Amanda
Vocal Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Amanda has been teaching and directing shows at School of Rock since 2017. She started playing piano and singing at age eleven and has a BA from Haverford College. Amanda is a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter, both as a soloist and with her current music project Sloane Bayley. Amanda completed a year-long apprenticeship and is a Transformational Voice-trained vocal instructor that teaches students to bring their voice, body, and mind into singing. Amanda offers personalized instruction, creativity, and warmth to both in-person and online lessons. Amanda enjoys spending time with her teenage son, who is also a musician at SOR, and their two kittens.
Anna
Bass Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Vocal Teacher
Anna is a Portland and Los Angeles jazz and contemporary arranger, vocalist, and vocal teacher. She recently performed and recorded with George Colligan for the Phillis Wheatley Project, and has collaborated with the well-known Portland group Greaterkind. In Los Angeles, Anna has collaborated with Lawrence Gilliam at the Greenway Amphitheater and The Mint as part of Astral Voyage - an international funk & soul group.
In July of 2023, Anna became the band leader and founder of the Los Angeles-based neo-soul/jazz group The Swing of Thingz and released her first solo EP project entitled “Soul Angel.” In August of 2023, she became a vocalist with the award-winning and Grammy Award-nominated Los Angeles vocal ensemble Tonality. Anna earned a bachelor's degree in Jazz Vocal Performance from Portland State University and plans to receive her master's degree in Vocal Performance soon.
Cameron
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher
Cameron is a former student turned instructor for School of Rock Portland. He first got into playing music by learning Green Day songs with his dad as a young kid. His interest in playing grew when he found School of Rock back in 2013 and was involved in numerous Performance Groups and the House Band before graduating.
Cameron is influenced by bands like blink-182, Against Me, State Champs, Descendents, NOFX, and many others! Outside of music, he enjoys playing hockey and being obsessed with the Legend of Zelda. If you like punk music and nerdy things come chat with him!
Carol
Vocal Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Carol is a versatile musician with a passion for a wide array of musical genres. Holding a Bachelor of Music degree in Voice Theatre from the University of Colorado, Boulder, she has cultivated a deep understanding of vocal artistry and performance. Hailing from Colorado, Carol’s musical journey began with an early fascination for piano. She honed her skills through numerous piano competitions, consistently proving her exceptional talent. In addition, she was a prominent figure in the Colorado music scene, performing dinner theater, teaching music, and singing the National Anthem a capella for the USAFA games. A significant highlight in Carol's career was performing as part of a small group backup for the renowned Andrea Bocelli during his tour at the Moda Center in 2018. She also performed regularly with the Oregon Symphony as a member of the Portland Symphonic Choir.
Carol's passion for rock music was fostered working at the radio station formerly known as KUFO 101.1. Immersed in the dynamic atmosphere, she vividly recalls the tradition of “Metallica Mondays,” an experience that etched the band’s lyrics of all their songs in the hearts of every employee. Carol has also contributed her musical prowess by performing with the former rock band Palindrome. She has enjoyed teaching piano and voice to students of all ages over the years and is excited to be sharing her talent and love of music with students at School of Rock Portland.
Charlie
Drum Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Charlie grew up in a suburb of Washington, D.C., and he moved to Portland in 2019 to pursue an undergraduate degree at Lewis & Clark College. He has been playing drums for over 15 years and has studied music with some of Portland’s finest jazz musicians including Charlie Doggett, Alan Jones, and Dan Balmer.
Charlie currently drums with many different musical acts throughout the city and in many different genres including jazz, funk, metal, and folk. Some of the artists and projects Charlie plays with include Johnny Franco, Canary Room, Jakki and The Pink Smudge, and Mr. Beautiful.
His biggest musical influences include Fela Kuti, Meshuggah, Bob Marley, and The Talking Heads. When he’s not playing music, Charlie is biking, exploring the local hiking trails, or trying out cool new restaurants. He is excited to share his joy and passion for drumming with others!
