended Mt. St. Mary's University and graduated in 2021 with a degree in Fine Arts: Music. He plans on teaching students not only the technique and theory they will need to thrive as musicians but also the importance of music as a liberal art, as it frees us to discover our true selves! Cory teaches bass lessons at School of Rock Annapolis.
Ben is a musician specializing in bass guitar and background vocals. He has his degree in jazz studies from the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University.
Ben has appeared in musicals as an onstage musician at Drury Lane and the Royal George Theatre. Since then he has been working with touring artists including The Tom Fuller Band, Boyband Review Chicago, Jeanette King, Pistol Pete and most recently filling in as Paul McCartney for American English. Ben also has taught music since 2011 and continues to write his own music.
Meriah began learning bass at the age of 15 and spent weekends in Chicago to pursue her love of music as a School of Rock student. She graduated from Columbia College with a BA in Music Business in 2024.
Meriah plays bass in the band Aisle Five and has played at venues such as Metro, Subterranean, and Bottom Lounge. When she is not playing with her band she helps to promote the work of local and touring musicians through her music publication Amplified Chicago.
Justyn James is a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist. His years of being a studio musician helped Justyn to get a better understanding of how to communicate music to others in a practical way, which led to him taking on students. After years of private teaching, Justyn got the opportunity to work at School of Rock Albuquerque upon the school's grand opening.
Cameron has been playing guitar, piano, bass, drums, saxophone, and more, for over seven years. He is a former School of Rock student, has performed live with multiple bands, and has recorded produced and published multiple albums. Cameron hopes to share what he has learned and rock out with as many people as he can.
Ben is a multi-instrumentalist teacher, show director, composer, and producer whose roots in music started at the School of Rock in 2019 when he was 13. His favorite genres to play are jazz and RnB, but he takes more pride in teaching students to find and explore genres they resonate with.
Job Titles:
- Vocal Teacher, Keyboard Piano Teacher
Bethany is a vocal and keys instructor. She has been in multiple bands and can tailor vocal coaching for any genre of music and type of performance. Bethany is experienced in live performances and in the studio. Her vocal work ranges from musical theater to hard rock, and she loves getting her students to the next level using techniques from all genres.
Brandon is a musician with 20 years of experience playing in local bands and recording music. Born and raised in Scottsdale, AZ, he first discovered his immense passion for music when his father exposed him to his enormous record collection. Filled with everything from Led Zeppelin to Genesis, Brandon quickly realized that his appreciation for music ran just as deeply as his father's. After being gifted a Gibson Les Paul for his 12th birthday, the rest was history as Brandon confined himself in his room and practiced diligently for hours on end. Playing in bands all throughout high school and college, Brandon found his obsession for music accelerating at a rapid pace as he experimented performing with bands from genres like metal, ska punk, and everything in between. This would eventually lead to an opportunity to perform with his band, Something Went Awry, at the SXSW music festival in 2014, being given the tremendous honor of opening for one of his favorite guitar players, jazz fusion legend, Stanley Jordan.
Brittany is originally from Dallas, Texas but is currently studying music business at CU Denver. She specializes in performance technique and vocal quality/awareness. Throughout her time as a School of Rock student, Brittany was able to perform and command a stage in front of some amazing crowds, including SXSW in Austin, Texas.
Brittany's key strategy when it comes to teaching kids is that they will always have the healthiest vocal quality that they are capable of producing and they will always be the best performer they can be on any stage that they touch. Her background of being open and willing to work with any and all types of genres has allowed her to work on many amazing diverse projects.
Brittany is known for being someone who has an ear for good music and this has led her to travel to many different cities being a "studio sit-in" (someone who artists call when they need help writing songs, composition/production, vocals, etc.). She has also managed a few bands in the Denver and Texas area as well.
Brittany hopes to teach her students that once they're willing to step outside of their musical comfort zone, there is no limit to what they can do.
Carl Sorensen started playing drums in his elementary school band. He continued learning music through middle school and high school by taking lessons and playing in jazz band, concert band and marching band. This led him to take his education to the next level at Berklee College of Music, where he studied with Jamey Haddad (Paul Simon), Terri Lynne Carrington (Herbie Hancock), and Kenwood Dennard (Jaco Pastorius) among many other world-class professionals. Carl has since built a reputation in Denver for being 'Denver's Hardest Working Musician' ("Westword," 2014), having played with 100+ different bands in the Denver metro area. Carl currently performs with Dragondeer, Chimney Choir and Extra Gold among others, as well as hosts multiple jam sessions.
Casey Bateman is a Professional Musician and multi-instrumentalist from Ascension Parish, Louisiana with 12+ years of experience performing, teaching music, and instilling a love of music into all ages of musicians. He began his musical journey when he was around 12 when he started playing his father's drum set. After high school, Casey enlisted into the Marine Corps Band as a percussionist. He was stationed in Cherry Point, North Carolina where he spent the rest of his 4-year enlistment. While with the Marine Corps Band, he had over 300 performances all around the U.S. and Canada. When Casey's enlist was finished, he moved to Denver where he performed with the Denver Nuggets and Denver Avalanche Drumline. Casey is currently attending LSU to get a music education degree.
Casey is a professional musician from Atlanta, Georgia with over two decades of teaching and coaching experience. He offers instruction in acoustic guitar, electric guitar, ukulele, bass, singing, and drums. Casey is self-taught and proficient at teaching all ages, and experienced levels, young and old. He loves teaching and working with students to bring out the best of their abilities while building their confidence along the way. He is the guitarist, singer-songwriter, and performer for Atlanta rock band, Ssurround Ssound, since 2018. Casey customizes lessons for each student so they get a one-of-a-kind experience. He organizes music recitals to showcase students' efforts and progression to be able to perform live in front of families and friends on stage. Casey provides tailored lesson plans and integrated a wide range of material to accommodate all styles of learners, as well as praise and encouragement to keep students motivated to learn and progress.
Chris "Katt" Lee is a chaotic neutral, unorthodox multi-instrumentalist hailing from Baton Rouge. He's played professionally for 25 years, and currently plays in several bands in the Baton Rouge, Lafayette, and New Orleans areas. Lee has shared the stage with artists such and Buddy Guy, George Clinton, and Sundanze, and toured extensively with artists and bands such as C.J. Chenier, Larry Garner, Captain Green, Burris, Brittany Pool and the Rougarouxs, and the Michael Foster Project. He is currently working with This Side Faces The Sky, the Charles Brooks Collective and founding his own original musical project.
Job Titles:
- Singing Teacher, Keyboard Piano Teacher
Christopher Scanlon is a musical theatre performer, singer, pianist, and music instructor from Wappingers Falls New York. Christopher has been performing for over a decade and has been studying voice, piano, and musical theatre. Some of Christopher's significant musical theatre roles were Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar, Bobby Strong from Urinetown, Pugsley Addams, Sam Carmichael in Mamma Mia, and Jean Valjean in Les Miserables. Christopher has also been involved in several collegiate-level choirs, performances at Bardavon Opera house and Carnegie Hall NYC, and has placed in several national vocal competitions. Christopher has been teaching voice and piano since the age of 16, has been actively pursuing a bachelor's degree in Vocal Performance, and is excited to further share his passion for music with his students to help aid their musical journeys.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Colin Shore is a guitar player specializing in rock, funk and jazz fusion. Born and raised in Atlanta, Colin moved to Boston to attend Berklee College of Music. Colin spent several years touring the country with his band Mister F, who played well over 100 shows per year. He has been invited to play with blues/soul icon Robert Randolph, smooth jazz artist Earl Klugh and bands such as Twiddle, Aqueous, Kung Fu, Dopapod and Mungion. Colin's teaching style is highly adaptive to each student's individual tastes, skills and goals. He is a guitar teacher and bass guitar teacher at School of Rock Aurora.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Damien is a guitar and bass teacher of rock and roll and everything in between at School of Rock Bay Ridge in Brooklyn. A New York City native and Performing Arts graduate, his autodidactic musical training started in the nineties and continues to expand and push forward.
Having toured the world in multiple projects, Damien has grown up on a stage, living for the live show. Learning early on that the key to a good ear in music is listening, the term "plays well with others" has followed Damien since kindergarten. Whether scoring a moody dramatic film with some pretty acoustic chords or laying a shredding solo on a metal record, Damien's goal is to invent and impart new and fresh ideas on guitar and in his community. When he's not teaching or writing songs, he can be found cooking and serenading his wife and daughter in Brooklyn.
Job Titles:
- Drum Teacher, Vocal Teacher, Keyboard Piano Teacher
Dan Costello has been playing music for most of his life. He mastered drums, piano, and vocals, and also plays bass. He is also skilled at producing electronic music.
Dan enjoys listening to and playing mostly progressive rock while his modern tastes extend to various forms of songwriter and even EDM. Dan has written music as a solo artist as well as with bands. He has a passion for teaching and believes in the joy of spreading music.
Danny is a multi-instrumentalist with a B.A. in Music from Beloit College. He teaches guitar, bass, and vocals, and continues to record and tour on all these instruments (and the kazoo) with multiple Chicago-based bands. He brings this working background to the performance program, alongside directing experience with the Bristol Renaissance Faire and various choral groups.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Dan has surrounded himself with music his entire life. The son of a glam metal drummer who noticed his interest at a young age, he started going to rock shows and taking guitar lessons at 8 years old. Dan went on to pick up the bass a few years later and continued to play in school bands, in live acoustic settings, and with punk and grunge bands he formed.
