ROCK - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Keyboard Piano Teacher, Singing 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 six. 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 picked up the guitar at 14 and immediately took to it. He spent much time with the instrument, teaching himself as many techniques as possible, as well as music theory. Once quoted as saying to his public music teacher, "I know more about guitar than you," he soon became close with the instructor, who convinced him to go to school for music. Adam then received the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award before attending SEMO in Cape Girardeau for music composition. He has also been gigging regularly outside of school and currently plays for several bands in the Saint Louis area, as well as writing and recording several albums of material.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Alan is a guitar teacher and bass guitar teacher at School of Rock Bedford. He also owns and operates Haymarket Studios in Beacon, New York. He began writing and performing music with bands in the Denver, Colorado DIY punk and metal community when he was 12 years old. Some of the songs he wrote with his friends while procrastinating doing homework allowed him to make records and tour the world. Alan prioritizes relationships, fun, experimentation, and a process-oriented approach to teaching guitar and bass.
Alex is a drum, guitar, bass guitar, and keys teacher at School of Rock Arlington Heights. He has a passion for seeing his students grow in their competency and build upon their joy for their instruments.
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:
- Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher, Keyboard Teacher
Born and raised in Providence, RI, Alicia was around the age of five when she began experimenting with her grandmother's piano and learning songs by ear. Naturally as a young child, she would also sing any chance she got. From there, the love for music only continued to grow. Singing was something ingrained in Alicia's soul and everyone could see it. Her father and mother both sang in choir and so she carried the torch and took her place in the preschool chorus. She continued chorus up through high school while adapting other instruments along the way. Her first real instrument was the flute, which she played until she found guitar. The rest was history!
Today, Alicia is a multi-instrumentalist, studio engineer, and producer in progress. She writes, records, performs, and currently knows how to play guitar, drums, piano, bass, and ukulele. As her journey continues, she will continue to learn more instruments and styles to continue improving her skills. Passing on this universal language is what she lives for and so it will always be her heart and soul.
Job Titles:
- Singing 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. She 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.
Job Titles:
- Instructor
- Piano Teacher, Singing Teacher
Anna Thomason is an experienced voice and keyboard instructor at School of Rock Arlington Heights. She is a very patient and positive teacher who enjoys learning with and guiding students. Her goal is to understand students' inherent talents and work with them to refine and bring out their truest potential.
Anna is a multi disciplined artist and musician and also has classically trained in french horn performance at Jacobs School of music. Anna has her degree in Music as well as certificates in child care. She has been teaching for over 7 years and loves all age groups.
Annalise Panken is a voice instructor, rookies and little wing instructor at School of Rock Arlington Heights. She is also a studio coordinator at the school as well. Annalise Panken has studied voice, guitar and bass for several years and is actually a graduate of the School of Rock Arlington Heights . She has been an active performer throughout the northwest suburbs in youth theater productions. She loves seeing her students experience the joy in growing in their musical abilities and helping them meet their goals.
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.
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.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher
Ariq is a multi-instrumentalist who was inspired to become a musician by watching artists like Jimmy Page, Kevin Parker and Dave Grohl. Learning to become a musician by self-expression took Ariq to complete his Bachelor of Music degree through JMC in Sydney.
Ariq is a keen car enthusiast and lover of football (the English kind) but nothing brings a smile to his face more than the music of Led Zeppelin. Ariq is available for guitar lessons, bass guitar lessons, and drum lessons at School of Rock Bella Vista.
Job Titles:
- Vocal Teacher, Bass Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Co - Music Director.
Ashton May is primarily a vocalist who just so happens to be great at several instruments, including bass, guitar, keyboards, and vibraslap. Ashton plays in several bands across the Atlanta area, including The Hearsay (check their new album out on your favorite streaming platform) and Arcside, and also performs solo multiple times a month at venues around town. You won't find a bigger Taylor Swift fan than Ashton, but she also enjoys listening to Metric, Third Eye Blind, David Bowie, and Paramore.
Job Titles:
- Teacher
- Bass Guitar Teacher / Shannon
- Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher
- Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Keyboard Piano Teacher, Singing Teacher
- Bass Guitar Teacher, Guitar Teacher and Singing Teacher
- Bass Guitar Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher
- Bass Guitar Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Keyboard Teacher
- Bass Guitar Teacher, Piano Teacher, Vocal Instructor
- Guitar Teacher, Show Director
- Teacher, Drum Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Keyboard Piano Teacher
- Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher
- Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Keyboard Piano Teacher
- Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Show Director
- Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Singing Teacher
- Teacher, Keyboard Piano Teacher, Singing Teacher
- Teacher, Singing Teacher, Keyboard Piano Teacher
Noah is a self-taught musician of 10+ years and a humble convert to the School of Rock Method™. Beginning in a family of musicians and creatives, Noah was raised by his Hispanic, hippie mother and punk rock drummer dad, instilling a wide appreciation for all forms of art. Noah's first tastes of rock were the psychedelic pulsing of Jimi Hendrix while in utero. From then he maintained a passion for music, finding the trumpet playing in the school band. Simple orchestra tunes didn't satiate his thirst, however; Noah longed to play the music that inspired him.
In the midst of the "there's an app for that" revolution, Noah began learning open chords utilizing free apps on the iPod market. When his resident church caught wind, they promptly placed the inexperienced young whippersnapper on stage for Sunday worship services. Noah was quickly formed by a journey of trial and error each week, eventually leading band rehearsals and Sunday performances. His life in music continued into college when he studied music technology and live performance at Brookdale Community College. Now, at School of Rock in East Brunswick, NJ, Noah teaches with a passion and understanding for creativity and the process of self-teaching, within the framework of the School of Rock Method™.
Ryley is a guitar teacher, bass guitar teacher and keyboard teacher at School of Rock Bella Vista in Sydney's Hills District.
Ryley graduated from School of Rock as a student and was accepted to continue his music education through Western Sydney University's Music Program.
Growing up in a family passionate about music, Ryley was exposed to a variety of musical styles and cut his teeth learning the songs of Queen and The Beatles. Throughout his School of Rock journey, Ryley had the opportunity to perform at the Whiskey a Go-Go in Los Angeles as well as showcasing his talents at Musician's Institute in Hollywood where he impressed the faculty. He has toured the United States playing shows in Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, Las Vegas and San Francisco.
Ryley's passion for music has passed onto his students with his ability to engage them and make music fun.
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.
Dave is a rockabilly songwriter, singer, and guitarist born in Texas and now based in Baltimore, Maryland. He got his start playing punk rock in the 1980s and developed his interest in a wide range of vintage American music. His music (under the name Lonesome Dave Fisher) is available on Plan 9 Trash Records, Austria.
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.
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.
Sean is a multi-instrumentalist bending the boundaries of musicality across genres. For the last 20 years, Sean has performed in a variety of acts across the United States, based primarily in Florida and Georgia. His major performance outlets have included Antelope: a tribute to Phish, Come Back Alice, Broke Mr. Jones, and he currently tours in the Southeast alongside his high-energy, psychedelic bluegrass band, Tire Fire.
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.
Aaron brings real-world experience with a genuine love for music to students looking to hone their skills in the context of rock performance. His view is that rock n' roll isn't something you do; it's who you are.
Shannon has lived a music centered life since she began playing piano at 5 years old. She is a proficient and skilled multi-instrumentalist, but bass is her primary for performing and playing in bands, which she has literally done across the country. She's always felt like music and art have been the most straightforward ways of being able to share love and beauty with the world and with those around her. She loves teaching lessons because she truly doesn't know anything more rewarding than to be able to help others accomplish their goals of being able to share their same passions and creativity with others all the same!
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.
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.
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.
Daniel Dominguez is very passionate about music and performance. He has an extensive background in a variety of instruments and has performed at some of Albuquerque's greatest venues on stage and behind the scenes. Whether you are trying to learn to play an instrument or you would like to refine your sound and take it to the next level, he can definitely help.
Bea Escobar has been a resident of Northwest Arkansas for nearly 20 years. Bea comes from a musical family and saw the opportunity to address the unique needs of NWA students wanting performance-based music education. With over 25 years of successful corporate experience and a degree in business, she launched School of Rock Fayetteville in 2016 and acquired School of Rock Bentonville in 2021. In Bea's words, owning a School of Rock is easily the most rewarding and successful enterprise she has ever been a part of. The school is always full of laughter, music, and happiness. It is so much more than just a business to her.
Job Titles:
- Singing Teacher, Keyboard Teacher
Becca Nowak is a graduate of Tecumseh High School and Siena Heights University, with a degree in Musical Theatre and a minor in art with a focus in Graphic Design. She took the stage for the first time in 4th grade and since then she has been in many musicals around the area. While Becca loves performing in musicals, she also has a passion for country and 80s rock which she has been able to put to use in several different bands as the lead singer. Her passions do not stop at music though as she is also extremely passionate about visual art and spends most of her day as a middle school art teacher. Becca has studied vocals under Leah Crocetto, Michael Yuen, Betsy Lackey, and Dr. Kelly Ford, and is so excited to be following in their steps as a vocal and piano instructor.
