Bob Jones
Owner, Director
Bob Jones is a composer and multi-instrumentalist living and working in Brooklyn's thriving music scene. He received a bachelor's degree in Double Bass Performance from Michigan State University. Equally at home in the genres of rock, classical, folk, electronic, and jazz, Bob has appeared on dozens of albums and has toured extensively in the United States and Europe.
With two decades of teaching experience under his belt, Bob takes his role as Music Director at School of Rock New York in stride. His students have gone on to audition for performing arts high schools and colleges and pursue careers in music. He is known for the enthusiasm and patience he shows in lessons, rehearsals, and events.
Sarah
Studio Coordinator
Sarah is our Studio Coordinator at School of Rock New York and is a writer, actor, and producer based out of Long Island, NY. She has written over twenty plays and screenplays and has recently jumped into film production. Her works have won numerous accolades, most recently “Best Horror Short” in the Oregon Screams Film Festival.
Sarah is the founder of 860 Films and the face of Nerd Culture Cooking where she cooks recipes from notable nerdy fandoms! She is also a voice actor, an avid gamer, and plays snare drum for the Queer Big Apple Corps, the city’s largest LGBTQ+ marching band!
Nick
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Nick knew music had to be in his future as soon as he witnessed his first rock show. After playing guitar for a few years, Nick received a scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music, where he honed his craft and played with several diverse artists.
Nick moved to Denver in 2011 and worked at School of Rock for over two years directing shows and teaching guitar, bass, and vocals. Nick currently resides in New York City and works as a guitar teacher and drum teacher at School of Rock New York, and is also an aspiring songwriter.
Adam
Show Director, Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Vocal Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Adam grew up in Miami, Florida, and attended School of Rock Miami as a student for five years before becoming a teacher at age 18. He holds an associate's degree in Jazz Vocal Performance from Miami Dade College and a bachelor's degree in Songwriting from Berklee College of Music in Boston.
Before making the move to New York City, Adam performed in Boston projects such as indie rock outfit Red Mill, pop songwriter Griffin Robillard and his own songwriting vehicle, Tree Signs. A talented multi-instrumentalist, Adam plays many styles of music including rock, bluegrass, jazz, metal, and folk.
With a deep background in writing and recording as well, Adam has directed a wide variety of programs at School of Rock in addition to the performance program, such as the songwriting and recording summer camp. He is a guitar teacher, piano teacher, vocal instructor, and show director at School of Rock New York.
Jen
Vocal Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Jen is a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter, as well as a professional performing operatic soprano based in New York City. She received her Bachelor of Music degree from Stetson University and studied at the Longy Conservatory post-graduate.
Jen is involved in a variety of musical projects in the New York City area. She sings and plays piano and cello in the New York-based indie folk band, Tree Signs. She has also performed at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, as well as many variety shows off-Broadway.
Jen has a healthy-technique-first approach to teaching with an emphasis on open student-teacher communication that has been informed by her own professional experience, the Suzuki Method, and her studies in Alexander Technique. She believes that it is important to develop a tailored approach with every student she teaches.
Josh
Drum Teacher
Josh is a New York-based drummer from Rochester, NY. Josh started taking drum lessons with Jeff Welch and also learned through the Hochstein School of Music and started studying under Rich Felice.
In 2008, Josh joined the Army Band and studied at the Armed Forces School of Music. Shortly after he was sent to Fort Drum, New York, and became an Army Bandsman of the 10th Mountain Division Band. Over a two-year period, he performed in jazz, funk, rock, and orchestral bands across New York and other states in the U.S. Josh was honorable discharged from the military and started attending the New School for Jazz and contemporary music. He studied with such greats as Mike Clark, Shawn Pelton, Mark Guiliana, Adam Deitch, Steven Wolf, and Thomas Pridgen.
During his time in NYC, Josh has been a studio/freelance drummer. He has played with artists such as Oba, Monroe, The Sweet Things, Gas House Gorillas, and Ginger Minj. Now he currently plays in his own bands: Civilians and Flowmingos. Civilians play a mixture of hip-hop, rock, and contemporary jazz music. They’ve released their first studio album, Look Cool, with another album soon to be released. Josh's other band, Flowmingos, started by playing in the subways and in parks throughout NYC.
Daniel
Drum Teacher
Daniel is a New York-based touring/session drummer and music educator. He graduated magna cum laude from Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA in the Spring of 2012.
Since relocating to Brooklyn, NY in the fall of 2012, Daniel has recorded with numerous bands and artists in the United States, Mexico, and his native Bolivia. He has toured the continental United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe, and Australia with artists like Young Magic, playing in renowned venues such as The Fillmore, Fonda Theatre, and Bowery Ballroom among others.