Dan went to college at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, where he studied Communication and Media, and had the freedom to take several classes in music history, music theory, and sound design. Since graduating, he found himself longing to be around music again, which led him to land at School of Rock. Dan's passion for music is a driving force that allows him to teach with the utmost enthusiasm.
Dana is one of the owners of the School of Rock in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. She has been a teacher of history at the high school level for over 20 years. Dana brings with her a love of music and a vast knowledge of music history, especially rock and roll. It's very impressive how quickly she can recognize '80s songs in particular-three seconds or less!
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Music Director
Dane is a guitar teacher, touring performer, and music producer with over a decade of experience. He has played many styles of rock, metal, progressive, and indie music, experimenting with a wide variety of instruments including 7 and 8 string guitars. Beginning his musical journey at only nine years old, Dane began learning about songwriting alongside performance, touring with original music by the time he was sixteen.
Dane has played in a number of bands, both original and cover, and played over two hundred shows. Dane has also written and produced hundreds of songs and soundtracks, a number of which have had international listeners. As a teacher, Dane has worked extensively with instructing both technical skill on the guitar and understanding the concepts of music past simple song memorization. Dane has experience with students as young as five years old, and has worked with students on the spectrum. Dane is very excited to be working with students at School of Rock Beacon, NY, where he hopes to see the community of performance grow.
Job Titles:
- Music Director, Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Keyboard Piano Teacher, Vocal Teacher
Dan is a guitar, bass, keys, and voice instructor at School of Rock Arlington Heights. Dan has been a lifelong music student, participating in band throughout grade school and high school. His love of rock and pop began when he started forming his own groups at the age of 10. Dan continued playing local venues throughout his teens until eventually landing a record deal with Fueled by Ramen/Atlantic just before turning 20 years old, starting his professional career in the music industry. He gained experience performing on tour, songwriting, producing, and eventually tour managing.
Dan continues to pursue his own musical projects, but he is excited to pass on the knowledge he has gained working and playing at the top levels of the business to help students reach their goals as rock-and-rollers. Dan has been teaching students to grow as artists for many years during his rock n' roll career.
Born and raised in Longmont, CO, Dani Garcia has been interested in music for as long as she can remember. She began playing classical bass at age 11, and picked up electric bass just a year later. Since then, she has studied rock, pop, funk, and jazz on both the upright and electric bass. Dani is currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in jazz bass performance at the University of Denver. She has gigged at various venues around Denver, including Globe Hall, Mercury Café, and Lost Lake Lounge as both an independent jazz musician and with her indie rock band Paulo's Flood. Dani is passionate about all things bass, and her goal as a teacher is to share her appreciation for the instrument and help students find their own voice as a bassist.
Job Titles:
- Co - Owner
- General Manager
Darek found and fell in love with the School of Rock concept over seven years ago. He started as a multi-instrumentalist instructor and soon became General Manager of School of Rock Boca Raton. After running the school for five years, Darek was promoted to partner and co-owner in 2020. He is excited to bring his experience and knowledge to Georgia.
Darek has been active in the music scene for over 15 years, performing around South Florida in several bands. Darek has performed at such venues as Meyer Amphitheater, West Palm Beach to High Dive in Gainesville, as well as Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, and more. Darek works diligently to create a welcoming, safe, and unique musical atmosphere at School of Rock. Darek loves to share his passion for music and performance to educate the future generation of young musicians!
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Vocal Teacher
Destin is a multi-instrument musician and choir instructor from Dawsonville, Georgia. Destin's love for music began at a very early age through his grandfather, who was an accomplished guitarist. At age 7, Destin received an electric guitar from his parents, learned three chords from his grandfather, and the rest was history.
Destin has an amazing wife, and together they share six children. He enjoys hiking with his wife in his spare time and, of course, shredding whenever possible.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Devin is a guitarist, bassist, and vocalist, with over 10 years of performance experience. With a bachelor's degree in Jazz Performance from SUNY New Paltz, he is extensively trained in music theory, and loves improvisation. He is fluent in many genres, with blues, jazz, rock, funk, and R&B as some of his favorites.
Devin writes original music for bands, solo projects, and for other singer-songwriters. He has played in different groups and musical projects throughout the years, and more recently opened and played the post-show for Phil Lesh's band at Garcia's in The Capitol Theatre. He also works in audio engineering, with experience in film post-production, foley editing, and live sound/studio recording.
Dianna has spent her career owning and running various businesses before starting with School of Rock. She is passionate about all of her students and instructors and makes it her mission to put their needs first. She firmly believes in the mission and community of School of Rock and hopes every student will find a home here.
Job Titles:
- Drum Teacher, Keyboard Piano Teacher, Show Director
Donny is a former School of Rock student and has been playing music his whole life. His main instrument is the piano and he has a focus on classical music but he plays all the instruments we teach at School of Rock.
Drae Dunning began playing guitar when he was 12 years old. After high school, he attended the Musicians Institute in Los Angeles where he received a bachelor's degree in guitar performance. Drae then went on to become the first person to graduate from MI with a master's degree after writing a thesis on the history and development of British progressive rock. Drae is currently a member of the post-rock band Orna and the metalcore band Stopzone. Drae puts a strong emphasis on music theory and reading standard notation.
Job Titles:
- Drum Teacher, Show Director
Elijah has been drumming for over 15 years. He has played in multiple local bands and performed on a few tours as well.
Betsy is a professional vocalist and acoustic guitar player. She studied voice with Annamaria Saritelli-DiPanni, founder of the Bel Canto Opera Company of Rhode Island. She credits her great ear, and time spent on stages at venues all over New England for over 30 years as her real music education. She can usually be found playing solo with her acoustic guitar, or in her duo called The Instructors. Betsy is an accomplished songwriter and a member of the Rhode Island SongWriters Association (RISA). She is currently recording her fourth cd , which is due out sometime in late 2021.
Elizabeth Guy is studying music education and musical theater at Luther College. She grew up in choirs and musical theater productions statewide and has developed her passion for performance and education. She graduated from Denmark High School in 2023.
At Luther, Elizabeth is an active member of the esteemed choir and music program, while also serving as a representative for the Future Music Educators Association (FMEA). She has performed in two main stage productions and two student-run musicals, in addition to multiple a capella concerts. Looking ahead, Elizabeth anticipates taking on the role of Music Director for the SPIN Theater Company. In her free time, she loves songwriting and playing piano. She is so excited to share her love for music at the School of Rock in Alpharetta!
Emma is the bright, shining face you'll see when you walk in the front door of School of Rock East Cobb! Her hobbies include cooking, making jewelry, and creating all of the cute signage you see around the school. One of Emma's favorite artists is Dolly Parton, and she comes from a super musical family.
Eric Panyan is a drum instructor at the School of Rock in Ankeny, Iowa. He was accepted into and graduated from the Baltimore School for the Arts after an initial audition. He then graduated from the Berklee College of Music.
Eric began playing drums at an early age after his first viewing of the Muppet Show and seeing Animal playing the drums-Eric was hooked! He started taking lessons and drumming became his lifelong passion. Eric enjoys all genres of music including rock, funk, jazz, classic rock, and blues.
Eric likes to keep his lessons loose, fun, and relaxed yet challenging at the same time. It is always a great joy for him to see his students grow musically, reach new heights, and achieve the same passion for drumming he has.
Job Titles:
- VICE PRESIDENT of INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Eric currently serves as School of Rock's Vice President of Information Technology, overseeing technology and the technical support team. Prior to joining School of Rock, Eric spent over 20 years in the medical device industry, focusing on Information Technology and Business Intelligence. Most recently, he served as the Director of Information Technology and Director of Business Intelligence/IT Applications for Arjo ($870M) and Getinge ($2.5B). Eric holds a BS in Network and Communications Management and graduated summa cum laude from DeVry University. Eric's passion for music started when he was 10 years old and grew into a love for both musical performance and luthiery. In his free time, he enjoys building exacting replicas of iconic rock guitars. Eric's favorite musical artists include John Mayer, Metallica, Rival Sons, Dead Sara, and many old school blues guitarists.
Erin has been with School of Rock Aurora since December of 2015 and is happy to call the SoR staff her second family. She has been involved in music for as long as she can remember, always singing, strumming her guitar and writing songs to perform for anyone who would listen. Erin graduated from CU Denver with a BS in Music Business and Entertainment Industries. Since then she has managed, performed, and recorded with several local bands over the years including Thanks to Philo, Fable Heist, Extra Gold and most recently Mother Derringer.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Keyboard Piano Teacher
Erin teaches keyboards and guitar and is a rehearsal instructor. Erin also plays banjo and violin! Her favorite artists are Taylor Swift, Tyler Childers, Radiohead, Billy Strings, and Elliot Smith.
