Stephen Heller
General Manager, Music Director
Stephen is a multi-instrumentalist and composer, originally from Rochester, NY. He graduated from New York University with a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance, Specialization: Music Theatre.
On stage, Stephen has appeared in The Secret Garden, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, A Little Night Music, Green Day's American Idiot, Hairspray, Les Misérables, and Legally Blonde, among others, as well as in numerous cabarets featuring his original works.
Stephen recently released "The Hollow Symphonic," his debut rock opera concept album. He is currently working on its follow-up, as well as a new original musical.
At School of Rock Brooklyn, Stephen's mission is to foster a welcoming space built on community, learning, music, and fun! He can't wait to help students find their songs and tell their stories.
Ray Wilson
Studio Coordinator
Ray Elizabeth Wilson (they/she) is a queer multidisciplinary theatre artist and singer-songwriter from rural Northern New York. Some recent acting credits include: Show Me Eternity (Culture Lab LIC, 54 Below, dir. Daniella Caggiano), Macbeth (West Fourth Stage Company, dir. Zachary Elkind), Crucible, PA (From Scratch Productions), and Disgraced (Arizona Rose Theatre).
Ray is passionate about working with writers during their developmental process and in addition to performing, has acted as both a director and research consultant on new plays and musicals throughout NYC. They are also a part of the anti-folk duo, prettypretty, with Marlena Ospina. The two have been featured artists at National Queer Theater, Arts on Site, and Dixon Place Mainstage, among many other favorite spots around NYC. Ray is an NYU Steinhardt alum.
From a young age, making music had always been the place for Ray to express themselves fully, and they hope to foster a positive community for kids to feel the same at School of Rock Brooklyn.
Cory Sterling
Guitar Teacher
Originally from Portland, OR, guitarist Cory Sterling moved to New York City in 2010 to attend The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. Cory has performed with Dave Weckl, Melvin Davis, John Stowell and Scott Whitfield, and has appeared at the Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival, Port Townsend Jazz Festival and Mount Hood Jazz Festival. In 2009 Cory won the Berklee College of Music Battle for Berklee guitar competition in Boston, MA, and performed at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica, CA as a finalist in the 2010 Yamaha Six String Theory International Guitar Competition. In 2011 Cory won first place in the jazz category at the 2011 Yamaha Six String Theory International Guitar Competition, an all ages/genres event whose judges included Lee Ritenour, Steve Lukather, Gary Tallent and Scott Goldman of the Grammy Foundation. Cory is a guitar teacher at School of Rock Brooklyn.
Jada Preston
Vocal Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Jada is a Houston native who began her journey into the arts from a very young age. She grew up listening to her grandmother sing and record herself every night, and this eventually led Jada to do the same. After enjoying and thriving in dance and art throughout her youth, she soon began her musical theatre journey in high school, advancing to Nationals with perfect scores.
Jada also had the opportunity to perform at the Tommy Tune Awards. After much hard work and experience, she decided to perfect her craft at Howard University. There she began her love for music theory and expanded her range for music! An avid Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Zappa listener, Jada enjoys learning and teaching all sounds.
Steven Zemanian
Drum Teacher
Steven grew up in Norfolk, Virginia, and was drawn to music from a young age. He listened to a lot of psychedelic rock during his formative high school years and played drums in bands with his friends. Steven graduated from Old Dominion University in 2012 with a major in Music Production and a minor in Percussion. At ODU, he was a member of the Drumline, Percussion Ensemble, and Pep band.
After college, Steven stayed in Norfolk and taught drums and keyboard, freelanced as a sound engineer, and played in bands for two years before moving to New York for graduate school at NYU. He was a member of the Computer Music Group at NYU and performed experimental electronic music with his friends.
Steven earned his Master's in Music Technology in 2016 and began working as a Sound Designer for Sunhouse, the company that makes Sensory Percussion.
Steven loves to teach and takes a non-dogmatic approach with his students, always trying to visualize the musical pattern through their minds and devise the best and most fun strategy to learn it.
Vincent Blackshadow Braimes
Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Vocal Teacher
Vincent is a lifelong rock musician and songwriter from Bellingham, Washington, who started teaching himself guitar and piano as a toddler. By the age of 10, he was playing semi-regular gigs around Washington state, belting out Kiss, AC/DC, and Blue Oyster Cult covers as well as original material. He has played in rock bands and as a solo act since middle school.
Vincent graduated from Portland State University in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy. A prolific songwriter, he has independently released five full-length studio albums since 2016, with a sixth on the way. Currently, Vincent can be found playing lead guitar for Bald By Choice, bass in Swear Tapes, and keyboards with Shane Pi, as well as continuing to front his solo band. Outside of music, he enjoys making collages and reading philosophy.
Vincent has taught at three different School of Rock locations across the country. As a teacher, he strives to establish and grow the student’s independent love for and curiosity about music.
Marey Steffansson
Vocal Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Show Director
Marey Steffansson is a singer, songwriter, keyboardist, and producer. Originally from Finland, Marey moved to the United States to pursue her master's degree in Songwriting and Production at Berklee NYC, graduating in 2023.
Marey teaches vocal lessons and keyboard lessons and strives to create a safe space for kids to explore their passion for music and their artistry. With her bachelor’s in music education, the motto throughout her teaching career has been that we learn the most when we are kind to each other.
Marey hopes that every student's day could be a little bit brighter after band class. When she isn’t teaching at School of Rock Brooklyn, Marey is an independent artist who writes and produces music for herself and others.
Brandon Rhodes
Drum Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Guitar Teacher
Brandon has been playing music his entire life. Starting on drums, he then found his way to guitar and bass. Brandon loves ’60s and '70s psych rock, contemporary indie, country, songwriters, you name it! His favorite food is pasta, and he loves skateboarding and rock climbing when he's not teaching or producing music.
Brandon can't wait to inspire the next generation of musicians at School of Rock Brooklyn!