Juan Alonzo
Guitar Teacher
Since his early days at the Clavier Music Academy in Maracaibo, Venezuela, Juan has been performing music in a diversity of genres and languages. With a musical journey that spans over two decades, Juan's versatility is expressed through his performances granting listeners a fun exploration of sound. His training, which includes a transformative Summer Semester at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, and a Bachelor of Music Performance from Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, has been the foundation of his diverse skill set.
From the Nashville Municipal Auditorium to the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, and even the Chamber Art Guitar Festival in Madrid, Spain, Juan has been able to perform on stages across continents, leaving a positive experience with each audience. With gratitude and a humble spirit, Juan’s journey has recently led him to share his experience as an instructor and learn from the staff and students at the School of Rock in Hendersonville, Tennessee.
Patrick Oakes
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Patrick Oakes is a Cincinnati native and now a Nashville-based guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, and composer. He started playing the guitar at age 13 inspired by the sounds of alternative and classic rock. He played viola and upright bass in school orchestras and became a guitar student at School of Rock Mason, where he was exposed to improvisation and music theory.
Patrick then attended the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music, where he received his Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies and had the opportunity to spend time studying music theory, composition, improvisation, Brazilian music, bluegrass, and the lineage of creative American music.
Patrick has been playing professionally since he was 16 years old. Now, in addition to playing in his own bands around Nashville, you can hear him as a member of The Wonderlands with whom he has had the opportunity to play across the eastern U.S. and record several albums of original music. He loves School of Rock for its ability to connect people through music and its ability to expand what many students think is possible through art and collaboration.
Steven M. Phillips
Drum Teacher
Steven M. Phillips has an M. Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction/Music from Tennessee State University. He has performed at Tennessee State Day of Percussion, National Conference on Percussion Pedagogy, Mompox and Sinu Jazz Festivals Colombia, South America, The Percussive Arts Society International Convention, and many other places regionally and internationally.
Steven has performed with many accomplished musicians locally and studied with great educators in Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina. Current groups that he performs with include 55 Central Park West. Steven has over 25 years of experience teaching and performing. Steven believes that watching the students gain facility and confidence in their instruments is a great teaching and learning experience at School of Rock.
Jeff Bugg
Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher
Jeff began learning drums when he was 9 years old. His father was a bluegrass musician but switched from banjo to electric guitar as he was growing up. Jeff would fill in on drums if his dad needed him when he was in high school. He picked up bass and guitar by being around it so much. The guitarists around him were always willing to teach him a thing or two. He eventually went to college and joined an indie punk band called Quailbones and was the bassist for 13 years. They got to meet Jack White from The White Stripes at Third Man Records when they opened for Parquet Courts.
When Jeff moved to Taiwan to teach English, he joined a Taiwanese metal band playing drums. He didn’t play very many shows, but it was a blast! Now he’s having a blast every day teaching these super radical kiddos at School of Rock Hendersonville!
Garnette Mamula
Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Vocal Teacher
Garnette Mamula is an original songwriter, artist, pianist, vocalist, choral accompanist, music arranger, church organist, and music instructor. Her former manager was Ray Carroll of “The Platters.” Garnette has performed globally as a band leader and pianist for six major cruise lines. She had a pop song recently signed to a film and TV agent in LA. She loves pop, dance music, and all styles of music.
Garnette recently performed in Prague and Vienna. She continues to explore her diverse playing experience with her band on keytar as a bass player and soloist. Garnette plays the melodica, writes and records, and currently works as a musician for various music jobs in Nashville. She is also involved with the Nashville jazz music scene. Garnette has sold many copies of her Latin pop and contemporary pop albums globally. Her interests include swimming, Scrabble, and drive-in movie theaters. She is thankful to be given the opportunity to continue working and teaching as a musician in Music City.
Garnette loves teaching because it is her passion. She enjoys teaching all ages, skill levels, and abilities because it makes teaching interesting every day. She loves mentoring and guiding students to their full musical potential. Garnette sees this as a very fulfilling part of her life. Garnette believes that School of Rock has a great environment for learning and is happy to be a teacher at the School of Rock Hendersonville.