Evan Leifman has always been around music. At a young age he took interest in his mom and aunt playing folk music. Artists including The Beatles, The Indigo Girls, The Weavers, Cat Stevens, and R.E.M. were among the artists heard throughout the Leifman household. Evan started playing guitar as a high school freshman and a year later started taking a class teaching classical guitar, and started learning music theory. During this time he joined his high school's drumline, jazz, and concert bands, playing marching quads, bass drum, guitar, bass guitar, and marimba. At 16 years old Evan started playing shows with his first band, and at 18 he started teaching music classes at his synagogue, teaching grades K-6. At 19 years old, Evan joined groups across a variety of different genres, and started writing and recording his own music. At 21, he started learning how to perform vocals for the music he was writing. Evan has always loved teaching music, and this teaching style is influenced by his private lessons as well as his traditional classroom music classes taken in high school and college. Evan has a deeply rooted passion for all forms of music and the belief that you should always keep your ears open to all styles of music because you never know where you are going to draw inspiration from.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Keyboard Piano Teacher
Gillian Kroll is a multi-instrumentalist and music teacher based in New York. She has a bachelor's degree in Guitar Performance and Music Education from Ithaca College. She has over 10 years of versatile guitar experience and over five years of teaching experience in both public schools and private lessons.
Gillian has played in several bands around the Hudson Valley and the Finger Lakes and has performed most recently with Yorktown Stage, The Rev Theatre Co, and Walking on Water Productions. At the School of Rock in Beacon, she teaches guitar, bass, drums, and keyboards.
Grace Hebert is a professional, multi-instrumental musician with 19+ years of experience. Her background includes lead and supporting roles in bands of genres spanning from rock to alternative, jazz to indie, concert and chamber choral ensembles, gospel choirs, musicals, opera workshops, improvisational groups, and solo music work. Gracie has taught music for six years from STAGE Performing Arts School in Houma, Louisiana, to solo private lessons, and is now at School of Rock in Baton Rouge, LA.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Keyboard Piano Teacher, Vocal Teacher
Grant Duffy's musical prowess is not limited to a single instrument. He is proficient in the guitar, keyboards, mandolin, and many other instruments, demonstrating his versatility and dedication to his craft.
Grant has played music for over 30 years and in many rock bands in multiple states. He is excited to teach at the School of Rock in Alpharetta, GA.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Greg has become a staple in the Colorado music scene by playing and recording throughout the Midwest in a variety of cover and original bands ranging in styles from hard rock to country, to R&B/funk and blues. He is also a musical composer and producer that can be heard on albums from Millionaire Freaks and 2 Dog Tuesday among others. Bands of note include Nasty's Nightmare (with KBPI's prime time DJ Uncle Nasty), Sheryl Renee, The Broken Everlys, Kelly J, Buckner FunkenJazz, Voodoo Kings and Carolina Reign. National artists that Greg has worked with or been an opening act for include Mr. Big, Savatage, Styx, Steve Morse Band, Chris Duarte, Jason Ricci, John Lee Hooker Jr., Joe Bonner and Hamilton Loomis. As an instructor he believes that learning the ‘why' as well as the ‘how' results in improved comprehension and performance.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Greg King grew up in Boston, MA and started playing guitar at a young age. After graduating from Berklee College of Music with a degree in Guitar Performance, he taught and played gigs all over Boston, New York City and Colorado, as well as in various other cities and states. He loves sharing his passion for music with students, as well as teaching ensembles and group classes. He has experience gigging and playing with many different bands that vary in style/genre. When Greg isn't teaching or gigging he is most likely listening to Led Zeppelin or a variety of funk, jazz, fusion or rock music. He loves teaching all ages and experience levels and is a guitar teacher and bass teacher. He excited to be living in Denver and teaching at School of Rock Aurora.
Greg Moore is the owner of the School of Rock locations in Ankeny, Marion, and West Des Moines. After seeing School of Rock students perform in the Chicagoland area years ago, his first thought was, "...WOW-THIS IS AWESOME... Iowa needs a program like this!" From there, he started his mission to bring School of Rock to Iowa.
A big music enthusiast especially appreciating classic rock and '90s alternative, Greg played clarinet and saxophone through his school years. He now enjoys playing bass with the adult student performance group at School of Rock Cedar Rapids/Marion and School of Rock West Des Moines. His son is an alumnus of the School of Rock program who now teaches guitar, bass, and drums at the Cedar Rapids/Marion school. Greg and his wife, Amy, are thankful for all the families in the school community. Nothing is more exciting to them than watching the students advance both on and off the stage through our programs.
Job Titles:
- Vocal Teacher, Keyboard Teacher
Hannah was born in California and moved to Texas at the age of five, where she began to perform in church musicals. She started playing cello when she was ten, and went on to join her high school's top orchestra while teaching private lessons on the side. She's been playing bass and guitar in local Houston punk bands since before she had her drivers license, and is currently the front man of Forget-Me-Nots.
Hannah was born and raised in Colorado and is currently studying vocal performance at CU Denver. Coming from a family of musicians and performers, Hannah's love of music started at a very young age. She has had the opportunity to perform across the country, and even internationally, during her time in her undergraduate. While Hannah is passionate about music as a whole, her two biggest passions are musical theater and a cappella music. She is incredibly excited to become a part of the School of Rock team!
Henry Grandbouche is a local multi-instrumentalist from Baton Rouge, who has been playing music since he got his first drum set in 6th grade. Henry is currently working towards a BA from LSU in experimental music and digital media.
Ian is a drummer, songwriter, and drum instructor for School of Rock Bay Ridge in Brooklyn. Since graduating from Columbia College with a degree in Contemporary, Urban, and Popular Music in 2012, Ian has drummed for nationally touring indie rock bands and award-winning musicals and released two full-length albums of original music.
Ian has also written about hardcore punk and heavy metal for many print and digital publications. He currently performs and records with several bands in New York City. Ian lives in Sunset Park with a cat and an encyclopedic knowledge of rock history.
Job Titles:
- Bass Guitar Teacher, Guitar Teacher and Vocal Teacher
- Writer from New Orleans
Ian Webster is a Guitar Player/Song Writer from New Orleans, LA. His life is devoted to music and family. After 23 years in the music business, Ian has done a little bit of everything: touring, recording, producing, teaching and most of all-driving! Over the course of his career, Ian has been fortunate to share the stage/studio with artists such as: The Temptations, Chuck D(Public Enemy), The Wooten Brothers, Michael English, Damon Johnson(Alice Cooper/Thin Lizzy), The Family Stone, Mavis Staples, Rick Ross, Scarface, The Red Stick Ramblers, Heidi Newfield, Cowboy Mouth, Larry Garner, Howlin Wolf Jr, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Tabby Thomas, Tab Benoit, Josh Turner, Keith Sweat, Trey Songz, Louisiana's LaRoux, Afroman, and Rockin' Doopsie Jr. to name a few!
Ian studied formally at LSU and at Southern University under Alvin Batiste. He has also studied privately under Regi Wooten, Chalmers "Eddie" Alford(John Mayer, D'Angelo, Aretha Franklin) and Stan Campbell.
Ian is currently the lead guitarist and primary songwriter for Brittany Pool and the Rugarouxs based out of Nashville, TN.
Job Titles:
- Drum Teacher
- Member of the Brooklyn
Jack is a drum teacher at School of Rock Bay Ridge. He is also a former School of Rock student and AllStar. Jack started teaching at the School of Rock in Downingtown, PA as he finished up his high school career, then returned after finishing his college career studying music technology.
Jack is an active member of the Brooklyn music scene, playing for many bands of many different genres, including power pop, folk, and indie. He loves all things music, having specialized in drums for over 14 years, along with guitar, bass, and music production.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Jacob started playing bass at age 10 and guitar not long after, with experience as a School of Rock student and has a strong focus on Music Theory and Songwriting!
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Jaden Lueras is a guitarist who loves playing everything from brutal riffs to beautiful chords, and everything in between. Trained by bluesman Paul Wilson in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Jaden cemented his passion for the electric guitar at an early age, and through the years, his passion and hard work put him on many different stages with many different types of musicians.
This taught Jaden the importance of being able to sonically integrate with others and create an experience that comes only through jelling with fellow band members while maintaining the ingredient that makes him unique. Jaden recognizes the importance of encouraging a musician's individuality and also understands that learning is a unique process that works differently for everybody. Jaden is over the moon to be a part of the School Of Rock Aurora team.
Jake has had a passion for music for as long as he can remember. He started playing drums at the age of 5 and after being self-taught for six years, he began taking lessons and playing shows at age 11. He began to play professionally at the age of 14.
Job Titles:
- Vocal Teacher, Keyboard Piano Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Co - Music Director
James DeVeau is a Yankee turned Georgia boy. Born in Syracuse, NY, he moved to Georgia as a kid and has been here ever since! James can play anything with strings. James plays all around town with JERB, The Fixins, and also writes and plays his original music.
His influences include but are not limited to Pink Floyd, Fleet Foxes, Vulfpeck, and Tears for Fears. James also does work in audio production, plays a mean game of tennis, and loves dogs. Fun fact: he is colorblind!
Job Titles:
- Bass Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Keyboard Teacher
James teaches bass, guitar, keys, and drums. He runs two Rock 101 rehearsals as well as the school's Houseband. He is also a former student and graduate of School of Rock East Brunswick himself, having played bass and guitar for 5 years and keyboard for 6 years. James currently attends the John J. Cali School of Music in Montclair, New Jersey for music theory and composition, with an instrumental focus in jazz bass performance. Through years of taking lessons as well as ongoing college education, he is experienced in many styles of music but specializes in rock-oriented music and related genres.