Ben Malmed started his career at School of Rock in October 2010 as a 23-year-old and immediately fell in love with the mission and community. Watching students go from the lesson room to the stage, gaining confidence, and having fun continues to be a source of inspiration for him. In 2015, Ben was promoted to Music Director of School of Rock Bedford and named Music Director for AllStars Northeast in 2022.
Music of all kinds is held with great value in Ben's family and notably, his grandparents were professional singers at the Metropolitan Opera. Ben started piano lessons at 5 years old which gave him a strong foundation in music theory, metronome practice, and technique. The switch to other instruments was made easier as he decided to pursue rock music and take up guitar and bass. He eventually studied with some of the world's best musicians at Berklee College of Music.
Ben also works as a studio musician, producer, live sound engineer, bandmate, and performer. His original touring band, Fundimensionals, recorded two albums and performed at many concert venues and festivals before parting ways. They received local airplay on 107.1 The Peak for their song "Deer On The Hutch" and were featured in Relix Magazine.
Job Titles:
- Singing Teacher, Keyboard Piano Teacher
Benjamin is a multi-instrumentalist, singer, and musical director from Washingtonville, NY. Benjamin has a degree in Music Education and Saxophone from the State University of New York at Fredonia and is currently finishing up his master's degree in Music Performance with a Graduate Assistantship in Wind Conducting.
Benjamin has had the amazing opportunity of music directing musicals including The Wizard of Oz, Drowsy Chaperone, School of Rock, High School Musical 2 Jr, Through The Looking Glass, and more. He has also had the great honor of performing Tenor Saxophone in the All-Eastern Honors Band, Keyboards and Vocals at The Chance Theater and Bethel Woods, and assistant directing collegiate ensembles.
Benjamin is very excited to be a part of the School of Rock Beacon team!
Job Titles:
- Singing 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.
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.
Job Titles:
- General Manager
- Member of Bands Throughout New England
Brandon Terzakis is a drummer and educator from Guilford, CT, with over a decade of teaching experience. A student of the New School College of Performing Arts at the School of Jazz, Brandon is actively pursuing his BFA in Jazz Studies and has had the opportunity to study with contemporaries such as Matt Wilson, Joe Morris, and Jeremy Dutton. Brandon's interests range from the rich traditions of swing and bebop to the avant-garde voices of Ornette Coleman and Cecil Taylor.
In addition to being a drummer, Brandon has been a member of bands throughout New England on guitar and has toured extensively both domestically and internationally.
Job Titles:
- Keyboard Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Brendan has played piano since he was seven years old and has a classical and blues background in piano. While studying English and Russian at Oberlin college, Brendan played electric bass and guitar in different bands. After graduating, he joined the burgeoning music scene in the Bay Area and has played in numerous projects since then.
Brendan can teach multiple instruments including piano, bass, and guitar. In addition, he can teach music theory, how to read music, and all different styles from pop, rock, New Orleans, jazz, ragtime, or stride! In his spare time, you'll find Brendan practicing music or reading about surrealism or history, or studying Russian or French.
Job Titles:
- Drum Teacher, Keyboard Teacher
Brent Beissel teaches drums, percussion, piano, music theory, ensemble, as well as beginner bass and guitar. Brent's first professional teaching job began immediately after graduating from Berklee College of Music in the Summer of 2007, teaching at the Drum and Percussion workshop Summer program. He has been a guest faculty member every year since starting in 2007.
Brent's goal is to help students learn and excel on their instrument in a fun and creative environment. Several of Brent's students have gone on to graduate from prestigious music schools like Berklee and Mass Amherst and carve out careers in music. Outside of teaching, Brent performs weekly in cover bands at Boston bars and clubs as well as a heavy wedding schedule all over New England.
Job Titles:
- Drum Teacher, Keyboard Teacher
Born and raised in Colorado, Brett began playing piano at the age of 8 through traditional piano lessons, which he continued for about two years. It wasn't until joining a School of Rock program at age 13 that his love of music developed. His passion continued as he played drums and keyboard in multiple bands and made friends with similar interests. Brett eventually worked his way up to House Band and Allstars where he toured all over the US with elite School of Rock students. Brett recently graduated from the University of Colorado Denver with a BS in music business and continues to play music professionally while teaching at School of Rock Aurora.
Job Titles:
- Instructor
- Singing Teacher, Piano Teacher
Brian Pawlak is a singing and piano instructor at School of Rock Arlington Heights. Brian Pawlak earned his bachelor's of music in voice performance and bachelor's of music education as well as a minor in conducting from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in 2016 where he graduated with high distinction. He is currently working on his Master's of Music in Music Education from Western Illinois University. Brian has taught all grade levels K-12 and currently teaches general music at a K-2 school in Gurnee, IL. Brian has won numerous awards for performance and teaching and is a part of many music educator organizations such as ACDA and NAfME. Brian plays the violin, piano, and voice. Listening, performing, and sharing music of all types with students of all ages is one of Brian's biggest goals as a teacher. Providing a well-rounded and ideal music experience is essential for his lessons.
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.
Born and raised in Oakland, CA, Cairo McCockran has devoted his life to the study of rhythm. His studies began in East Oakland under the instruction of master percussionist E.W. Wainwright and as a performer of the African Roots of Jazz Youth Drummers. Cairo continued his musical studies at the Berkeley Jazz School and completed his high school studies in instrumental music and performance at Oakland School for the Arts. He completed his BA in Global Studies and Maritime Affairs at the California Maritime Academy. Cairo performs with local blues, rock, jazz, and zydeco ensembles in the SF Bay Area. Cairo has been teaching drums at School of Rock Berkeley since 2019.
Cameron Towell is a piano teacher and keyboard teacher at School of Rock Bella Vista, with a focus on contemporary and jazz piano. He studied classical piano as a young child and still loves beaking down the master composers of that era.
Taking inspiration from artists Billy Joel, Bill Evans, and Stevie Wonder, Cameron plays in a funk band called Soul Craft. His band is often seen around the wedding circuit in Sydney.
Cameron is passionate about teaching his students and can break down difficult concepts into easily digestible pieces. He has enormous patience with younger students and easily turns musical ideas into games.
His favourite song is Elton John's "Benny and The Jets" and his guilty pleasure song is the Campfire song from Spongebob Squarepants.
Cameron is available to take on new piano and keyboard students at School of Rock Bella Vista.
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.
Job Titles:
- Singing Teacher, Keyboard Teacher
Charlotte Roth is originally from Connecticut, and after pursuing a dual-degree in Music and Cinema and a minor in Creative Writing at the Virginia Commonwealth University, she is back in the Northeast to pursue artistic endeavors in music and stage. As a vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and performer, Charlotte brings positivity, creativity, and on-stage experience to all of her private lesson students. Whether you are a complete beginner looking for an introduction to the instrument, or have some experience under your belt and are looking for a fresh perspective, Charlotte has aptitude for all ages and experience levels. If you're looking to challenge yourself in our performance-based program, Charlotte is excited to give students the tools to grow at School of Rock in the lesson room, in rehearsal, and on stage. And look out for solo gigs as Charlotte brings her skills on piano, piano, ukulele, and voice to events all over the area!
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:
- Drum Teacher, Keyboard Teacher
Chris Rossi started playing drums when he was 13 years old. He was self-taught until he joined the Cranston High School East drumline in 2010. From there he went to CCRI where he received his associate degree in fine arts and currently attends Rhode Island College pursuing a bachelor's degree in music theory/composition. He is currently in a pop rock band, Letters to Jenny, where he plays drums. He can also play piano and bass guitar.
Job Titles:
- Singing Teacher, 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, 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:
- General Manager & Multi - Instrumentalist Instructor
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 age 10. He continued playing local venues throughout his teens until eventually landing a record deal with Fueled by Ramen/Atlantic just before turning 20, starting his professional career in the music industry. Dan 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-and-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:
- Vocal Teacher, Keyboard Teacher
The San Francisco Weekly once described the music of Bay Area musician Danny James as "Larry Graham and Queen on the floor with the Raspberries"-a description James has quoted in interviews-which accurately sums up his passion for hooky rock & roll with a funky undertow. Born Daniel James Aaberg, Danny James was born and raised in Oakland, California, and first earned recognition as a vocalist, keyboard player, and songwriter with the garage punk band, the Cuts, who released three albums for Birdman Records between 2003 and 2006. After the Cuts called it a day, James and longtime friend Mike "General Luau" Generalao (also a veteran of the Cuts) began working on a handful of projects, and when James formed his own band using the name Danny James & Pear, Generalao signed on as lead guitarist.
