Melissa Adams
Keyboard Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Vocal Teacher
Melissa was first inspired to play music by her grandfather and his jazz band. He showed her the organ at the age of 4 and by 5, he taught her to read music and play piano. The first bass she ever played was an upright white acoustic that stood in the corner of his music room. Her grandparents provided music lessons from the age of 12 to 16 and she enjoyed studying more piano courses while attending college. At 16, she picked up her first guitar and at 19 took lessons in classical guitar. Melissa has had the privilege of inspiring many artists and musicians, and comes to us with 23 years experience teaching music lessons. Her gig experience ranges from setting up lights and equipment for venues to playing venues such as, clubs, bars, coffee shop, winery, recital halls, parks, church, side of the road, hotel lobby, and parties. Melissa joined School of Rock Colorado Springs in September 2021, and is currently inspiring and instructing students on keyboard, guitar, bass guitar, and vocals with her love for music in Colorado Springs.
Bret Chadwick
Bass Guitar Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Vocal Teacher
Bret is a bass, guitar and vocal teacher at School of Rock Colorado Springs. He has been involved in music for the better part of 50 years. He began training as a vocalist at the age of 6 and started trying out the guitar at age 9. He spent most of his time in high school in the chorus, performing in the Pop Choir, Chorale, Men's Quartet and the school choir. In his senior year, he was unanimously elected President of the choir. During these years Bret was able to get the rudimentary guitar instruction he sought. After this Bret pursued playing in bands, writing songs, and performing on stage while learning more about music every step on his journey.
John DeLoach
Music Director
John is a show director and guitar, bass, keyboard and drums teacher at our School of Rock Colorado Springs. He received two bachelors of science degrees from the University of Colorado-Denver, in both recording arts and music business. Since graduation, John released two full length solo albums, and produced a third for legendary trumpeter DJ Horn. Over the last two decades, he created numerous bands ranging, in genre, from metal to jazz. John also specializes in waveform synthesis and counterpoint composition. He loves all aspects of music and hopes teaching music can excite his passion in others. John listens mostly to progressive and experimental metal genres, but also dabbles in electronic compositions.
Mark Esch
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Mark is primarily a guitar teacher at Colorado Springs School of Rock. He has played guitar for 12 years and specializes in metal, rock, and jazz. Mark has an understanding of theory, technique, and effective practice habits that he has cultivated from earning his degree in jazz performance at the University of Northern Colorado. He also has experience teaching beginning to advanced players. Students looking for advanced techniques such as tapping, sweeping, alternate picking, hybrid picking, and economy picking will find explanations and improvement under Mark’s instruction. He is very dedicated to the guitar and hopes to extend the passion to students. Although Mark’s typical instruction is on guitar, he also offers bass and beginning to intermediate drum lessons.
Haven Johnson
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher, Vocal Teacher
Haven Johnson has been involved in performing arts his whole life. He has an extensive background in performance including music, dance, acting, and theatre. Haven is currently studying film at the Colorado Film School in Denver, CO. He is excited to push students to reach their personal goals in music at School of Rock Colorado Springs.
Mike Lupton
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Keyboard Teacher, Vocal Teacher
Mike is a guitar, bass guitar, keyboard, and singing teacher at our school. A native of New Orleans, he received a soloist award from Loyola University Jazz Invitational for his saxophone performance. He studied music education at Southeastern Louisiana University. He has been touring and performing across the nation for over twenty years. He is very excited to teach at School of Rock Colorado Springs.
Michael Robinson
Drum Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Keyboard Teacher
Michael is one of School of Rock Colorado Springs’ primary show directors. He received his bachelor's degree in percussion from Fairmont State University in West Virginia, where he grew up. For almost 20 years, Michael has had a passion for music and one of his favorite things to do is to share that passion with each of his students. Michael has studied a vast array of areas within the percussion world. From rock, to jazz, to afro-cuban, even hand or keyboard percussion; he can guide students in any musical direction. Much of his time in college was spent studying the educational aspects of music. He has also studied various other instruments including guitar and keyboard. He has a love of punk rock and jam band scenes, where he has attended many concerts; and has performed in jazz and fusion style bands, where he found his love for performance. You can find him teaching several of our Performance and Rock 101 groups at Colorado Springs School of Rock, as well as drums, guitar, bass, and keyboard lessons.
Anthony Welch
Drum Teacher, Guitar Teacher
Anthony Welch is a drum and guitar teacher at School of Rock Colorado Springs in Colorado. He’s performed as a drummer, guitarist and vocalist in the Southern Colorado music scene for 26 years and has toured professionally. These days, Anthony splits time performing locally and in Northern Colorado. He’s played the drums for 34 years, guitar for 23 and has been fronting bands as a vocalist for 20 years. Anthony’s a metal head at heart, but has an appreciation for all music. He enjoys seeing students getting excited to learn music of all genres.
Candace Walker
Vocal Teacher, Keyboard Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher
Candace teaches vocals, keyboard, guitar, and drums at School of Rock Colorado Springs. She was first inspired to be a music educator by her mother who was an elementary music educator for many years. Candace started singing at an early age, first in church productions and later in middle school and high school choirs. Candace started piano lessons when she was 8 years old and brings 34 years of experience and education to School of Rock. She has frequently played for weddings and other events throughout her years as a pianist and has been a church pianist for 17 years. She has played in several musical productions throughout the years and brings the lessons she learned as a group musician to the school. When Candace isn’t teaching, she is usually arranging and composing music for the woodwind trio she is still active in, Treblelicious.
Chris Bacavis
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Drum Teacher
Chris is an instructor at School of Rock Colorado Springs, where he teaches vocals, guitar, bass, keyboard, drums, and songwriting. Since starting with guitar, piano, and violin lessons at age 10, he has had more than 20 years of experience in everything from songwriting and studio recording to live performing. Chris graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, and he taught music and writing at Community Prep High School for five years before coming to School of Rock.
Well before going through college and teaching, Chris was the lead vocalist and guitarist in the post-punk band Beryl Beloved. One of his most exciting live experiences was opening for The Birthday Massacre at Denver’s Marquis Theater. Chris's music has gotten airplay on college FM radio, podcasts, and by DJs spinning in local and overseas clubs. One of his greatest passions is using rock music as a pathway for students to realize mindfulness, collaboration, and self-empowerment.
Spencer Hurd
Bass Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Vocal Teacher
Spencer's love for music started at a young age in southern New Jersey, where he was raised on blues and classic rock. He began teaching himself piano as a child and later joined a children's choir in Burlington, NJ.
After moving to Texas as a young teenager, Spencer attended the School of Rock in Rockwall, where he spent several years taking lessons in keys, vocals, bass, guitar, and drums.
After graduating, Spencer continued his musical journey as an instructor and band director at the School of Rock locations in Frisco and Flower Mound before moving and joining the School of Rock Colorado Springs team. Today, Spencer is passionate about teaching his favorite instruments and writing new tunes every day.