Jared started playing music at a young age. From school bands, to cover bands, to international touring acts, he's always kept himself busy. He loves to teach when he is not performing.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Keyboard Teacher, Drum Teacher
Jarrett Gustafson is a local musician from Baton Rouge, Louisiana that specializes in guitar, drums, bass, piano, and music production. Jarrett has studied under numerous local legends such as two time Emmy winning composer Mike Esneault and music theory legend Dr. John Bishop. Currently Jarrett is working towards two bachelor's degrees from LSU in Jazz Studies and Experimental Music and digital media.
Job Titles:
- Music Director, Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Drums Teacher, Vocal Teacher, Piano Keyboard Teacher
Jason's main instrument is guitar but he also plays drums, bass, and keys and vocals. He has been playing for nearly two decades. He majored in commercial music pop and rock studies at Cal State LA.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Keyboard Piano Teacher
Jeff Kroeger is a guitar, keys, and Rock 101 instructor at the School of Rock in Ankeny, Iowa. Music was always being played in Jeff's home during his childhood but it wasn't until he started classical piano lessons that he truly fell in love with the art form.
Jeff would go on to study jazz and music composition as well as learn to play other instruments, some of which he even sounds okay on. A native Californian, Jeff played in numerous rock, jazz, and pop groups up and down the state and is now thrilled to share his love of music with the people of Ankeny.
Jeremy Graff is a lifelong guitarist with extensive experience in recording and touring with professional bands, and even holds a gold record. Jeremy gets great pleasure out of sharing his knowledge of the music industry
and guitar playing with music enthusiasts of all ages. Jeremy is a guitar teacher at School of Rock Arlington Heights and is happy to tailor his lessons to the specific areas of interest, needs and ability of beginners to long-time players.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Vocal Teacher, Keyboard Piano Teacher
Jeremy Keen has been chasing the wonder of music his whole life. While the first instrument he learned was piano, lots of '60s and '70s groups like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones inspired Jeremy to want to pick up his great grandmother's old beat-up Harmony guitar and learn to play. Growing up in Texas, it was impossible to escape the sounds of country acts like Willie Nelson and George Jones. As Jeremy got older and into '90s bands like Nirvana, Soundgarden, and The Smashing Pumpkins motivated him to get an electric guitar and a distortion pedal.
Later, in high school, Jeremy started a band with some friends and they played shows around the Houston scene. He also joined the jazz band in high school playing bass. Jeremy has recorded original music and led music weekly at church.
Jeremy still plays live music regularly both as a solo acoustic artist and with a band. Along the way, Jeremy has picked up the drums, banjo, and ukulele and he is currently trying to learn to play the fiddle.
Jeremy is excited to join the team at the School of Rock in Alpharetta to inspire kids and adults to pursue the lifelong joy of listening to, learning about, playing, writing, and performing music.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher, Keyboard Piano Teacher
Jesse Christenson is a guitar, drums, bass, and keyboard teacher at School of Rock Arlington Heights. He has been playing and composing music since he was 5 years old when he started on keyboards. Jesse was recording himself by age 10, then moved to drums, guitar, and bass, and then learned to produce and mix. He has been teaching music to all ages on all instruments for over a decade. It is his deep pleasure to help musicians achieve their goals.
Jessica Flores is the Studio Manager who keeps our school running smoothly and oversees the customer experience. In addition to her managerial skills, Jess has been a vocal teacher at a couple of Schools of Rock for many years and has also directed many shows at both School of Rock Silver Spring and School of Rock Vienna. She is well-versed in our programs and understands the School of Rock experience on a deep level and is always delighted to meet new students and their wonderful families.
On the music front, Jess began singing in elementary school, where she gave her first solo performance at the Pageant of Peace with her school choir in DC at age eight. In high school, she was always active in multiple choirs and the musical theater department. She then began classical voice training at Montgomery College, under the guidance of Molly Donnelly, and gained experience in a variety of styles ranging from classical to Latin jazz through multiple collaborations with the Montgomery College World Ensemble and Metropolitan Orchestra at MC. While at MC, she helped institute an outreach program with Wheaton High School, bringing the experience of performing with a professional band to kids who were just starting out in choir. She has also performed with the National Philharmonic Chorale and interned for their Summer High School Choral Program. Jessica is currently finishing up her undergrad at UMBC in Music Education with an emphasis in Choral Education. She performs regularly with her band, Tesla's Cat, where she gets to practice being a rock star. She believes that studying music is an integral part of building stronger communities and well-rounded citizens.
Job Titles:
- VICE PRESIDENT of OPERATIONS
Jim joined School of Rock in 2006, serving as General Manager/Music Director for one of the original Philadelphia-area locations. In 2018, he moved into the role of Director of Operations. In addition to managing the 7 company-owned schools and providing support to the 44 franchise units in the Northeast, he served as Master Franchise support to Brazil and Latin America, as well as directly supporting School of Rock's franchisees in Australia and Canada (Ontario). Jim now oversees the administrative functions of School of Rock's domestic operations. Jim holds a degree in Music Education and has been a professional musician and educator for thirty years. His favorite music artists are Led Zeppelin, Rush, the Misfits, Ghost, and Miles Davis, plus a special nostalgic affinity for KISS.
Joe Biondi was captivated by music at a very young age. When he was around eight or nine years old he saw his uncle rocking out on a drum kit and was instantly mesmerized by the form of his playing style. From that moment, music became his life. In high school, Joe joined the concert band, the percussion ensemble and the marching band which made him proficient at sight reading music and rhythms as well as working efficiently in a group. Joe then began to write and perform his own songs. Throughout his young adulthood, he would play in many bands, one of which toured the country. Joe was first introduced to School of Rock at just 17 years old. Joe started working for the team by handing out promotional flyers in a park. Eventually, he worked his way up to becoming an instructor at Red Bank and Matawan, running their very first School of Rock summer camps. During this time, Joe found a new passion for teaching music. Joe then graduated from Montclair State University where he studied Sociology and Music. Throughout college he started working at School of Rock Chatham as their receptionist and learned the behind the scenes of the day to day operations. Joe was then hired at School of Rock Montclair as a drum instructor/Rock 101 director and worked there for two years and gained more experience as an instructor. In 2012, Joe's family opened up their own School of Rock in East Brunswick where he would eventually become the Music Director and now holds the position of the school's General Manager. School of Rock has been a major part of Joe's professional life. He is very proud of his School of Rock story; from handing out flyers to becoming General Manager. It is extremely important for Joe to share his love and knowledge of music to the next generation of musicians while continuing to be inspired every day by all of the school's students.
Job Titles:
- Vocal Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Keyboard Piano Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Group Leader
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher, Singing Teacher, Keyboard Piano Teacher
Jordan is a multi instrumentalist who plays guitar, bass, drums and keys. He has been playing more than 15 years and studied theory at Ventura College. He also has vast experience in recording and music technology, gigging, songwriting and even experience building Larrivee guitars while in California. Jordan loves music and is always trying to improve, his passion is helping others reach their musical goals.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Josh Bennett has been a musician for 20+ years. His primary instrument is guitar but he dabbles with drums, bass and vocals, as well as ukulele when the mood feels right. Over the years he has played with dozens of bands and artists in genres including rock, blues, country, metal, jazz, funk, ska and punk. Josh has spent years touring the USA, as well as time abroad in Europe and Southeast Asia. Nikki Sixx once described him as "a really cool guy." Josh has recorded on multiple commercial albums, and, with his band Acidic, held the #1 indie song in the country and was #33 on Billboard. During his free time he is an avid hiker and works as a personal trainer. He is a guitar teacher and bass guitar teacher at School of Rock Aurora.
Josh Lopez is a drummer that grew up in East Brunswick NJ, and has been practicing and performing percussion for 17 years. Josh is also a former student at the school, starting at 12 years old. Rising through different rehearsal programs, Josh was able to garner what it means to be a school of rock student and implement those teachings into his lessons. He makes sure the student and music come first.
Joshua Blouin was born in Gonzales, Louisiana, and raised by his father, a studio/touring guitarist, and his mother, a Teacher of the Year for Louisiana. He learned piano at 6 years old, played percussion and drumkits throughout his teenage years, and performed as a guitarist for the local metal band, Beyond Redemption, after high school. While studying at Musician's Institute College Of Contemporary Music, Josh earned a Bachelor's Degree in Composition For Visual Media and was on the Dean's List in the Spring and Summer Quarters of 2020.
He wrote, orchestrated, and conducted a symphonic piece titled, A Short Piece For Orchestra op. 1 "The Tragedy." He also interned for Jason Hill's Studio in Burbank, California. Josh is highly energetic and enthusiastic about helping students, at any level, to become better musicians. His passion is guiding students as far as they want to go with their instrument, whether it's a one-time thing, a hobby, getting prepared for Berklee, or becoming a rockstar. His main goal is to help others to experience the joy that is music.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Judson is a fun-loving guy who also happens to be an incredible guitarist. A former student of School of Rock East Cobb, Judson was a member of the House Band for two years. He writes, composes, and produces his own music in his free time, along with dabbling in underwater basket weaving.
Judson was a professional motocross racer and he can run really fast too. Another neat fact about Judson is that he fosters cats, and loves all animals.
