Damien Paris
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Damien is a guitar and bass teacher of rock and roll and everything in between at School of Rock Bay Ridge in Brooklyn. A New York City native and Performing Arts graduate, his autodidactic musical training started in the nineties and continues to expand and push forward.
Having toured the world in multiple projects, Damien has grown up on a stage, living for the live show. Learning early on that the key to a good ear in music is listening, the term “plays well with others” has followed Damien since kindergarten. Whether scoring a moody dramatic film with some pretty acoustic chords or laying a shredding solo on a metal record, Damien’s goal is to invent and impart new and fresh ideas on guitar and in his community. When he’s not teaching or writing songs, he can be found cooking and serenading his wife and daughter in Brooklyn.
Mark Crozer
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Mark teaches guitar and bass guitar at School of Rock Bay Ridge in Brooklyn and has been with School of Rock since 2022. He is a professional touring musician and has performed at some of NYC’s most prestigious venues such as Webster Hall, Kings Theater, Brooklyn Steel, and Radio City Music Hall.
Mark loves playing and teaching music of all varieties and has a particular affinity for the music of the '60s. Mark is also a published songwriter with many TV credits including the entrance theme for late WWE wrestler Bray Wyatt, which he got to perform at WrestleMania.
McKenna Bisaha
Studio Coordinator
McKenna Michael Bisaha is a queer, multifaceted performing artist and educator based in Brooklyn. Originally from California, they grew up in an extremely artistic household and learned everything about music from their parents (and Bowie of course).
McKenna has been directing and choreographing youth theatre for over 10 years. McKenna has worked as an adjudicator and featured performer and was the LGBTQ+ youth educator for the Junior Theater Festival (produced by iTheatrics) for three years. They have performed, taught, and traveled in over 15 countries and all over the United States.
McKenna previously worked at Disneyland for eight years, traveled on a few national tours, and can be seen in the last three episodes and series finale of the Max show Barry. Their passion for arts education grows more and more every day and they can't wait to provide a safe and exciting environment for all the ROCKIN students at School of Rock!!
Ian Cory
Drum Teacher
Ian is a drummer, songwriter, and drum instructor for School of Rock Bay Ridge in Brooklyn. Since graduating from Columbia College with a degree in Contemporary, Urban, and Popular Music in 2012, Ian has drummed for nationally touring indie rock bands and award-winning musicals and released two full-length albums of original music.
Ian has also written about hardcore punk and heavy metal for many print and digital publications. He currently performs and records with several bands in New York City. Ian lives in Sunset Park with a cat and an encyclopedic knowledge of rock history.
Wesley Arocho
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Wesley Arocho grew up in Brooklyn where he started piano lessons at 5 years old. He started his first band at the age of 14, where he played synth.
After graduating from Talented Unlimited High School, Wesley moved to New Orleans where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Music Studies and Classical Music Theory, with a focus on Guitar. Wesley’s experience grew for the next several years in the New Orleans music scene, where he played hundreds of shows and recorded several albums.
Wesley moved back to New York in 2023 and is excited to share his enthusiasm and knowledge about the art of musicianship with young rockers at School of Rock Bay Ridge in Brooklyn.
Taylor Hurt
Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Taylor is a keyboard instructor at School of Rock Bay Ridge, and also teaches in our Little Wing, Rookies, and Rock 101 programs. Taylor is a School of Rock alumna herself, starting in Rock 101 and later participating in both House Band and AllStars. School of Rock made a lasting impact on Taylor’s life, driving her to pursue music professionally. Taylor strives to pass down that same passion to her students and is excited to be part of the School of Rock Bay Ridge team!
Taylor graduated from NYU with a degree in Music Technology, where she studied music production, music theory, electronics, and aural comprehension. Taylor is now a professional touring and session keyboardist in the Tri-State area, playing in several pop and rock bands and touring dozens of states. Taylor has played notable venues and festivals including Lollapalooza, Summerfest, and SXSW. Additionally, Taylor is a songwriter, recording engineer, and producer.
Andrew Totolos
Owner, General Manager, Music Director, Drum Teacher
Andrew is the Owner, General Manager, and Music Director at School of Rock Bay Ridge in Brooklyn. His passion for music began at age 8 when he took on the accordion which he used to write his own punk songs.
In 1986, Andrew was thrown behind a drum kit in front of a live crowd and told to play the loudest, fastest punk beat he could in his best friend’s high school band. There was no turning back and he has been playing drums ever since. Andrew has toured extensively and played in some of America’s most iconic rock clubs. Today he takes pride in being a father of three and watching his children discover their own talents in music, theater, and dance.
Andrew is especially proud to bring School of Rock to Bay Ridge, Brooklyn not only to teach kids how to rock, but also to foster community, friendship, and teamwork.
Aaron Giovanetti
Drum Teacher
Aaron is from Brooklyn, New York, and started playing drums when he was 12 years old and has been teaching for over a decade. During Aaron's growth as a drummer, he participated in both middle school and high school band, along with taking private lessons at home. During his private lessons, he learned how to play all types of musical genres spanning from rock and metal, to even jazz and Latin music. Learning all these different musical styles as well as learning how to play in a school band helped shape Aaron into the musician he is today. Shortly after high school, he received a music scholarship to Muhlenberg College, where he studied Music Education. He was involved in the jazz ensemble and had the opportunity to play with local musicians at a young age.
As a School of Rock drum instructor, Aaron is comfortable teaching students of all of levels music theory, drum grooves, and insight into how they can become more proficient, versatile, and successful musicians. Along with teaching, Aaron has worked with multiple bands in New York and played at a variety of venues such as The Knitting Factory, The Mercury Lounge, Bowery Electric, Berlin Under, Queens Brewery, The Chance Theater, and The Hideout. He is a member of the band Her Dark Heaven and continues to work as a drum teacher and show director at School of Rock.