The respected L.A. indie label Burger Records offered to release a long-player from James' band, and in 2013 they issued the album, Pear, on cassette (they also ordered some test pressings on vinyl, but a proper LP release did not materialize at the time). After receiving strong reviews, the album was reissued by Burger in 2015 on LP and CD.
When not occupied with music, James is part of the Two Over Ten Preservation Society, a group of Bay Area artists and creative minds dedicated to preserving methods, technologies, and ideals of the past. He is an active member of the School of Rock Berkeley staff, specializing in keyboard and vocal instruction.
Darwin Siegaldoud was born in Santa Barbara and has been living in the Bay Area since 2013. He has been recording music and playing in bands since high school, and currently fronts the Helltones. Darwin provides top-tier music education to anyone who wants to expand the role of music in their lives.
Job Titles:
- Piano Teacher, Drums Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Bass Teacher
Dave Garcia started his musical journey by improvising and recording goofy songs in a barn with his childhood friends after they had all taken a music theory class together. It was in that barn that he became proficient on guitar, drums, and keys. While attending UMass Lowell for sound recording technology, he studied jazz guitar and played drums for both a folk-swing band and for a punk-funk brass band that went on to tour the US. He has been writing and recording music in a wide variety of styles for over a decade and continues to do it for fun. After teaching public school general music for grades kindergarten through 8th grade, he came to the School of Rock Attleboro to teach students who are genuinely interested in music
Bono, the leader of one of the world's greatest rock bands, once said, "Music can change the world because it can change people." Dave LaSalle, owner of School of Rock Attleboro, has taken that quote to heart. Music teaches kids life lessons with every note. For Dave, School of Rock Attleboro is a culmination of his three great passions: playing music, starting businesses, and working with kids.
Dave's love of music began at age 6, when he started playing his first instrument. By age 14, he was playing professionally in a very successful local band in the Rhode Island / Southeastern Massachusetts area. Dave capitalized on the discipline, team building, leadership, and perseverance that he developed through his experience with music when he co-founded a medical device company in 1999. Throughout his professional career he never forgot about his great passion for music. His commitment to creating and performing music has paid dividends over a lifetime.
While in the medical device industry, Dave joined the Taunton Area School to Career (TASC) Board of Directors and served as their treasurer. In addition to helping guide the organization, he has volunteered as a mentor to help numerous high school students explore career development opportunities.
Dave sees School of Rock as the right mix of business and fun. School of Rock is a music education company that operates and franchises over 300 locations worldwide. The company has grown because of a successful program that produces results. The school provides young people with a creative classroom environment where they are guided by professional musicians. Students who enroll get individual instruction, group rehearsals, and are cast into live shows that are performed at a major venue. Show themes may include: The British Invasion, Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones, Motown, Funk, Reggae and many others.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
David Langan is a guitarist and songwriter from New York's Hudson Valley. While currently enrolled in the SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Music, his passion for song started long before that when his parents first showed him rock and roll. He studied music, and specifically guitar under Jason Bowman at the Rock Academy in Woodstock, NY before attending SUNY Purchase. During that time he familiarized himself with the art of guitar and song, learning how to play styles such as funk, folk, rock, metal, and more. After just over a year of playing he was invited to join Rock Academy's showband, with which he toured the northeast U.S. He has also played his own compositions with previous band Interference in clubs across Albany, Poughkeepsie, and Kingston, before disbanding the project to attend SUNY Purchase. As of March 2022 he is working on continuing to compose with a new group of musicians at SUNY Purchase, and teaching Guitar and Bass at School of Rock Bedford.
David Richman is a graduate of Berklee College of Music, and has played professionally since 1989 on thousands of gigs with bands of all stripes: rock, jazz, heavy metal, lounge, punk, fusion and who knows what else. David is perhaps best known for his drumming with the Original Punk Rock Heavy Metal Karaoke band, a much-loved New York institution, enjoying a 15-year run. In his capacity as drummer for the group, Dave has backed up everyone from rank amateurs dragged onstage from the bar to Ryan Adams, Britt Daniel (Spoon), Jimmy Fallon, Craig Wedren (Shudder to Think), Robbie Williams, Ween, the Beastie Boys and more. An accomplished studio drummer, Dave has played on album projects with Century Club, Ghostbound and Witch Taint. He is currently writing and recording with doom metal band St. Bastard and performing with popular 80s tribute band Rubix Kube. In lessons, Dave stresses fun while instilling necessary technique and timekeeping knowledge, along with drum and music history.
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:
- Instructor
- Guitar Teacher
Born and raised in Berkeley, Diego Peña León is a guitar instructor at School of Rock Berkeley. Playing guitars for more than a decade, Diego had many influences in his musical journey leading him to love playing different styles of music such as rock, jazz, and sierreño. Diego can be seen playing in the Saint Mary's College of California Jazz ensemble. Currently, Diego is a student at Saint Mary's College of California in Moraga and will be finishing up in May with his bachelor's degree in Applied Anthropology and a minor in Music.
Job Titles:
- Vocals Teacher, Rookies Teacher, Little Wing Teacher
Dierdre (they/them) started piano and voice lessons at the age of 4 and they were instantly taken with both. While formal piano lessons continued into adolescence, Dierdre's vocal training was left entirely up to them, performing for friends and family with a ukulele. At the age of 8, they took up the cello and progressed with it rapidly. Dierdre focused on cello and piano for over a decade, with musical theater performances an annual occurrence, performing in shows like Seussical, Annie Jr., Godspell, The Spitfire Grill, and Heathers. Once in high school, they performed at coffee houses, open mics, and weddings with their ukulele before finally starting classical voice lessons. In these two short years of private lessons, Dierdre realized they wanted to go to school to learn more about opera and went to the University of New Hampshire to major in classical voice.
Dierdre has a Bachelor of Music Performance in classical voice from the University of New Hampshire. During their time at UNH, they studied under Deborah Rentz-Moore, Jenny Cook, David Ripley, Carlos Martinez, and Alex Favazza Jr. They are an accomplished mezzo-soprano, having just recently starred in the university's production of Henry Purcell's Dido and Aeneas as Queen Dido. Dierdre then went on to win the New Hampshire Upper College Advanced NATS category of 2022. Dierdre performed for three years with the a capella group Not Too Sharp, known nationally as a "formally all-male group full of energy and goofiness." When not hanging out in the corner at School of Rock, Dierdre can be found caring for their extensive houseplant collection or playing with their cat, Charlie.
Dominic is a guitar and bass instructor at School of Rock Bellevue. Dominic is a School of Rock alum and a two-time School of Rock AllStar. He has been fortunate enough to have played with some huge names in music such as Dweezil Zappa and Mark Tremonti. He has also toured all over the United States playing venues such as Red Rocks in Colorado and Austin City Limits. Dominic recently returned to the area after spending a year in LA attending the Musicians Institute in Hollywood. He loves teaching and playing in all styles and can be found most often playing gigs with his original comedic metal band, David's Van.
From the time Dominic was little, music has always been part of his life. Dominic's father, Dom Minasi was and still is a jazz and Avant Garde musician with his concentration in guitar. Despite his fathers hatred of Rock and Roll, as often happens Dominic found his way into rock music at a young age through classic bands (Kiss) and the realization that rock stars impress the girls. After many years of instruction and practice Dominic eventually became involved in music at his church, performing at weddings, parties, and other events, as well as working with their children's classes putting together different performances for the teenagers special Sunday services. Since 2001, Dominic has played in multiple bands, performing in local gigs, writing, recording, and continues performing at Church on Sundays. Currently, Dominic has been recording and performing with his current band Peregrination, and sharing his skills at School of Rock Beacon NY.
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.
Donny has been playing drums since he was 3 years old. He started playing in bands at age 13 and found himself touring his first summer out of high school.
Donny's favorite genres and musical interests are hardcore, punk, and heavy metal but he has played in different projects ranging from jazz, hip hop, R&B, and even some country. He absolutely loves the playing and technical aspects of drums, and couldn't imagine his life any other way!
Job Titles:
- VICE PRESIDENT of FINANCE
Dorothy joined School of Rock in 2018 and currently serves as the Vice President of Finance. She oversees the Financial Planning and Analysis and Accounting Departments, with responsibilities ranging from financial reporting to forecasting for future growth. Prior to School of Rock, Dorothy worked in the pharmaceutical and retail industries with various roles in both FP&A and Treasury. She also worked at Ernst & Young and Grant Thornton with roles in Business Valuation. Dorothy holds an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College and a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University, and is a CFA Charterholder. Dorothy's favorite musical artists include The Beatles, Keith Urban, The Eagles, Kenny Chesney, and Miranda Lambert.