Job Titles:
- Instructor
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Julian Williams is a guitar and bass instructor at the School of Rock in Ankeny, Iowa. He has been playing music since the fifth grade but decided to officially pick up the bass in the eighth grade, followed by the guitar in 2020.
Julian is a self-taught artist, currently in four bands, and regularly gigs. In addition to rocking out in those bands, Julian also has a solo project called J.J. Williams in the works. Julian listens to an eclectic range of music but his main interest is prog rock. He is also currently attending Berklee Online studying Music Theory and Composition. Julian loves every facet of music composition and loves to share that knowledge with anyone who asks!
Kaylee Mancuso is a voice teacher from Baton Rouge and she will graduate from LSU in 2025 with a Bachelor's in Vocal Music Education. She started choir in kindergarten and has been involved in music ever since. At LSU, Kaylee studies popular music, opera, musical theatre, choral music, jazz, and more! She currently teaches the Little Wings and Rookies classes along with leading voice lessons at School of Rock Baton Rouge!
Job Titles:
- Vocal Teacher, Piano Teacher
Kelsey Detering is a vocalist, pianist and singer/songwriter from Ann Arbor, MI. She has been singing and playing on various stages for her entire life and has a background in choir, operetta, musical theatre, classical piano and, most importantly, rock n' roll. Thus, she sings and plays a variety of musical genres, and firmly believes that the best music comes from a melting pot of influences. Additionally, she also has a passion for music theory and is a self-taught guitarist.
Kevin Caldwell was born in Alaska and grew up the son of a U.S Army service member. He began his musical journey playing snare drum in grade school. Kevin moved to Italy in his 20s and created the #1 cover band "Sara's Band" in Tuscany. After joining the U.S. Army in 2001, his cover band CX11230 won the U.S. Army's MWR Battle of the Bands in Europe. Kevin became the lead sound engineer and a performer in the U.S. Army Europe Band & Chorus, performing all over Europe and other places from Moscow to Morocco. He has played in local cover bands in Maryland for the last 4 years. His favorite guitarist is Prince and he plays everything from ACDC to Elvis, and more.
Kevin Dickel grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia playing guitar in his school's jazz band and playing guitar and screaming in South Jersey's hardcore band, Davy Crockett. When he's not rigging amps and speakers together like Dr. Frankenstein, he can be found trapped in a never-ending game of fetch with his dog. Kevin's favorite artists include Alkaline Trio, Dillinger Escape Plan, Queen, Black Sabbath, Sleep and SUNN O. Kevin currently plays bass in local cover band Earls of Kent. He provides material support for Philadelphia-based artists Holy Mountain and Hafsol, and publishes music under the moniker Church of Pain. He is a guitar and bass guitar teacher at School of Rock Ashburn.
Kim Washington is originally from Needham, MA. Although she spent 10 years studying piano, Kim went to Mount Ida College (now Mount Ida Campus of UMass Amherst) for Early Childhood Education, Framingham State College for Child Psychology, and UMass Boston for Applied Sociology. After retiring from many years teaching in the Attleboro Public and Private schools, Kim found her way to School of Rock Attleboro in 2016 hoping to add her knowledge of child development, child psychology, and sociology to the dynamic School of Rock teaching method. Kids have always played such an integral part in her life that it is important to her that she helps make that same impact on every kid that comes to School of Rock.
has always been a big part of Kirk's life; He has been playing music for 16 years! An artist that has had a big influence on him musically is Steely Dan. He is currently in a couple of different bands, including Kessel Run and Quite Frankly, which are Denver based and Fresh Intellect which is Chicago based. During quarantine when Kirk wasn't teaching private lessons or running some of our Master Classes, he was recording new music, cooking and watching some of his favorite movies such as Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.
Konstantin Derjnendjier is a drummer with over two decades of experience, specializing in extreme metal drumming. Konstantin is a drum teacher at School of Rock Arlington Heights. His limb control, stamina, and creative coordination allow him to perform intricate rudiment variations at extreme tempos.
Kyle has been working with children for over a decade, starting as a gymnastics coach, and he is now sharing his passion for music. Kyle graduated from the Musicians Institute with an Associate in Music Performance degree and uses his academic background and real-world performing experience to develop the music education of his students.
Kyle has been fortunate to receive guidance from industry pros such as Sammy J. Watson (the Apex Theory), Joe Cox (composer for Hal Leonard), Mike Fasano (Tiger Army), and Sean Kellett (Perfect Sound Studios). He currently maintains a full teaching schedule and is proudly represented by Oceans Entertainment Talent Agency.
Job Titles:
- Coordinator
- Studio Coordinator
Landon Moyer is the Studio Coordinator at the School of Rock in Ankeny, Iowa. He has been involved with music his entire life and first played piano when he was 7.
Even now, Landon is always adding new instruments to his repertoire. He currently plays guitar and keys, and sings for School of Rock Ankeny's adult band, The Strip Mall Cryptids.
Ausper Atkinson is the Little Wing and Rookies instructor at School of Rock Ankeny. They are knowledgeable on the basics of music and have a history of playing low brass and percussion instruments. Ausper's favorite genres of music are jazz, a capella, and comedy music.
Logan Kulbersh is a vocals, keys, and guitar instructor at the School of Rock in Ankeny, Iowa. Logan was brought up in a musical household and grew up listening to her dad play drums in the basement. She regularly participated in musical theatre or sang in choir. Music has been a part of their life from the beginning! Logan is currently a senior studying at Drake University, where she is a member of the Drake Choir and Musical Theatre programs, and also keeps up with her own instrumental practice as a violist. They love the community and family feeling that comes with making music with your friends, family, or even strangers, and the relationships it helps build!
Job Titles:
- Vocal Teacher, Keyboard Piano Teacher
Logan Richmond has been teaching music for over eight years and also teaches K-6 General Music and Chorus at Oak Grove Elementary School. Logan went to Hofstra University for an undergraduate degree in Music Education and got a master's degree from Queens College in Music Education.
In his spare time, Logan loves to sing, play piano and ukulele, and is a part of performing ensembles, choirs, and a cappella groups in the surrounding community. He also loves karaoke and rocking out!
Job Titles:
- Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher
Luke's first time playing drums was at a School of Rock in Oceanside, California. He started playing drums when he was 11 years old and after about a year and a half picked up bass guitar as well. Through middle school and high school, he continued to be an active member of his local School of Rock playing all over Southern California with School of Rock Oceanside's House Band. He also played in personal bands and in musical programs throughout high school. Luke's musical adventures have led him to play a variety of different genres, including funk, pop, jazz, Latin, soul, and plenty of rock and his favorite, metal!
Luke is currently studying Audio Production at the University of Colorado Denver and is a nerd about all things bass, drums, audio, rock, metal, and anything else music-related. His goal as an instructor is to give other students the same incredible opportunities, wisdom, and challenges that he received from dozens of amazing instructors during his time as a student at School of Rock.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Mark teaches guitar and bass guitar at School of Rock Bay Ridge in Brooklyn and has been with School of Rock since 2022. He is a professional touring musician and has performed at some of NYC's most prestigious venues such as Webster Hall, Kings Theater, Brooklyn Steel, and Radio City Music Hall.
Mark loves playing and teaching music of all varieties and has a particular affinity for the music of the '60s. Mark is also a published songwriter with many TV credits including the entrance theme for late WWE wrestler Bray Wyatt, which he got to perform at WrestleMania.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Plucked fresh from the Lone Star state, Mateo comes from a long-standing education in music starting all the way back in elementary school. He eventually attended Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts where he pursued vocals, violin, and guitar through various groups and ensembles and took a year of college at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, just before the pandemic.
Now living in Denver, Mateo takes part in several musical endeavors while teaching privately and at School of Rock Aurora. Mateo takes influence from the stylings of Carlos Santana, Andy Timmons, and Foo Fighters while manipulating the techniques and tendencies of John Frusciante, John Mayer, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Though rock is his favorite genre, he often ties other genres into his playing to keep things interesting.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Max is a passionate guitar teacher with a love for both playing and instructing. His engaging and personalized lessons inspire students to reach their musical potential.
Job Titles:
- Vocal Teacher, Little Wing Teacher
Max is one of the vocal teachers at School of Rock in East Brunswick, NJ. He is a graduate of FDU, with a BA in Musical Theatre and Vocal Performance. Max has loved to sing and perform on stage for many years and continues to do so. In addition to his professional goals in the acting industry, he also loves listening to different styles of singing and teaching music of all genres.
McKenna Michael Bisaha is a queer, multifaceted performing artist and educator based in Brooklyn. Originally from California, they grew up in an extremely artistic household and learned everything about music from their parents (and Bowie of course).
Meghan Herring's drumming career has spanned over 17 years and taken her around the world. After starting the band Doll Skin at 17, they were quickly signed to EMP Records, and she toured with acts such as New Found Glory, Anti-Flag, Dead Kennedys, Creeper, Lacey Sturm of Flyleaf, Flogging Molly, Social Distortion, Motion City Soundtrack, and much more. The band was managed by David Ellefson of Megadeth, as well as Capital Artist Management in the UK. After two summers at the Warped Tour, Doll Skin was signed to Hopeless Records. She is the proud owner of a custom SJC kit and has been featured in their marketing and social accounts multiple times. Meghan was also included in Alternative Press's list of female drummers inspiring the next generation. Meg and Doll Skin has been sponsored by D'Addario, Hot Topic, and Journeys. Her touring experience has taken her to Mexico, Europe, the UK, and across the United States countless times.