Daniel has also played in festivals like Northside Festival, Billboard Hot 100 Festival, 30 Days in LA, SXSW, NXNE, Suoni Per Il Popolo Festival, Lowlands Festival, Sweden Emmaboda Festival, Milhoes de Festa, Visions Festival and Strawberry Fields Festival, sharing the stage with artists including Portishead, Queens of The Stone Age, and St. Vincent.
Rose
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Rose is a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter living and working in Brooklyn, NY. Informed by performance art and a background in critical theory, her artistic practice is concerned with hope and transcendence and seeks to test the limitations of traditional live music performance. Rose's collaborations with artists including musicians, visual artists, sound artists, and filmmakers have yielded versatility and an ability to cultivate a gravitational presence in a myriad of contexts.
Self-taught and hailing from a small town in northern California, Rose has since performed on three continents and in spaces like the Guggenheim, the High Line, and Kino Saito. She has enjoyed fruitful collaborations with performance artists Naama Tsabar and Ragnar Kjartansson and supported Bruce Springsteen upon the release of his album, Only the Strong Survive. She currently plays bass in Big Bliss.
Jim
Drum Teacher
Jim is a Brooklyn-based drummer and percussionist. After growing up playing in garage rock bands in Philadelphia, Jim attended New York University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Jazz Performance. At NYU, he studied with notable professors, such as Mike Richmond, Tony Moreno, Lenny Picket, and Ari Hoenig. In 2014, Jim traveled to Costa Rica as part of the Costa Rican-North American Cultural Center’s Promising Artists Program, where he performed and gave masterclasses.
Since graduating, Jim has worked as a freelance musician throughout New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. He has toured nationally and performed in prestigious venues, including the Brooklyn Academy of Music, The Kessler in Dallas, Texas, and The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Jim also plays in NYC regularly with his bands The Academy Blues Project, Anacortes, and The Grasping Straws.
Ollie
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher
For Ollie, compassion, empathy, and trust are key to understanding his musical sensibilities. Growing up in Connecticut and Wellington, New Zealand allowed him to understand different intersections of how peoples and cultures get together to celebrate life, art, and happiness. Ollie's bass playing aims to reflect upon those perspectives in whichever musical context he plays in.
As a professional bassist, Ollie has performed or recorded alongside some of New York and New Zealand’s top artists, including Lenny White, Letizia Gambi, Dave Pietro, Malick Koly, Roger Fox, and Cory Champion. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ollie moved back to his hometown of Wellington, New Zealand, and was involved in a number of projects and nationally renowned groups, including serving as Principle Bassist in the Royal New Zealand Airforce Band. He also was the co-founder of Nebulus Slim, which aimed at mixing the traditions of Jazz Rock with dance-floor Electronica.
Today, you can see Ollie playing with a variety of bands and artists, both on bass, guitar, and drums. His two main recurring projects are the groups Astrium and Stello, where he performs, composes, and directs each group.
Christian
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Rookies Teacher
Christian is a guitarist, composer, and improviser from Mount Airy, North Carolina. He attended UNCSA for high school, studying classical guitar, and then attended UNC Chapel Hill, where he studied music composition and history. His musical interests range from jazz, rock, free improvised music, country, folk, extreme metal, etc.
Aside from music, Christian enjoys lifting weights and reading. He taught at School of Rock Chapel Hill for three years prior to moving to New York and is excited to continue teaching the good youngins of the world.
Mario
Show Director, Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Mario is a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter from Miami, FL. As an obsessive music fan since age 14, he has performed and organized performances with several bands in the Miami area. During this time, he was a student at School of Rock Miami, participating in both the school’s performance and House Band programs.
Mario attended Berklee College of Music from 2014 to 2018, where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in songwriting. While living in the Boston area, he continued performing in local bands ranging in the indie rock, punk, and free jazz genres. Mario continues to work to challenge himself musically by playing in newer projects such as indie-folk artist Tree Signs and indie-pop singer-songwriter Annie Mullee.
As a long-time School of Rock teacher in Miami and now New York, Mario's goal is to nurture students’ individual musical strengths and to help them achieve better creative expression through their chosen instruments.
Pete
Drum Teacher
Pete is a New York-based drummer and educator. He grew up in the small town of Lebanon, Pennsylvania with a dad who was a full-time drummer/educator. Pete moved to NYC at the age of 18 to attend the Manhattan School of Music, from which he graduated in 2019 with a Bachelor of Music degree. While attending Manhattan School of Music, Pete had the privilege of studying with renowned drum educators John Riley and Kendrick Scott who, along with his dad, instilled in him a true appreciation and love for education.