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:
- Singing Teacher, Keyboard Piano Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Dylan is a performer, songwriter, and educator of various styles, genres, and cultures of music. He has a degree in Music Education from Montclair State University where he also studied classical guitar.
Dylan has performed everything from pop to gospel to heavy metal and brings that same spirit of open-mindedness to his students at School of Rock in Beacon, NY.
Ed started his musical journey at age 11 when he started playing guitar. Being a self-taught musician, Ed spent his formative years playing and practicing for hours on end. He also started to write his own original music and played in bands during his high school years. After high school, Ed attended Berklee College of Music and graduated with a Bachelor's degree in music performance. During this time he also began his career in becoming a guitar teacher. With over 20 years of experience, Ed has a love for all styles of guitar playing and excels in advanced guitar techniques. He loves being able to share and teach students everything he's learned and watching them learn to grow and develop as musicians. During his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and his son.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher
Eli Eckert is a multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter who has toured throughout the US and Europe. He has been teaching music for the past 12 years. One of Eli's favorite parts of teaching is helping students learn a song that they've always loved and the excitement that comes from being able to perform music they truly enjoy. Eli lives in Oakland with his wife and two sons.
Elijah started his musical journey early by singing in church, school choirs, bands, and musical theater. Along the way, he added to his repertoire instruments such as the keyboard, drums, trumpet, and more, but has always gravitated to his natural gift of singing. Elijah attended Duke Ellington School of the Arts and has been fortunate enough to sing for a variety of events and even for some well-known voices such as Richard Smallwood, Ledisi, and others. Currently, Elijah is working on creating music and songwriting as well as producing/engineering.
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.
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. Emma made an awesome Pumpkin Spice Latte costume for Halloween this year, and her favorite color is pink!
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.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Piano Teacher, Vocal Instructor
Eric Watson started playing guitar at 13 years of age in good ol' Arkansas and quickly dove into his local music scene. Eric identified with many of the local acts he heard and saw play as a kid, and looked up to what they did. He wanted to play on stage too. In high school he saw the opportunity to start seriously studying music, including theory, and he embraced it, adding vocal music to his repertoire. After high school he studied Vocal Music Education both at Arkansas Tech and at University of Arkansas in Fort Smith, participating in multiple choral groups and jazz ensembles.
Outside of academic music, Eric has been in rock and roll bands spanning from heavy metal to pop-punk, and loves all kinds of music. Eric currently plays bass and tours in the progressive metal band Terminus. Eric prides himself in being able to take influence and knowledge in both theory and technique spanning a variety of genres and apply them to whatever he is currently working on. This is very helpful at School of Rock Bentonville/Rogers and Eric loves to utilize this with his students who have varying tastes. Music has been one of the biggest parts of Eric's life and continues to shape everything he does, including being an amazing instructor at School of Rock Bentonville/Rogers.
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, Bass Guitar Teacher
Eugene Gardner comes to School of Rock with 10 years of private instruction experience and a B.A. in Music Industry from SUNY Oneonta. He's also the guitarist, lead singer, and manager of the Eugene Tyler Band, a bluegrass trio based in Suffern, NY that has toured from Colorado to Maine. He is excited for the opportunity to work with students at School of Rock who are excited to hit the stage!
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.
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
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.
Job Titles:
- Singing Teacher, Keyboard Teacher
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!
Born in Korea in 1993 but raised in the Central Valley of Southern California, Harry started as a musician at the age of 13 playing in local bands and writing music throughout high school. After graduating, he moved to East Bay Oakland where he would spend several years learning how to self-produce albums, busk on the streets, and get his footing as an artist. In 2016, Harry graduated from Laney College with a degree in Media Productions where he learned audio production and expanded his skills as a producer. Harry would spend the next several years self-releasing music and performing in local venues with the space rock band, Electric Vibe. In recent years, he has rekindled his love for drawing and reinvented himself as an emerging visual artist. He currently works as a part-time freelance artist, lives with his girlfriend in West Oakland, and is the Studio Coordinator at School of Rock Berkeley.
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.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Singing Teacher
Ian McCoig is a musician specializing in the instruction of electric guitar, vocals, bass guitar, and audio engineering. An alumnus of Shenandoah Conservatory, Ian has carried a strong dedication to music since childhood. With nearly seventeen years of guitar experience and nine years of audio production experience, Ian looks forward to sharing his musical experiences with students of all ages.
Job Titles:
- Bass Guitar Teacher, Guitar Teacher and Singing 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.
Jack Rago is a School of Rock / Bedford alumnus, with more than five years of experience in the Performance Program and several years in the audition-based House Band. His versatility behind the kit and commitment to excellence can be heard in several local heavy metal and progressive rock projects that he's been a part of. Jack has also been working in the public school system as a teacher's aide, and looks forward to bringing his passion for music and love for teaching kids back to School of Rock as an instructor.
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.
Jacob is a native Washingtonian and a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter. The drums are his main instrument and he has been a part of Alisa Amador's band (winner of the 2022 NPR Tiny Desk Contest) for over five years. His debut EP of 6 original songs, "Game of Life," features him on piano, taking inspiration from Bruce Hornsby, Norah Jones, and Noah Gundersen. Jacob has been teaching private lessons for over five years and he loves the opportunity to inspire and invest in students of all ages. His teaching philosophy aims to help each student preserve their own creative voice and enjoy the journey of growing as a musician.
Jacob is a multi-instrumentalist and composer from Indiana. He began singing in choirs from a very young age performing in large-scale church productions, school plays, and with garage bands from school. He attended Indiana University earning a BA in Art & Sound Design, taking classes at Jacob's School of Music in guitar, electronic music composition, songwriting, and jazz. Most recently, Jacob has been involved in scoring award-winning short films and podcasts in the indie circuit produced by Salmon House Art Collective, a remote group of working creatives he formed in college. When he isn't playing music, Jacob enjoys spending time in nature with his family and friends, trying new foods, and chilling out big dog style.
Jake has had a passion for music for as long as he can remember. He started playing drums at age 5. After being self-taught for 6 years, he began taking lessons and playing shows at age 11. He began to play professionally at the age of 14. Jake is a former student and Houseband member with School of Rock Aurora, and was selected as a four-time international School of Rock AllStar from 2017-2020. While attending School of Rock, he performed at iconic venues such as Lollapalooza, Red Rocks, Summerfest, and the World Cafe Live. When asked who his "Top 5" drummers are, he replies with John Bonham, Tony Williams, David Garibaldi, Dennis Chambers, and Aaron Spears. Jake has worked with a vast array of artists across many styles of music, is currently playing with the Thomas Harpole Experience, Wild Love Tigress, Downtown Michael Brown & Finding NED, and has worked as a session musician for artists across the US. Jake believes that some of the most important parts of playing any instrument is to be passionate, listen to everything, and never have a comfort zone. Jake hopes that he instills a passion for the instrument in every student, and a lifelong love for music as a whole.
Hailing from the island of Oahu, Jake is an instructor who is equally knowledgeable and passionate. After viewing the cinematic masterpiece "School of Rock," Jake embarked upon a lifelong journey to master the guitar. In his early years, he studied under Coy Bowles of the Zac Brown Band and subsequently continued his training with Johnny McGowan through his late teens. Jake has a strong foundation in blues, punk, and surf rock. Some primary influences include Stevie Ray Vaughn, The Clash, and The B-52s. With over a decade of professional experience and collaboration in the industry, Jake is certified to inspire the minds of aspiring musicians. He is a guitar teacher at School of Rock Atlanta. Tony Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Ukulele Teacher 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.
Job Titles:
- Vocal Teacher, Keyboard Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Bass 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. 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:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Teacher
James Dumm has shared the stage with rock n' roll legends including members of The Allman Brothers Band, The Meters, Galactic, Little Feat, Robert Randolph, and many more. Currently an in-demand studio and live performer; James tours nationally with Johnny and The Mongrels, The Drunken Hearts, and Cass Clayton Band; as well as super group tributes such as Dance Party Time Machine (alongside members of the The Disco Biscuits, Vulfpeck, Trey Anastasio Band, and more) and Other Brothers: a High Country Tribute to the Allman Brothers Band.
Job Titles:
- Keyboard Teacher, Singing Teacher, Songwriting Teacher
James is a keys, vocal, and songwriting teacher at School of Rock in Arlington Heights. He is an experienced church musician who has led rock bands since he had his own in high school. James has also sung in musicals and honor choirs, played trombone in award-winning concert and jazz bands, directed choirs and many multicultural music ensembles. He has been writing music ever since he was a child and holds a Bachelor of Music in Theory/Composition from Wheaton College in Illinois. James also co-founded and operates Diverse Church Music, working with clients all over the world in intercultural music education.