The band ended in 2023, and Meghan moved on to tour as a professional drummer - touring as the live drummer for acts like Adore Delano, Rachel Bochner, The Bots, Maijah, Bailey Spinn, and more.
Job Titles:
- Artist
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Teacher, Drums Teacher
Michael Colòn is a dynamic musician and artist hailing from Hoboken with over a decade of experience playing, performing, and teaching music nationwide. Following his graduation from SAE Institute, Michael has utilized his skills to engineer studio sessions locally, nationally, and internationally, making him a valuable asset in every facet of entertainment & musical education.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher
Born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, Kal is a multi-talented musician that likes to get out of his comfort zone and make different genres of music ranging from indie, R&B, metal, and jazz
Job Titles:
- Instructor
- Leader
- Guitar Teacher
Nate comes to School Of Rock Ashburn with over 20 years of professional experience in the music industry. Beginning his journey with voice & piano at a young age, he quickly moved to saxophone, guitar, bass, and an array of other instruments. Since then, Nate has performed for crowds numbering in the tens of thousands on some of the best stages around the country alongside acts such as Maroon 5, 311, Lifehouse, Billy Idol, Toto, and Reel Big Fish to name a few. In addition to his live performance experience, he has released multiple albums of his own and has both written and produced material with Papa Roach, Hollywood Undead, and members of SHAED. Nate joined the team at School of Rock because (as he puts it) "The teaching model and the people here are so inspiring, and I get to use my experience from years of performing and recording to teach the next generation of musicians. Nothing feels better than to be able to give back to the music community and the future of music. I wish School Of Rock had existed when I was a kid!" When he isn't teaching at School Of Rock, Nate runs a songwriting and music production company where he composes for TV, film, and commercials. When he isn't doing that you can likely find him on a nature walk, checking out some really cool bugs with his son.
Nathan Yi is a guitar instructor at School of Rock Arlington Heights. Through this journey of playing guitar, Nathan has met so many creative and awesome people with whom he has been able to create unforgettable experiences! While he enjoys playing with other people, Nathan found that what he enjoys most was teaching and helping others. He says, "Watching others continuously grow as musicians is an indescribable feeling! Learning an instrument has taught him so many things about life including patience, dedication, and to always learn from your mistakes!"
He is also working with us as a Studio Coordinator helping us at the Front of our House as well!
Jonathan is a multi-instrumentalist with a focus on voice. He has been singing for over 13 years, playing guitar for over eight years, and recently he has been picking up the piano (not literally... pianos are heavy).
Jonathan serves as the worship leader at his home church and outside of music he trains in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and has two master's degrees in business. Jonathan believes that music is the purest form of emotional expression we have, and loves helping others express themselves through music.
Nicholas Klusener, originally from Slidell, first began his musical journey at age 17 when his grandmother got him his first electric guitar and amp for his birthday. Within 1 year of playing Nicholas and his friends had formed a band and began playing in local talent shows and battle of the bands wherever they could. Nicholas' music experience ranges from metal to rock to blues to some jazz and even classical. Nicholas studied music at Southeastern Louisiana University where in his first semester he was second chair in the guitar program. Nicholas is also a U.S. Army veteran and has brought with him a goal oriented and team work mindset with him into his job as an instructor. Nicholas is a guitar instructor at the School of Rock Baton Rouge.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Patrick Frederick is a professional guitarist from Mandeville, Louisiana with 5+ years of experience performing, teaching, and recording music. Surrounded by music his whole life, Patrick started on the piano at age 3 and quickly realized his love and his ear for music. At age 9, Patrick began his guitar journey by learning classic rock songs he heard on the radio, primarily Led Zeppelin and Rush. As the years went by, Patrick became a proficient rock, funk, blues, and metal guitarist by learning the styles of his favorite guitarists.
In 2016, Patrick started pursuing a bachelor's degree in music at LSU and began studying classical guitar for two and a half years. Eventually, he switched over to jazz guitar for two and a half more years, and earned his BA in jazz studies in 2021. Patrick also participated in metal music theory class at LSU, which took an extensive look at the compositional techniques of modern metal bands such as Animals as Leaders, Meshuggah, Dream Theater, and Car Bomb. While studying music at LSU, Patrick performed with numerous bands, such as The Peyton Falgoust Band, Burnhouse, Dave Fishingtrip, and Cloud Apex, all while teaching private lessons, since 2017. Patrick currently plays with Dr. Filth and Moccasyn in the New Orleans and Baton Rouge areas.
Job Titles:
- Bass Guitar Teacher, Piano Teacher, Vocal Instructor
Philip Vincent began his formal music studies by learning piano with Beverly Holt and Katherine Tobey. He has a Bachelor's Degree of Music from Southeastern Louisiana University with a concentration in piano, studying under Dr. Kenneth Boulton. He has performed many times, both solo and collaboratively. Currently, he is the accompanist at First United Methodist Church in Gonzales, and has been teaching music for over five years.
Philip began his voice training in high school, singing in multiple school and honor choirs, including all-state honor choirs and the St. Joseph Cathedral Choir. He studied voice with Skip Harris, and currently sings with the Baton Rouge Symphony Chorus. Philip has been playing bass for almost 15 years in multiple bands. He currently plays as a full-time member of two bands of varying styles. He is a bass guitar teacher, piano teacher and vocal instructor at School of Rock Baton Rouge.
Job Titles:
- Instructor
- Vocal Teacher, Little Wing Teacher, Rookies Teacher
Rebecca Benedict is a vocal instructor at the School of Rock in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. She comes from a long line of vocalists in her family with a background in musical theater and Cabaret.
Rebecca enjoys teaching and helping vocalists build confidence and persona inside the song. She believes strongly that standing in the truth of our voice with passion and power isn't just good for performance but can be life-changing in many positive ways.
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Member of the LEADERSHIP TEAM
- PRESIDENT
Propelling substantial growth both domestically and internationally for the brand, School of Rock CEO Rob Price was recognized as one of Global Franchise Magazine's 20 Exceptional Franchise Leaders of 2021.
Rob joined School of Rock as the President & CEO in 2017. Prior to School of Rock, he served as President of Edible Arrangements, which integrated an online business and 1,300 franchised stores worldwide. Before that, Rob was SVP, Chief Marketing Officer at CVS Health. He has also held executive roles at Wawa Food Markets and H-E-B Grocery. Rob earned an MBA with the highest academic honors from Harvard Business School and graduated with a BS in Applied Economics from Cornell University. He was a visiting professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School and was a Henry Crown Fellow and Richard Braddock Scholar at the Aspen Institute. Rob's favorite musical artists include Steely Dan and Green Day.
Robert Romero has been around music his whole life. At a young age, he learned how to play drums by ear and eventually learned how to read music at School of Rock. Robert joined the concert bands at his middle school and high school as well as the marching band. He was in the high school's front ensemble on the drum set and the drumline on marching quads. He eventually became a percussion instructor and arranger for the program as well as many other programs. Robert hopes to extend his passion for music and drums to others as a drum teacher at School of Rock in East Brunswick, NJ!
Rowan Eiler is an up-and-coming teacher of voice from Lake Charles, Louisiana who expects to graduate from LSU in 2023 with a Bachelor in Vocal Music Education. They currently student teach music part-time at an elementary school in Baton Rouge.
It all started with piano lessons early in life... either that, or a childhood obsession with the video game Beatles Rock Band, where Rowan was ALWAYS the singer for their siblings' "band". Rowan soon switched from piano to guitar lessons, then became a die-hard choir kid, singing in choirs every year since 4th grade. In high school Rowan sang in Advanced, Select, and Show choirs, and took AP Music Theory, where they became a proud theory nerd and sight-singing rockstar.
Rowan has roots in both classical music and rock n' roll! Lake Charles Young Band Nation, a program much like the School of Rock, saw Rowan as a rhythm guitarist from ages 11-13, then a lead singer in the "House" band from 13-18, playing gigs from local fundraisers to New Orleans Jazz Fest in 2016.
For 7 summers and counting, Rowan has also worked as a counselor at Vista Camps in Texas, garnering plenty of experience as a leader and positive role model for young people. Rowan brings the energy of camp into the music room, with a passion for empowering each student to be their best, most authentic self, and to strive for excellence both in music and in life!
Ryan Perrone is a multi-instrumentalist with an extensive background of jazz theory and improvisation training. He has been playing the piano since he was 5 years old and has picked up trombone, trumpet, and sousaphone along the way. He received his degree in Jazz Performance at SUNY New Paltz. Ryan is in multiple performing groups with stylistic genres such as funk, R&B, jazz, rock, reggae, and countless others. Thanks to Ryan's experience with many instruments, he brings a unique perspective to School of Rock Beacon NY students.