Mick Chegwidden
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Mick Chegwidden has been teaching and performing professionally for over 26 years. With over 7,000 performances in his career, he uses what he learns on stage as a practical approach in the classroom. Mick realizes every student is different, and adapts a lesson plan for each individual student. He has taught and performed most styles of music, but is a master of American and Irish folk/roots music. He is an enthusiastic and patient teacher who can relate to the first-time beginner or the advanced professional.
At School of Rock Hendersonville, Mick looks forward to having fun and learning skills and knowledge that will last a lifetime. Mick specializes in guitar, mandolin, dobro, banjo, ukulele, bass, songwriting, and theory and composition.
Alicia Koch-Villarreal
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Alicia Koch-Villarreal is a schooled guitarist and multi-instrumentalist from Southern California. Over the years, she performed as the bassist for the Los Angeles-based electronic band LJ Laboratory (aka LEX) and worked with Grammy Award-winning engineers Peter Franco and Daniel Lerner (Daft Punk).
Alicia has done session work for the original rock band Access Royale and performed with bands like Sunset Slim and the Strip (blues cover band), Shoppy (original jazz metal band), Like Minds (original/cover jazz band), A to Z (original/cover folk duo), and Lunch Line Jones (original hard rock band). She has also played with musicians like bassist Tye Zamora (Alien Ant Farm), bassist Rick Shaw (Johnny Mathis), and guitarist Gino Matteo (Sugaray Rayford, Bennet-Matteo Band).
Alicia has performed at various venues and festivals including Snowglobe Music Festival, Kaaboo Music Festival, Treefort Music Festival, House of Blues, and SXSW, opening for various artists such as Hall and Oates, Cherub, Flume, Sons of Anarchy, and recording artists Berdoo and David J. from Bauhaus.
Alicia studied guitar, bass guitar, piano, and trombone at Riverside Community College, Cal State Fullerton, and Berklee College of Music. She received the Most Outstanding College Rhythm Section Player in 2007 at the Reno Jazz Festival. When Alicia is not playing instruments, she is usually on a lake or by the beach, playing tennis or pool, hanging out with dogs, reading a book, or watching movies (usually paying close attention to the musical score).
Alicia loves teaching because of the great teachers that have had a profound impact on her. She feels that it would be a disservice not to spread the wisdom they have taught her and the knowledge she has personally found along the way. She was once told that, in order to gain the most understanding of any concept, you should always have a mentor, a peer, and a student.
Alicia gains a lot of insight from her students and learns from them, each and every day. She loves watching students grow and learn their own voice through music. Alicia believes music and teaching are ways to connect, learn, and express oneself.
Kristin Ambuhl
Studio Coordinator, Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Vocal Teacher
Kristin is a recording and performing artist from the Nashville area. At a young age, Kristin developed a love for music and began taking classical piano lessons at the age of 9. She also enjoyed writing poetry, which later turned into an interest in songwriting. After high school, Kristin studied music for two years at a local college, where she tutored her fellow students in music theory, held office in the honor society, and was active in multiple choirs. During this time, Kristin recorded her first original single. Afterward, she underwent many years of vocal coaching with three skilled private instructors.
A few years later, after attending Belmont (taking music business and songwriting classes), Kristin overcame her stage fright and finally began promoting some of her original music, performing locally in an acoustic duo. She also released her first EP featuring the accomplished bassist Dominic John Davis. Kristin’s EP has received indie radio play and press in several countries, including the United States, France, Brazil, Germany, Mexico, and Egypt.
More recently, Kristin became a regular performer in jazz nights in Nashville and was in a classic rock cover band as lead vocalist and keytarist. During this time, Kristin also began work at an independent record label outside of Nashville as an A&R representative and found that she loved guiding the talent of fellow artists and bands. Additionally, Kristin also worked as a studio demo vocalist for other songwriters in the Nashville and Kentucky areas. This experience, along with promoting talent at the label, made Kristin see how much she enjoys helping others develop their music.
Kristin loves the opportunity of working with students at School of Rock Hendersonville to support them in honing their talent, overcoming stage fright, and blossoming into performing musicians! She believes that School of Rock is the best place for students to not only learn musical proficiency but also to get the extremely beneficial experience of performing on stage with a band.