James lives with his wife, three children, dog, cat and keytar in Mount Prospect. He likes movies, retro video games and Mexican food.
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.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Teacher
A guitarist and bassist with a background in education and performance, and experience playing Classical, Jazz, Hardcore, Metal, Emo, Indie, Blues, Rock, Bluegrass, Country, Funk, Latin, Soul, and Experimental/Ambient/Noise music, James spent the first half of the 2000s touring the Eastern Seaboard and Midwest, playing every basement, VFW, concert hall, pool hall, festival, theater, and venue possible, opening for diverse acts such as Every Time I Die, Coheed and Cambria, Ween, Disco Biscuits, Nile, Lit, Powerman 5000, the Count Basie Orchestra, and Bill Monroe, among many others. In between road gigs, James hosted a popular open mic night for several years as MC and head of the house band at the storied Monopole in Plattsburgh, NY, and took any pickup and fill-in gig available to strengthen his musical repertoire. By 2008 James settled in Brooklyn and joined the then-flourishing experimental scene, and combined his education in classical and jazz bass with his improvisational and performance-based background. It is the combination of technical know-how and performance that underpins James' educational approach.
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:
- Vocal Teacher, Keyboard Teacher
Jenn Amory has been a School of Rock teacher of voice and piano for nearly 3 years. They are currently pursuing a Bachelors in Music Education at Mason Gross School of the Arts, at Rutgers University (New Brunswick). Jenn has over a decade of musical experience in choral and solo music over a variety of genres, and 4 years in private teaching and conducting. They enjoy teaching and performing classical, musical theatre, and contemporary voice, as well as topics such as music theory, aural skills and ear training. Jenn is also School of Rock East Brunswick's Little Wing instructor, emphasizing in the basics and building blocks of musical knowledge. Jenn is a strong proponent of music education for all, with emphasis on accessibility and inclusion.
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, Keyboard Piano Teacher, Drum Teacher, Bass Guitar 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.
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.
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.
Joe Sabia is a native of Port Chester, NY and has been teaching private trumpet lessons for over 15 years and regularly performs as a freelance musician. After graduating with honors from SUNY Purchase's Conservatory of Music, Joe earned a master's degree in music performance from the Hartt School while on a full scholarship. In his spare time, he arranges pop tunes for his brass groups (can you imagine the intro to "Baba O'Riley" on trumpet?) and teaches himself guitar and bass.
Joe is currently the principal trumpet of The Chappaqua Orchestra and previously held the role of second trumpet / assistant principal with the American Chamber Orchestra and the Yonkers Philharmonic. You may have also seen him play in the orchestra pit at the countless musical theater shows in Westchester and Connecticut, and if you look closely, you might spot Joe in the Amazon Prime series "Mozart In The Jungle". As for the School of Rock, you can find him in the main office.
John is the Chief Financial Officer, and comes to School of Rock with extensive experience building and leading high-performing finance teams in a range of industries. John oversees the financial activities of the organization, directs the preparation of current financial reports and summaries, and creates forecasts predicting future growth. Prior to joining School of Rock, he was the Vice President of Finance at Sentient Jet, a leading private aviation company, where he was responsible for the Accounting and Finance function. Before that, John was the Director of Financial Planning and Analysis at the W.B. Mason Company, where he built the function. He has also held key financial positions at Olympus, Boston Scientific, and several additional established companies. John received his BA in Finance from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and his MBA from the F.W. Olin School of Business at Babson College. John's favorite musical artist is Bruce Springsteen.
Jon Lumley has spent more than 25 years as a member of the Saint Louis original rock and roll scene. He has played guitar, sang and wrote songs for local and regional bands such as the Ghoul 5, Shame Club and Valley. Jon has released records independently and internationally through Small Stone Records. He has been nominated by the Riverfront Times for music awards more than a dozen times and has won Best Hard Rock Band in Saint Louis and Best Rock and Roll Band in Saint Louis. In addition, Jon has played shows all over the country and headlined festival showcases at South By Southwest in Texas and the CMJ Festival in New York City.
Jon studied classical guitar and music theory at Asbury College in Kentucky and Towson State University in Maryland. He also studied jazz guitar with some of the best instructors in the Saint Louis area.
What he has learned through his years of study and performance is that we, as musicians, learn the most and learn the most quickly when we are learning, composing and playing music together. That's why Jon is so proud to be a part of the School of Rock Saint Louis community.
While Jon loves playing music with his friends, helping people make music through education and collaboration has become the most important part of his musicianship. Jon is so happy to be here and so excited to meet you!
Jonathan Crayne is an instrumentalist and songwriter from Southeast Michigan. He has performed with symphonies and rock bands and every kind of group in between. He enjoys covering songs ranging from classics to modern hits (with a soft spot for 90s/2000s alternative and metal). In his original songs Jonathan aims to encapsulate his passion for life in a sonic form. Jonathon is a gifted musician, excellent guitar instructor and rehearsal director who shares his passion with his students.
Jordan Davis has been playing drums since he was three years old. His grandfather and church were a big influence on his passion for music and his future career. Jordan has never stopped playing drums and loves inspiring people through teaching. He has taught students at School of Rock Berkeley for two years. Jordan currently plays in multiple groups, including TBA Music and The Purifiedment Tribe. He also plays on his own at UC Berkeley for fun, and for his community. Jordan wishes peace and blessings to all who cross his path.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher
Joseph Jakubicki is a current Berklee College of Music student who has a strong passion for the guitar. He specializes in all genres of music but his favorite is '80s rock. Joseph has had over five years of teaching experience and loves inspiring others to play music.
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:
- Singing Teacher, Keyboard Piano Teacher
Josie McFarland is a singing teacher and keyboard + piano teacher at School of Rock Albuquerque. She has grown up loving music her entire life. Josie has a background in both Musical Theater and Contemporary Voice. She is also one of the lead singers for The Mango Cakes. Josie loves being a part of School of Rock and helping kids find their very own passion for music.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass 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 2 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 can run real fast too. Another neat fact about Judson is that he fosters cats, and loves all animals
Justin is a Marietta, Georgia native guitarist and musician. Being raised on Rock, Jazz, Funk, and R&B, he has a wide range of musical influences. Over the years, Justin has studied with several A-list musicians in the Atlanta area, including Barry Richman, Sam Skelton, Trey Wright, and Jimmy Cypher. He has also studied with guitar greats, Joe Satriani, Paul Gilbert, Andy Timmons, Doug Doppler, and Frank Zappa's guitarist Mike Keneally. Justin has toured around the country playing hundreds of shows over the last 5 years. He has played all types of live musical events ranging from festivals to weddings, private corporate events, and parties of all kinds.
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:
- Singing 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.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
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. Having toured Europe and the U.S. on multiple occasions, Konstantin has garnered all the experience necessary to instruct students on both the playing aspect of being a drummer and the more practical and business sides of professional musicianship. Having taught at multiple live clinics and private lessons, Konstantin has developed in-depth teaching techniques that would serve both expert drummers as well as absolute novices.
Kyle has been playing drums for over 15 years. He has been a part of many live performances and recording sessions and has published his own sheet music. He also substitutes guitar and bass.
Job Titles:
- School of Rock 's Director of New School Operations
After running three schools for over 16 years, Laura Bollettino has seen the transformative power of School of Rock programs literally manifest in the thousands of students who have crossed our threshold. Not only the owner, Laura has been a School of Rock parent and knows that feeling of amazement as you see your child blossom on stage. She also saw her girls grow in confidence, leadership and teamwork skills as they developed into amazing musicians throughout their School of Rock years and is so grateful they got to have this experience. In college she studied International Relations and Business and spent over 20 years in the corporate world until she and her husband Jeff heard the call of School of Rock. Now she gets to say her job is inspiring the next generation of musicians to find their voice and express themselves on stage and in life. To know Laura is to see her energy and passion for helping her students and staff grow not only as musicians, but as people too. She adores her "kids" and finds each of them to have their own special sparkle.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Keyboard Piano Teacher
Liam Leary is a guitar teacher, bass guitar teacher, and keyboard + piano teacher at School of Rock in Beacon, NY. He started playing the guitar when he was 7 years old and took up the bass guitar at age 12. Liam fell in love with playing music, especially on stage, when he was in his first band at the age of 10.
Some of Liam's favorite bands include Led Zeppelin, Rush, Pink Floyd, Alice in Chains, and Steely Dan, and they have influenced his playing style and musical taste. Throughout school, Liam always wanted to be involved with music, from symphonic band and marching band to jazz ensemble and pit orchestra. He loves expanding his musical knowledge and continues to grow as a musician, performer, and teacher.