Job Titles:
- CHIEF INNOVATION OFFICER
- Member of the LEADERSHIP TEAM
Sam is a keyboard player, bassist, singer, and songwriter based out of Chicago. Growing up in Milwaukee, Sam began taking piano lessons at the age of 12. In college, he majored in music, with a focus on composition and production. During this time Sam also participated in the Cherry Street Combo, the top jazz combo at Knox College. He also acted as a teacher's assistant for music production classes at Knox. During the summer of his junior year, Sam worked as an intern for the Casterbridge Music Development Academy in Mbombela, South Africa. In this role, he taught piano lessons and acted as a musical advisor for a multitude of students. More recently, Sam helped form the indie rock collective Kent Avenue Carpool. The band performs at venues across the Midwest, including High Noon Saloon in Madison, Cactus Club in Milwaukee, and Cobra Lounge in Chicago. Sam is dedicated to improving himself as a musician and helping others along their musical journeys.
Since joining School of Rock in 2013, Sam has held various roles, from overseeing technology and the help desk team to now ensuring that all of our music programs, curricula, and teaching tools are world-class as our Chief Innovation Officer. Sam plays an integral part in crafting the roadmap to School of Rock's patented curriculum and leads projects that execute on that vision. While pursuing his music degree in Jazz Studies at DePaul University in Chicago, he began working at Apple retail stores. After completing his degree, Sam spent almost 10 years at Apple focusing on customer experience, management, and training. He grew up in a musical household, has always had a passion for music, and has been able to bring all of his passions together at School of Rock. Sam's favorite musical artists include Sonny Rollins, Foo Fighters, The Beatles, and Stevie Wonder.
Saoirse (pronounced seer-shuh) plays around town with Velvet Willow and works on her personal music in her spare time. A fun fact about Saoirse is that she was a student at School of Rock East Cobb several years ago, and a member of our House Band. Her favorite color is purple and she has a kitten named Beef. A couple of her vocal influences are Stevie Nicks and Ann Wilson. Saoirse's creativity and energetic personality bring so much joy to the school!
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Most of Shanin Sharifi's experience has come from live performance. Both on stage as an artist and behind the scenes as a technician, Shanin has consistently played in working acts for over 30 years with very diverse musical styles and interests. He is a guitar teacher, bass guitar teacher, ukulele teacher and mandolin teacher at School of Rock Alexandria.
Job Titles:
- Studio Coordinator / Shannon
has a Master of Art from Florida Atlantic University and has taught writing courses at the college level. She has over 19 years of customer service experience. When she is not welcoming you into our School of Rock facility, Shannon spends the vast majority of her time reading, hiking, and hanging out with her weird dog, Olive.
Shannon grew up in South Florida on a healthy dose of classic rock and sunshine. She moved to Georgia in early 2024 and is very excited to be a part of the School of Rock Alpharetta team. While she admits to having zero musical talent, Shannon is an excellent "woo girl" at live shows and is eager to support all of the students. Now wearing the proud badge of studio coordinator at the school, she is interested in learning the piano and acoustic guitar.
Job Titles:
- Keyboard and Vocal Teacher
Spencer started as a bass student at School of Rock when he was 15 years old and has never looked back. He was inspired to teach thanks to his time as a School of Rock student in both the Performance Program and his school's House Band. Bass and guitar are Spencer's primary instruments to teach but he also loves instructing classes like Rookies and Rock 101. He loves being on stage and is always trying to play shows and be a part of new bands. You can catch Spencer performing live with groups like Dragon Falcon and Murmur, a tribute to R.E.M. and The Cure. He is the Music Director and a guitar teacher and bass teacher at School of Rock Ballwin.
Spencer is a Vocal and Keys Instructor at School of Rock Arlington Heights. He has been teaching and performing in the Chicago area since 2006. Spencer's philosophy of teaching is that the experience of music is accessible to everyone.
Spencer is also the general music teacher at Lincoln Elementary School in Bellwood. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife Vanessa and daughter Sabrina. He also enjoys reading, cooking, watching the Packers and the Cubs, and obviously, singing.
Spencer attended Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois and graduated with a bachelor's degree in Vocal Music Education. In addition to singing in choirs such as the esteemed University Choir, he was also a member of a vocal jazz ensemble, the Tudor Voices early music ensemble, and the Multicultural Voices of Praise gospel choir, which he also directed. He has been teaching and performing in the Chicago area since 2006. Spencer's philosophy of teaching is that the experience of music is accessible to everyone.
Job Titles:
- Chief Operating Officer
- CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER
- Independent Consultant
- Member of the LEADERSHIP TEAM
Stacey joined School of Rock as an Independent Consultant in 2015 and worked her way up the ranks, from VP of Operations to Chief Operations Officer, in 2019. Stacey oversees the day-to-day administrative and operational functions of School of Rock worldwide. After graduating from Rutgers University, she began her career in education at Huntington Learning Centers, where she grew her center and region into the top performer in the nation. Stacey then developed and implemented a new department within Operations at Goddard Preschools. Here she redefined quality, raised standards, and drove results by implementing operations to support and grow the top and bottom locations. Even as a child, Stacey was always passionate about music. Her enthusiasm for music and commitment to childhood education drives her success at School of Rock. Stacey's favorite musical artists include The Beatles, The Struts, and Rodrigo y Gabriela.
Job Titles:
- Drum Teacher, General Manager
Stephen Norton brings a vast array of music experience to the School of Rock family. After receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree in music from the University of North Texas, Stephen moved to Los Angeles where he worked for several record labels and music distribution companies including Warner Bros, EMI Music, and Concord Records in sales and marketing. It was during this time that he met his bandmates and formed the indie rock band Louden Swain, to which he's contributed his talents as drummer, producer, background vocalist, and co-writer. Over the course of 20+ years and 11 album releases, the band has toured extensively in the US, as well as Canada, the UK, Europe, and Australia. When not playing drums, piano, or guitar, Stephen enjoys spending time with family, his two rescue cats Lucky and Lucy, traveling and playing poker.
Steve McKay is our Owner and General Manager at School of Rock Alexandria. After 30 years as an IT Project Manager and Systems Engineer in the fast-paced Washington DC area, Steve decided to mix his skills learned running major IT projects with his love of live music to open a School of Rock in Alexandria, VA. Along with his extensive management skills, Steve has been playing drums and managing events for 30+ years. This lengthy span of performing in bands has given Steve immeasurable experience with band management, event management, promoting and marketing skills. One of Steve's proudest moments in drumming occurred in high school jazz band. What should have been a brief drum solo during his high school holiday concert turned into a several-minute drum solo, which caused the auditorium full of students to cheer him on and school faculty to rush the stage. Apparently, Steve was the most popular guy in school after his extended drum solo.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Stuart teaches guitar and bass, also plays drums, and is a rehearsal instructor as well. He started playing music in the eighth grade. His favorite bands are St. Vincent, Metric, Led Zeppelin, The National, and Pink Floyd.
Suzanne's career started in the San Francisco Bay Area's independent music scene in the 1990s. First working and living at the Maximumrocknroll Magazine house in San Francisco, she learned all aspects of publishing the monthly international music magazine from the late DIY-music legend Tim Yohannan. Suzanne went on to work for Mordam Records, the largest independent music distributor, as the Marketing Manager.
Suzanne moved into the broader business world, working at Bain & Company for six years before transferring to a leadership position at a local composites manufacturing company for the last 15 years.
Suzanne reconnected with her musical roots through her two teens joining School of Rock. The program had a powerfully positive impact on her kids, who were never into sports but sought community. At an inflection point for her next career steps, Suzanne feels fortunate to establish her own School of Rock in Alameda with the help of a stellar team.
Taylor is a keyboard instructor at School of Rock Bay Ridge, and also teaches in our Little Wing, Rookies, and Rock 101 programs. Taylor is a School of Rock alumna herself, starting in Rock 101 and later participating in both House Band and AllStars. School of Rock made a lasting impact on Taylor's life, driving her to pursue music professionally. Taylor strives to pass down that same passion to her students and is excited to be part of the School of Rock Bay Ridge team!
Taylor graduated from NYU with a degree in Music Technology, where she studied music production, music theory, electronics, and aural comprehension. Taylor is now a professional touring and session keyboardist in the Tri-State area, playing in several pop and rock bands and touring dozens of states. Taylor has played notable venues and festivals including Lollapalooza, Summerfest, and SXSW. Additionally, Taylor is a songwriter, recording engineer, and producer.
Having been a performer and teacher for over 10 years, Thomas has been a lover of music since he was born. His grandfather gave him his first guitar at age 9, and he began playing classical percussion at age 10 when he joined his middle school band program. At age 11, he received his first drum kit and started performing for live audiences at the age of 12. From there, Thomas began performing with various rock, metal, and funk bands around Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and Lafayette. Thomas was also an accomplished percussionist, having placed first chair in all of his middle school honor bands. He was also a Louisiana All-State percussionist in high school.
Thomas went on to pursue a Bachelor's Degree in Percussion Performance at LSU. While there, he was a member of the LSU Wind Ensemble, Hamiruge (LSU percussion ensemble), and was a member of the LSU marching band. He also participated in a jazz ensemble, and performed for multiple LSU theatre performances.
Since graduation, he has focused on teaching, recording, and performing music. Thomas currently performs with bands Quarx, LA Shuffle, The 501st, and Karma and the Killjoys.