Pete first began teaching private drum lessons while in college and quickly realized how much he enjoyed passing along his musical knowledge to others. He also keeps a very busy gigging schedule, regularly playing everything from pop-punk to jazz to indie rock to theater and just about everything in between. Pete's wide range of gigging and teaching experience gives him the versatility to teach just about anything a student may want or need to learn.
Daniel
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Daniel is a singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer from New York City. Having studied classical piano and rock guitar from a young age, Daniel has been a practicing and performing musician for over 18 years. Daniel attended School of Rock NYC from ages 14-16, where he played guitar and sang in the Red Hot Chili Peppers/Foo Fighters show, as well as the UK2K and Pearl Jam/Soundgarden shows.
Daniel went on to graduate from the University of Miami Frost School of Music with a Bachelor of Music in Film Scoring & Production, with a focus in contemporary guitar styles and songwriting. An avid songwriter, his original music combines guitar-driven indie rock and pop, R&B grooves, and introspective lyric writing; in 2021 his debut album was released, which he wrote, produced, and released on his own. Daniel is currently writing and producing a new EP and performing at NYC venues, as well as working as a guitarist, producer, and songwriter for fellow NYC acts in the DIY scene.
Jordi
Vocal Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Jordi is a singer-songwriter, artist, and producer from NYC. She graduated from the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music where she studied Modern Artist Development & Entrepreneurship, Music Business, and Contemporary American Music. Jordi also taught vocals and keys at School of Rock Coral Gables before moving back to NYC and joining the School of Rock New York team.
As a recent student herself, Jordi believes that patience, enthusiasm, and individual expression are what turn real potential into raw talent. As an artist, you can find her on all streaming platforms, and playing local shows with her supporting band throughout the city.
Anna
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Anna is a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter based in New York City. She was born and raised in Washington, D.C., where she grew up playing in bands and performing in clubs on school nights. Anna attended Berklee College of Music, where she studied guitar and pedal steel guitar.
As a working musician, Anna has played alongside artists such as David Byrne, Kurt Vile, Steve Earle, and Mary Timony. She enjoys teaching, long walks, and lava lamps.
Julián
Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Vocal Teacher
Julián is a composer, vocalist, pianist, and guitarist. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he came to the United States at the age of 4 and has been based in New York City ever since. Trained at Hoff Barthelson in piano, composition, and electronic music, Julián has been making music for over two decades.
Julián then continued to produce music at his alma mater Williams College, where he formed part of the choir, the Symphonic Winds Ensemble, and composed music for many theater department productions. Most recently his work was seen at Stages Theater in Houston, and at the Ice Factory Festival in New York City. He is currently finishing his MFA in Playwriting with an emphasis on Musical Theater. His approach to teaching is intuitive and performative. He is a piano teacher and vocal instructor at School of Rock New York.
Theo
Show Director, Drum Teacher
Theo is a New York-based drummer. Theo grew up surrounded by music and education and learned drums from his father at an early age. He gigged around in Southern California throughout high school, before moving to New York to attend Pratt Institute. In the following years, he would become an active member of the New York indie and DIY scene, playing with such bands as Awksymoron, Vonnie Whatever, and gigging with various other bands in need of a live drummer.
Theo discovered his passion for music education in 2020 when he began giving lessons to his landlord’s son out of his apartment. Since then, he has pursued every opportunity to grow as an educator.
Nathan
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Nathan is a musician, songwriter, and producer based in New York City. Since moving to New York in 2019, he has performed throughout the city as a solo performer, a bandleader, and a sideman. In his musical projects, Nathan explores a wide variety of styles, drawing on rock, metal, and soul, as well as folk and classical influences.
In his teaching, Nathan encourages students to find their style and be empowered to express themselves through music, as well as develop greater physical awareness and connection with their instrument. Above all else, he aims to pass on his love for music and musicianship.
Dominick
Show Director, Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher
Dominick is a multi-instrumentalist hailing from Miami, FL. He began his musical journey on guitar, which he has now played for over 20 years. While studying music in college, Dominick discovered a deep love for playing drums and shifted his main focus over to that instrument. Although he had only dabbled with drums as a teenager, he now has been playing and studying drums seriously for over 8 years. His experiences through the years have shown him that he is now in the unique position of being highly competent on both guitar and drums in many different musical contexts.
Dominick moved to New York City in December of 2023 to further his musical career in addition to his personal growth as a musician. In addition to studying with acclaimed drummer Dan Weiss, he is also studying the tablas (Indian hand drums used in North Indian classical music) with his teacher Samir Chatterjee.
Teaching regularly since 2021, Dominick takes his role as an educator very seriously and finds it extremely gratifying to be able to help his students along in their musical journeys.