Job Titles:
- Producer
- Singing Teacher, Keyboard Piano Teacher
Lily Oyen is a singer-songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist from Katonah, NY. She is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree in studio production from SUNY Purchase. Lily has been immersed in music from a very young age, having been classically trained in piano and voice since childhood. Because of this, she truly understands the importance and impact of music education in children and adults alike, and strives to work with all of her students to find passion and joy in their musical journey-whether they're already experienced or just beginning!
Lou Caldarola has been an active member of the music scene for over 30 years and is one of the area's most in-demand session and live drummers. Lou is also an original staff member at School of Rock Bedford. He attended University of Bridgeport, majoring in Music, and studied with Howard Zwickler for a year before leaving Bridgeport to pursue a career in live performance. He has since recorded and performed with multiple original projects. In 1996 Lou joined Connecticut prog-metal band Soundscape and released three albums, "Discovery," "Iago" and "Grave New World." He has a long list of recording credits to date and his live performances number in the thousands. Currently Lou is involved with Kicksville, a national project that defies definition. He also keeps busy playing live with Limelight (the world's longest-running Rush tribute band!), The Furious Bongos Zappa Project, The Joe Gareri Instrumental Project and various other bands and artists. Lou is also an experienced studio engineer, booking agent and manager. He is a drum teacher at School of Rock Bedford.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Singing Teacher
Luke was born in Detroit and grew up in Fort Wayne, IN. He studied electric bass at the Atlanta Institute of Music and graduated in 2017. He then moved to Seattle to rejoin a touring metal band. In addition to being a bass guitar teacher and a guitar teacher at School of Rock Bellevue, Luke currently plays in various casino bands and hosts a weekly house jam.
Lucas is a working musician and has been playing the guitar for over two decades. Performing mostly cover songs with his original twist, Lucas incorporates rhythm in his playing that makes songs exciting. Starting with acoustic and moving to electric guitar, he has gained a strong knowledge of both instruments and embraces being an ever-learning student. When he's not behind a guitar, he is happily with his family.
Luke is a guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter who mainly performs and creates in the genre of progressive rock and metal. He has been playing guitar for nearly two decades, and since his start, he has built and refined skills as both a technical lead and rhythm player. Luke fronts his own band, The Untold, on lead vocals and guitar. He also writes most of the music for the band which has been releasing songs and playing shows since 2017. In 2018, Luke graduated from Columbia College Chicago with a bachelor's degree in contemporary, urban, and popular music, with a focus on guitar performance. Even though Luke is mostly a rock and metal player, he has experience studying and playing in various genres of music including jazz, fusion, r&b, funk, acoustic finger-style, blues, and more. Luke is always pushing himself and constantly honing his sound, technique, and songwriting. Becoming a better musician is a lifelong and joyous process, and there is nothing he would rather be dedicating his life to.
Maggie Ward is a vocal teacher and summer camp instructor at School of Rock Arlington Heights. Currently, Maggie is attending the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign pursuing her Bachelors in Choral Music Education. She is from the Arlington Heights area and has participated in many local music groups including choir and band at Prospect High School, local musical productions, and performing in rock shows such as battle of the bands. Besides singing, she also loves playing guitar, bass guitar, and saxophone as well as songwriting and music production. Maggie was a camp counselor and director at the Mount Prospect Park district for 3 years and she is excited to continue working with kids at summer camps at School of Rock!
Maggie enjoys all genres of music ranging from Rock and Roll, Pop, Country, Musical Theater, Classical, and more. Music has been a huge part of Maggie's life since she was a child and her goal is for young musicians to have a fun and impactful musical experience!
Manuel is a Peruvian artist that has been living in the Washington D.C. area for the last 15 years. He began taking piano lessons in Peru at the age of 11 and majored in Music and Music Technology with a minor in Jazz Studies from George Mason University. He has been teaching music for the last 12 years. Besides composing and teaching music, he also writes short stories in Spanish and practices creative drawing.
Manuel is a guitarist and vocalist born and raised in Chicago. He has performed in multiple original and cover bands over the course of the past decade, playing shows at places like Double Door, Lincoln Hall, Bottom Lounge, and House of Blues, and touring the Midwest. Manuel started learning guitar at the age of 13 while also learning saxophone as part of his education, and dabbled in other instruments like keyboards, bass, and any other instrument lying around with strings on it. While mostly focused on performing rock and indie music, he has experience playing many genres of music, including soul, funk, and jazz, winning the Berklee College of Music's Judge's Choice Award in 2011. Manuel has also recorded with Sean O'Keefe and has recorded and mixed original music. Currently, he leads a cover band and an original project called j a b o b o.
Job Titles:
- CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER
Mary joined School of Rock in 2017 and currently serves as the company's Chief Human Resources Officer. Mary oversees the strategic Human Resources planning for School of Rock, and leads all of the people functions of the organization. Prior to School of Rock, she was a Director of Human Resources at CVS Health. Mary has also worked for Cox Communications, Gap, Inc., and other retailers. She has over 20 years in HR, but has also had hands-on experience managing retail operations, and understands what it's like being on the front-lines of running a business. Mary has a BA in Psychology and Management, HR Certification, and a MA in Human Resources and Labor Relations from the University of Rhode Island. Mary's favorite musical artists include the Dave Matthews Band, Melissa Etheridge, Taylor Swift, Pink, and John Mayer.
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
Matt was born and raised in suburban Chicago and received instruction in classical, jazz and marching music as part of a BA from University of Illinois. He toured and recorded throughout college and afterwards around the Chicago area with punk-funk, singer-songwriter and retro-glam projects before moving to Seattle. He currently fronts a spacey punk band. He is a drum teacher at School of Rock Bellevue.
Matt Florio is a guitarist, bassist, and School of Rock Bedford alumnus. He participated in the Performance Program and in the audition-based House Band for four years. He is a junior at SUNY New Paltz majoring in Digital Media Production and minoring in Audio Engineering. When home from school, Matt is a guitar and bass instructor for lessons and the summer camp at School of Rock. His love of music spans genres, including funk, funk rock, soul, and alternative rock, with bands like Foo Fighters, Lady Wray, Brittany Howard, Cory Wong, Prince, and Oh He Dead. Matt has been an active band member in several bands around Bedford and New Paltz.
Michael O'Rourke started playing the drums in the fourth grade. He joined the school band and orchestra, and then started taking private lessons. He played the drums throughout the rest of elementary, middle and high school, participating in NYSSMA and marching band as well. Once in college, he decided to major in English and Journalism with a minor in Film. He kept studying music, though, with various teachers by going to clinics and playing in rock bands with friends. He also took part in several productions on campus that utilized his drumming. Michael has over 10 years of experience teaching private lessons on drums and even a little on bass and guitar. He's taught in various music stores and participated in many workshops that instruct in an interactive way. Currently Mike is playing with two original bands. The first is called Soundswell, which is a jam band based in Long Island and NYC. The other is called Darlene Graham and the Shades of Green Band, which is a children's music group that plays in the same area. The shows are interactive and fun for the whole family and often take on a theatrical component. He is excited to spread his love for music and drums with students at School of Rock Bedford as a drum teacher.
Job Titles:
- Producer
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Michael Zamora is a multi-instrumentalist, producer, and performer based in Oakland, CA. He has spent much of the past decade mixing, recording, making music videos, booking tours, and playing countless live shows across the U.S. and Europe. Michael has brought his fun-spirited energy to many Bay Area bands, playing guitar, bass, and synthesizer as well as singing and songwriting across many different genres. A strong believer in drawing out students' innate passion for music, he encourages students to bring their own unique tastes and preferences into the lesson room. Michael's warmth and patience creates a place for budding musicians to grow and explore their musical interests.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Keyboard Teacher, Singing 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.
Job Titles:
- Instructor
- Guitar Teacher
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!
Nathanael Zuellig is a musician/educator active in the Southeast Michigan region and has been performing on both guitar and drums for over 10 years now, with a mix of piano and bass thrown in there along the way. In 2016, he graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a Bachelors in Instrumental Music Education K-12, and he began performing locally and teaching private lessons at School of Rock Ann Arbor and abroad.
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
A graduate of Duke Ellington School of the Arts, the Kulturama Music School and the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, Nicholas Soderstrom has been playing professionally for 17 years and teaching for four. He is experienced in a wide variety of styles and genres, ranging from rock, pop and blues, to jazz, Brazilian music and more. He is a guitar teacher and bass guitar teacher at School of Rock Alexandria.
Job Titles:
- Bass Guitar Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher
Noah is a self-taught musician of 10+ years and a humble convert to the School of Rock Method™. Beginning in a family of musicians and creatives, Noah was raised by his Hispanic, hippie mother and punk rock drummer dad, instilling a wide appreciation for all forms of art. Noah's first tastes of rock were the psychedelic pulsing of Jimi Hendrix while in utero. From then he maintained a passion for music, finding the trumpet playing in the school band. Simple orchestra tunes didn't satiate his thirst, however; Noah longed to play the music that inspired him.