Thom lives and breathes music. As a professional guitarist, he has served the Austin community since 2012 playing for some of the best musicians in town in a variety of styles including classical, jazz, latin, blues, and rock. Before moving to Austin, he lived in Maine where he received a bachelors in music for guitar performance with a jazz concentration from USM where he graduated with honors. From there he played in the local music scene and recorded original material with his band Hoboe. Austin drew him in with constant work as a hired gun and performed with groups such as Safety Patrol, and The Holy Child (among many others.) His endeavors have brought him on tours from coast to coast. His main instrument is guitar, but he also is proficient in bass guitar, ukulele, voice, and composition. His teaching style is geared toward understanding music theory and he often uses a classical approach to apply sight reading concepts and proper techniques as well as an advanced jazz theory background that utilizes ear training and transcription, both of which are practiced by world class musicians.
Tom's journey as a drummer has been a lifelong passion fueled by the vibrant alternative rock scene of the early 2000s. Bands like Green Day and blink-182 became the soundtrack to his formative years, igniting a fire within him to pursue drumming as more than just a hobby. Tom's musical voyage began in middle school when he formed a band with close friends in class. They played gigs at local venues and house parties, sharing their love for music with anyone who would listen. Those early experiences laid the foundation for Tom's musical path, teaching him the value of live performance and the connection it can forge with an audience. Tom took a significant step in his drumming journey in 2012 when he became a student at School of Rock. The School of Rock environment offered Tom not only a comprehensive education in music theory and technique but also a platform to perform alongside talented musicians. It was at School of Rock that his progression as a performing drummer accelerated, and he discovered the true power of collaboration and the joy of sharing music with others. Currently, Tom is a member of a punk rock band called Superkick, where he continues to channel his passion for drumming into dynamic live performances and recording sessions. Playing in a band has provided Tom with invaluable experiences, from writing and arranging music to working with other talented musicians, all of which he brings into his teaching. Tom is thrilled to be a part of the School of Rock Andersonville community and to share his knowledge and enthusiasm for drumming with students of all ages. Teaching is not just a job for Tom; it's a true love. He looks forward to helping you discover the joy and creativity that drumming can bring to your life. Let's rock!
Job Titles:
- Instructor
- Drum Teacher, Keyboard Piano Teacher
Timothy Bohnenkamp is a keys and drum instructor at the School of Rock in Ankeny, Iowa. He started taking piano lessons from his mother and playing in church when he was a kid.
Tim began playing percussion and then drums at the age of 10, and was All-State in Iowa for concert band and jazz band as a senior at Valley High School. He graduated from the University of North Texas with a bachelor's degree in Music and ever since then he has been studying music while raising a family.
Travis has been a professional musician since 1998. He plays drums, guitar, lap steel, bass, keys and sings. He is a graduate of Houston's High School for the Performing and Visual Arts ('94) and Berklee College of Music (Professional Music '98). Travis played guitar and drums in "Blue Man Group: Live at Luxor" in Las Vegas. He has performed with Carmine Appice, Peter Stroud, Liberty Devitto, Jeff Carlisi, Derek St. Holmes, Jim Peterik and others. He began teaching music in 2005. For the last three years, Travis has been touring the United States as a drummer and harmony vocalist with the Ian Moore Band.
As Music Director, Travis is in charge of all student programs, lessons, live performances, and both student and teacher development here in Vienna. Using his skills as a multi-instrumentalist and experienced teacher, Travis strives to build our students' confidence not just in music but in their every day lives. He holds degrees in both Entertainment Business and Recording Arts from Full Sail University (Orlando, FL). Travis's experiences and endless desire to become a better musician allows him to dig deep to bring a high level of energy and fun to all our lessons and groups at School of Rock.
Travis's journey through music started on the piano at age three, and by nine he had moved on to teaching himself guitar while taking private drum lessons from Bill Richards (Section Leader for The United States Army Band). Throughout high school, Travis marched in the snare line as well as sitting in on various instruments with his friend's bands as much as possible. He has since written, performed and recorded with a number of artists and has held various positions within indie record labels, radio, booking agencies and studios around the US.
Job Titles:
- Drum Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Keyboard Piano Teacher
Tyler was born and raised in Wingdale, New York. He quickly developed a love for music, and when he was 10 he discovered Eddie Van Halen, and knew at that moment that playing guitar was what he wanted to do with his life. Along the way, he picked up drums, bass, and piano as well.
Since then, Tyler has built up an extensive musical resume, playing music of all types across multiple instruments. Some of these include the complex works of Frank Zappa in the SUNY Oneonta Zappa ensemble, classic rock in his bands Sound Beacon and Redshift, indie rock in the Teddy Holly band and Rib and the Bones, funk bass in the SUNY Oneonta Funk Band run by Spyro Gyra's Jeremy Wall, and metal drumming in Brotality and Bulls on Parade. These experiences have helped him become a well-rounded player with an ability to quickly adapt to many styles of music.
Having just graduated SUNY Oneonta with a degree in Music Industry, Tyler is ready to bring his skills to Beacon's School of Rock!
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Keyboard Piano Teacher
Wesley Arocho grew up in Brooklyn where he started piano lessons at 5 years old. He started his first band at the age of 14, where he played synth.
After graduating from Talented Unlimited High School, Wesley moved to New Orleans where he earned a bachelor's degree in Music Studies and Classical Music Theory, with a focus on Guitar. Wesley's experience grew for the next several years in the New Orleans music scene, where he played hundreds of shows and recorded several albums.
Wesley moved back to New York in 2023 and is excited to share his enthusiasm and knowledge about the art of musicianship with young rockers at School of Rock Bay Ridge in Brooklyn.
Job Titles:
- Music Director, Guitar Teacher, Bass Teacher, Drum Teacher
Will is the Music Director and a teacher at the School of Rock and before that, he was actually a student! He started taking lessons here at a young age and worked his way up to the performance program as well as House Band during his time here. After graduating, he came right back as an instructor and has been working closely to ensure the success of all the students he comes across. He teaches guitar, drums, and bass while playing a little keys on the side too! He looks forward to coming in every day and teaching the next generation how to rock and roll!
Xavier Cruz, a Denver native, began playing music in middle school. First it began with guitar, then drums, and finally the bass. Playing all through adolescence in Jazz ensemble and after school programs, he came to a decision. Immediately after graduating high school, he packed his bags and moved to Los Angeles, California to attend the Musicians Institute. After years of studying he obtained a degree in drum performance and audio engineering. Post graduation, he began to gig in various bands in Los Angeles of all styles and became a co-founder/producer for an indie record label called Vogue House Sounds. Now having returned back to where it all began, he shares his knowledge to the next generation of little rockers.
Zack is a vocal teacher at School of Rock in East Brunswick. A graduate of Montclair State University with a BFA in Musical Theatre, Zack has performed and worked with music most of his life. He has performed on a tour for Pete the Cat's Big Hollywood Adventure and is eager to work with younger musicians on their craft.
Currently a working equity actor in the theatre world, Zack is knowledgeable in all music styles and is super excited to be able to spread his knowledge and love for music to all the students. Keep rocking on!
Zack is a bassist, cellist, arranger, and teacher based in Baltimore, MD. He has worked as a musical director and orchestra member with Baltimore Center Stage, the Baltimore Rock Opera Society, and Royal Caribbean International, while building a reputation as an in-demand recording artist for his playing and arranging skills. Zack has been teaching music for more than ten years, specializing in beginner cello instruction, audition preparation, and ensemble skills. Since joining School of Rock, he has thoroughly enjoyed bringing his classical and professional background into ensemble coaching, striving for a high standard of excellence while nurturing the fun and playfulness that only playing in a rock band can provide.
Zoe's love for music was encouraged during childhood, starting at age 6 with her parents putting her in piano lessons. Around age 8, Zoe was passionate about switching to drums after being inspired by Tré Cool's fast drumming style and animated showmanship while performing with Green Day. She began private lessons with local teacher Mike Fix (who helped her learn over a span of 10 years), focused on reading music along with honing her coordination, independence, and confidence behind the kit. In middle school, Zoe began listening to metal, which sparked an interest in double bass drumming. Then, while attending Arcadia High School, she played percussion in orchestra and snare and bass drum in marching band, motivated by watching the movie Drumline years prior. She was also a part of the CMAS (Creative Musical Arts and Sciences) program, which taught her about recording methods and live sound engineering.
To further her knowledge and abilities, Zoe moved to Los Angeles at 18 to pursue an Associate of Arts performance degree at Musicians Institute. During her collegiate music education, Zoe took general classes in music theory and ear training as well as specialized drum classes including advanced reading and technique, jazz, Latin, odd meter, and more. Additionally, private lessons with Ryan Brown (drummer for Dweezil Zappa) enabled her to go beyond the school curriculum and learn about expressing herself as a unique musician. Upon graduation, Zoe's hard work was recognized through receiving the achievement award of "Most Improved." She was also offered a teaching assistant job (which she stayed at for a year and a half), playing drum set in bass/guitar/vocal performance classes and tutoring current drum program students.
Since moving back to Phoenix, Zoe has played in various music groups including Sinshrift (hard rock), Gift Horse (alternative), Short Lived (emo) as well as Scottsdale Community College's big band and jazz combos. She has been employed with the School of Rock in Arcadia since September 2023. She is an incredibly enthusiastic teacher who works well with all age groups. Combining her extensive education and performance experience with the patented School of Rock Method™ allows her to help each individual student accomplish their own musical goals. It is important to Zoe that she provides a comfortable and encouraging learning environment for everyone since she knows firsthand the power of good mentorship.