In the midst of the "there's an app for that" revolution, Noah began learning open chords utilizing free apps on the iPod market. When his resident church caught wind, they promptly placed the inexperienced young whippersnapper on stage for Sunday worship services. Noah was quickly formed by a journey of trial and error each week, eventually leading band rehearsals and Sunday performances. His life in music continued into college when he studied music technology and live performance at Brookdale Community College. Now, at School of Rock in East Brunswick, NJ, Noah teaches with a passion and understanding for creativity and the process of self-teaching, within the framework of the School of Rock Method™.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Owen Adair Kelley hails from Columbus, Ohio, where he studied classical and jazz guitar. After moving to the Bay Area in 2010, he established himself as a skilled guitarist, bassist, and performer. Owen is a member of Talkies, Sleepy Sun, and Fleetwood Macrame. His first album, Even Still, was released in August 2016, followed by Full Alpine Lace in 2019. His most recent album, Lest You End As I, was released in 2022 on Dandy Boy Records.
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:
- Rookies Director and Drum Teacher
Radley Fricker grew up in Marietta, GA where he spent his formative years studying drums and percussion privately and participating in school and community ensembles. While enrolled as a Jazz Studies major at Georgia State University, Radley joined the funk band Newberry Jam as a founding member while participating in numerous live and studio productions as a sideman. Currently Radley occupies the drum chair for Atlanta bands The Difference Machine and Heavy Chevy and performs on percussion with The Ruination and Batuque Brasil. In addition to performing, he maintains a passion for teaching drum students of all ages and backgrounds. Radley's teaching philosophy emphasizes that YOU are the instrument - whether you play drum set, sleigh bells or slide whistle - and that "grooving" is an essentially human concept. Just make sure you bring enough for the rest of the class!
Richard has been an instructor of drums, keyboards, and vocals, as well as a director for performance groups such as The Who, the '80s, Women in Rock, Black Sabbath, and CBGB at School Of Rock Berkeley for the last three years. Currently, Richard is the director of the Rolling Stones group and School of Rock Berkeley's House Band.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher
Richie Slater has been playing music for the past 14 years, starting with violin, learning music theory from orchestral compositions, then eventually progressing to the guitar. Richie's love of music has led him to sound engineering, as well as composing and recording. He is a guitar teacher, bass guitar teacher and drum teacher at School of Rock Ann Arbor. He has been on stage since his teenage years in a multitude of bands, in multiple genres. Richie believes creativity in music can really keep passion in ones life.
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Member of the LEADERSHIP TEAM
- PRESIDENT
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!
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Ryan plays rhythm guitar in Oakland act, B. Hamilton. He wrote music for Boots Riley's film, Sorry to Bother You, and has been teaching at School of Rock Berkeley for about a year. Ryan's primary instrument is the guitar, though he also teaches bass guitar. His approach to music instruction is appreciated by adult students and school-aged students alike, and he has some experience teaching groups here as well.
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:
- Bass Guitar Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Keyboard Teacher
Ryley is a guitar teacher, bass guitar teacher and keyboard teacher at School of Rock Bella Vista in Sydney's Hills District.
Ryley graduated from School of Rock as a student and was accepted to continue his music education through Western Sydney University's Music Program.
Growing up in a family passionate about music, Ryley was exposed to a variety of musical styles and cut his teeth learning the songs of Queen and The Beatles. Throughout his School of Rock journey, Ryley had the opportunity to perform at the Whiskey a Go-Go in Los Angeles as well as showcasing his talents at Musician's Institute in Hollywood where he impressed the faculty. He has toured the United States playing shows in Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, Las Vegas and San Francisco.
Ryley's passion for music has passed onto his students with his ability to engage them and make music fun.
Job Titles:
- CHIEF INNOVATION OFFICER
- Member of the LEADERSHIP TEAM
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.
Sam Lefebvre is a percussionist and music educator with over 15 years of experience behind the drum kit. He lives in Oakland, CA, and maintains an active listening and improvising practice in addition to performing, recording, and touring with various groups.
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 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!
Originally from London, UK but now based in Australia, Sarah is a musician who has been playing the piano for over 20 years. An illness at 14 caused her to be bed bound and miss the last 18 months of high school, but she had an old Roland keyboard in the house, and the radio and MTV were always playing and as she got better, the piano was the place to develop her own style and give her a hobby to work towards as she built up her strength. One of her favourite things to do is put heavy metal songs to the piano to change them up a bit.
"What I love about teaching piano at School of Rock is seeing the joy on students' faces, and the sense of accomplishment when they understand new musical knowledge or nail a song they've been working really hard on and get to show this to their family and friends on show days. And also all the support people give each other at the school is extremely heart-warming."
Sarah has a very eclectic mix of music tastes but cites Chris Cornell, The Cure, Hans Zimmer and Ludovico Einaudi as her top artists. Sarah's guilty pleasure track would have to be "Werewolves of London" by Warren Zevon with its sharp lyrical wit and instantly catchy piano riff. "A timeless classic that always makes me smile".
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher
Sean Whitman has been playing the drums since he was 10 years old and the guitar since he was 13 years old. He received his BA in Psychology from the University of Arizona and recently received certificates in Live Sound, Sound Recording, and Sound Design from the City College of San Francisco. Sean says that teaching music has been the best job he's ever had, and he feels very lucky to be able to do this for a living. Sean tries to let his students' interests lead the lesson whether it be learning basic chords, learning their favorite band's songs, soloing using scales, or writing songs of their own. Sean is well versed in mainly guitar, bass, and drum instruction, but has also taught lessons involving other instruments.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Sean Yarbrough started playing guitar when he was 12 years old by sneaking onto his older brother's 1973 Stratocaster every chance he got. When his brother saw Sean playing better than him he gave his kid brother the guitar. Sean grew up listening to massive doses of early Blues, Hendrix, and Motown, followed by Rush, DEVO, XTC, The Scorpions, Blondie, The Ramones, and The Clash. At 14, Sean began studying with Joe Satriani, a masterful connection that would define and shape his own artistry.
Sean writes, composes, and produces solo works for film and performance art and does sound for youth school events. He's committed to sharing his musical expertise with aspiring young musicians in the Bay Area by teaching guitar, ukulele, bass, and vocals. Sean currently lives with his 10-year-old son and teaches in Berkeley.
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:
- Bass Guitar Teacher / Shannon
Job Titles:
- General Manager / Shannon
Shannon McNairy has been performing on stage since she was a kid. Originally from Dallas, Texas, Shannon joined the School of Rock East Cobb family in June 2021. She plays drums, bass, guitar, and sings around town when she isn't playing dolls with her daughter, Cora. Shannon has worked at several different School of Rock locations across the country over the past ten years, and loves to make people laugh with her incredible sense of humor. ;) Her favorite rock drummers are John Bonham, Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, and Neal Peart, but she is a Swiftie at heart.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Singing Teacher
Shawn Smith has nearly two decades of experience directing music in church settings. He holds a B.S. Degree in contemporary worship music and sings and plays the guitar.
Job Titles:
- Assistant General Manager
Born in Santa Clara and raised in the Santa Cruz mountains, Simone Bushard is a budding vocalist in the Bay Area's flourishing music scene. Simone's interest in music was sparked by her exposure to the music of grunge, punk rock, and classic rock artists like Audioslave, Green Day, Queen, and Amy Winehouse. While Simone was very much inspired by these types of artists, she writes her own lyrics that take on a style similar to the blues. Simone is currently working on a full-length EP with her band, 3,4. She is the Assistant General Manager at School of Rock Berkeley.
Simone White is a versatile, eclectic drummer with his eye on the bigger picture. Not content to just lay down a beat, Simone contemplates the significance of everything around him and the role every part plays in creating and expressing music. With a versatile background ranging from Hip-Hop, Funk, Latin, Reggae, Jazz, and Drum and Bass, to Rock, Punk, Metal, and Progressive, Simone has played with George Clinton and recorded and toured with Mark Eitze of the American Music Club. He is an accomplished live and session musician.
Simone was the drummer for The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy, Michael Franti & Spearhead, and has toured with Nirvana, L7, and The Breeders. Simone is a Drum Teacher at School of Rock Bella Vista in Sydney. Originally from San Francisco in the United States, Simone called Australia home after falling in love with Sydney after playing The Big Day Out Tour. Simone has been teaching drums for 30 plus years and is available for Drum Lessons at School of Rock Bella Vista
Job Titles:
- Singing Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Rookies Teacher
Sophia has been singing and playing guitar for nearly a decade. She is in an a capella group and has played in multiple different bands. Sophia has performed anything from musical theater, pop, and rock and also has some experience with studio work.
Job Titles:
- Keyboard and Singing Teacher
Spencer started as a bass student at School of Rock when he was 15 years old and has never looked back. Being a student at School of Rock in both the Performance Program and House Band are what inspired him to teach. Bass and guitar are his primary instruments but Spencer loves instructing classes like Rookies and Rock 101 as well. He loves being on stage and is always trying to play shows and be a part of new bands. You can catch him performing live with groups like Dragon Falcon, And Murmur, a tribute to R.E.M. and The Cure. He is a guitar teacher and bass guitar teacher at School of Rock Ballwin.
Spencer is a product of School of Rock. He started at the age of 14 and graduated from our program playing drums and bass. While attending School of Rock, the Performance Program and House Band were a big part of his life. He is currently a drum teacher and he enjoys being able to give back what he has learned to all his students.
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
- Member of the LEADERSHIP TEAM
- School of Rock As an Independent Consultant
Stacey joined School of Rock as an Independent Consultant in 2015 and worked her way up the ranks, from VP of Operations to Chief Operatons 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.
Stella is an award-winning entertainer for her vocal/celebrity impressions, comedy, and dance, and is thrilled to bring over two decades of teaching, performing, and branding experience to School of Rock Ashburn!
Originally from Chicago, Stella has owned and operated two children's theater companies, along with her beloved all-ages music lesson/performance troupe, Stellar Ukulele. Stella loves to teach the ukulele, which she favors as the gateway instrument for aspiring musicians and credits the ukulele for bringing out her inner rock star. Stella is known for her clever parody and satirical songwriting and has developed workshops designed to turn any level of musician into a successful songwriter. For Stella, there is nothing more fulfilling than leading and mentoring others to safely and effectively find their own voice, develop their unique brand, and increase their knowledge and skills in any area of performance and entertainment.
Job Titles:
- Music Director, Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher, Keyboard Teacher
Steve grew up in a musical household, where both of his parents, stepfather, and twin sister were musicians. At age 7, Steve picked up the drum sticks himself, and began his own musical journey. Now a Berklee College of music graduate, Steve is a passionate Music educator, drummer, and leader in his own right.
Steve has over 20 years of playing experience, playing with artists Such as Guthrie Govan, Dave Larue (Dixie Dregs, John Petrucci) And Phil Collen (Def Leppard). Steve's Band, "The Offering" boasts international success, and has opened abroad for acts such as Arch Enemy, Dream Theater, Parkway Drive, Bullet for My Valentine, and Many More. Steve spends his free time either working out, hanging with his closest friends, or staying quietly at home with a video game.
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.
Summer grew up always playing music. At age 5, she began to play the violin and taught herself how to play tunes by ear. At age 10, Summer learned the saxophone and she is self-taught on the piano. Summer joined many bands such as East Bay Woodwind Ensemble, Jazz Band, and Concert Band. In high school, Summer focused heavily on vocals. She was in a multitude of performances at St. Mary's Academy Bay View and had roles in shows at Stadium Theatre. Summer was also a part of Allstate and ranked top 10 her junior year. Summer attended Wagner College where she earned her Bachelor's in Theatre Studies. While in school, she took vocal lessons once a week while in school. She was a part of the Marching Band, College Choir, Treble Choir, and Chamber Choir. Summer also was the President and Music Director of Wagner's Co-Ed a capella group, Good Vibratones. She arranged all of the music herself and taught it to the members of the group. As President, she made arrangements for concerts, set dates and times, and sent out invitations to other colleges to attend and participate. At School of Rock, Summer teaches vocals, violin, piano, and pretty much whatever else the school needs! She is also the instructor for the a capella group.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Ted Gottsegen holds a Master's in Jazz Performance from SUNY Purchase, has been a full-time professional musician for 20 years, and is well-versed in rock, blues, soul, and jazz techniques. Professionally he's conducted University-level Master Classes, summer camps, workshops, and taught privately. He specializes in pre-WWII jazz: gypsy, hot jazz, big band swing and New Orleans as well as organ bass blues and soul jazz. He loves rock and blues and loves teaching kids the music that they want to learn. Ted has toured all over the world (8 countries and the Middle East through the U.S. State Department, 30 U.S. states, and 3 Canadian provinces). In addition to guitar, bass and intro to drums, he also has experience teaching ukulele, mandolin, violin and trumpet. He loves teaching students of all experience levels, especially when they are excited about learning!
Job Titles:
- Boeing Employee
- Drum Teacher
Tom is a retired Boeing employee as well as a Naval veteran. He's been playing drums since he was in first grade and guitar since his teenage years. Now, post-retirement, he teaches at School of Rock Bellevue to share his love and passion for music with newer generations of musicians. You can often find Tom in the school lobby, offering mentorship and impromptu "lessons" to students as well as to School of Rock staff! His musical influences include Steely Dan and Jeff Beck.
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.
Job Titles:
- Keyboard Teacher, Singing Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Teacher
Todd Smallie comes to School of Rock with decades of experience, having played the bass guitar for 39 years and professionally for 28 of those years. Born in St. Louis, MO, Todd began playing music at the age of 13 and a life-long passion was born. After studying privately for seven years and graduating from the Atlanta Institute of Music in 1991, Todd's career took off. He has recorded and toured internationally with the Derek Trucks band, Susan Tedeschi band, and is currently the bassist with Mofro. In fact, Todd won a Grammy with the Derek Trucks band for Best Blues Album in 2010! Todd has always been inspired by studying, teaching, recording and performing music. He hopes to give his students the same inspiration that his teacher and mentors gave to him.
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.
Ursula Seymour is a vocal coach, singer, and songwriter from Mount Kisco, NY, residing in the Hudson Valley. As a teacher, her favorite part of the experience is giving her students real confidence in their gifts. Ursula has a background in a cappella arranging and coaching and always encourages students to learn how to harmonize and elevate their aural skills. Most importantly, she wants students to have fun and experience the joy in their singing. Ursula has experience with students from ages 4 to 65. Her current projects include singing with M'VORE, an acclaimed performance group based in Newburgh, NY, recording and releasing original music on all platforms, and teaching voice and music directing at the School of Rock.
Wendy started her journey with School of Rock Attleboro as a parent in November of 2016 when her daughter, Michelle, started vocal lessons. Wendy quickly found herself immersed in the School of Rock Attleboro community by attending shows, taking pictures, promoting School of Rock wherever she went, and just hanging around the school for hours at a time. Wendy is an administrative assistant at a private school in the Attleboro area during the day and works evenings here as our Studio Coordinator. Wendy graduated from Regis College with a degree in Management and lives in Norton with her husband, Mark, and their two kids, Michelle and Christopher.
Whitney Webster is a professional singer, actor, dancer, and teaching artist who is a lifelong believer in the transformative power of the arts. She provides voice lessons, performance coaching, (and a little Ellové Technique® conditioning thrown in for good measure).
Whitney made her professional performing debut at the age of 11. Mindful of the importance of balance, she paused her performance career to pursue higher education with a BFA at Syracuse University and SU Abroad in London (at RADA and LAMDA) before taking a bite out of the Big Apple. Over the 30+ years that followed, Whitney has had the great fortune of appearing on Broadway and at Madison Square Garden and Radio City Music Hall, gracing the stages of Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, and touring the great theaters of North America, Europe, Japan, and Hong Kong. She is extremely grateful for the life experiences that have led her to her higher calling, teaching.
Whitney believes that everyone is born with an innate need for creative self-expression. To that end, she has created a multi-disciplinary approach designed for each student's needs to address their whole well-being by devising customized lessons to empower each artist through joyful self-discovery and collaboration. Whitney strives to nurture the sum of each student's elements to train them as well-rounded artists with a rock-solid technical foundation, a little grit, and a whole lot of joy-seeking.
Job Titles:
- Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Piano Teacher
Not long after his first word was uttered, Will was singing and grooving along to the music of The Beatles, Steely Dan, Frankie Valle and whatever else was in his parents' record collection.
A graduate of Purchase College's Conservatory of Music with a Master's Degree in Studio Composition, Will has always had an engaged and studious approach to music of all styles ranging from blues, boogie, classical, jazz, pop and metal. He brings the same level of dedication and enthusiasm to his teaching style, emphasizing the student, not the method. In addition to being the music director, keyboardist and backup vocalist for Rockland County-based Dark Side of the Hudson Pink Floyd tribute band, Will is an in-demand freelance composer/arranger.
He also performs in several bands, including the eclectic art rock group Diazepam as keyboardist/vocalist, as well as his classic rock cover band Critical Mass where he performs the same duties. Will can also be heard on guitarist/virtuoso Bert Elliot's "Asylum in Playland", where he plays alongside Yankee's legend Bernie Williams, bassist pro Stu Hamm and drummer extraordinaire Atma Anur.
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.