Cory
Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Cory graduated from Berklee College of Music. He teaches drums, guitar and bass, along with some vocals and keys. If you wanna shred on guitar, Cory is your guy! He loves kale and eating at Riyadh's. He plays in a rad band now called Liquid Light. His influences are Genesis, Husker Du and Guided by Voices. He love puns and random stuff on Facebook. They put a smile on his co-workers' faces or maybe even a frown! We love it!
David
Music Director, Drum Teacher
Dave is a graduate of Berklee College of Music in Boston and joined the School of Rock team in 2009. As Music Director and one of our busiest drum instructors, Dave brings a ton of teaching and playing experience to School of Rock Portland. Dave currently plays drums in the local jazz-funk band, Professional Midnight, and is an active session musician for hire. Former bands include 1939 Ensemble, Pig War, Humours, and more.
Dave’s playing is rooted in a Meters cassette tape given to him in eighth grade. Some other artists that inspire and influence him include The Melvins, Miles Davis, Can, Steve Gadd, and Fiona Apple. Besides teaching and playing drums, David enjoys the simple things in life–spending time with his family, grilling, trips to the coast, and listening to baseball. Dave also makes the best drum faces in the history of drumming!
Dylan
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Dylan is a multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, and performer from Greencastle, Indiana. After performing and recording with various bands as a teenager Dylan attended Indiana University where he received degrees in Music and Ethnomusicology. Dylan has a background playing bass and guitar in various styles including jazz, punk, country, funk, and classical and he has released multiple albums and EPs with his group's Bike Wreck and Kid Comet. When he is not teaching music Dylan can be found collecting Japanese rock/funk/country records from the 70s and teaching himself how to use various Elektron synths and samplers.
Eli
Drum Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Eli is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and producer primarily teaching drums, bass, and guitar. After starting his musical journey performing at the Seattle School of Rock, he continued on to study under accomplished musicians such as Dan Balmer and Julia Banzi. He currently writes music under the name "3x tuk" and plays drums in the broken beat jazz trio Holla Chirp. In the past has performed and toured with acts such as King Sheim and Caspian Coberly.
Eli is passionate about sharing his love for music, and through his teaching, strives to instill a sense of joy and freedom in musical performance. His biggest musical influences are Elliott Smith, Yussef Dayes, Bjork, and Dinosaur Jr. among many others. When not playing music, Eli can be found collecting cool coffee mugs and watching baseball.
Ezra
Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Vocal Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Ezra is a multi-instrumentalist, performer, and sound designer from Chicago who came to Portland to study at Reed College and has a BA in Comparative Race and Ethnicity Studies with a concentration in Sociology. During college, Ezra expanded his musical endeavors and gained experience as a sound technician and theatrical sound designer. Following college, he used his skills as a guitarist, performer, and stage manager in Fuse Theatre Ensemble’s Shroom Show, and sound designed the Portland Trans Voices Cabaret.
As a musician and teacher, Ezra likes to combine the study of blues and jazz techniques with pop, rock, and folk songwriting structures. As a former School of Rock student and House Band member at School of Rock Naperville for many years, he is excited to pass on his knowledge to the next generation of rockers!
In his free time, Ezra likes to cook, read, draw, and play Guitar Hero. Some of his musical influences include Talking Heads, Janis Joplin, My Chemical Romance, and Led Zeppelin.
Gray
Bass Guitar Teacher
Gray grew up playing bass in the East Bay punk scene before taking a detour to Los Angeles to study at the Musicians Institute. He first came to Portland in 2015 and found his home in the city’s DIY music community.
Gray is heavily influenced by indie, punk, and metal, citing Unwound, Title Fight, My Bloody Valentine, and Melvins as favorites. He lives to play music, record, and tour, but he also loves growing food, backpacking, and building pedals.
Gray stays busy playing in local bands Pileup, Gnat Hatcher, and Great Year. He is currently a student of audio engineering. Gray is grateful to the teachers who have inspired him to learn and keep on practicing over the years and hopes to share this passion and pass the torch at School of Rock Portland!
Hadley
Guitar Teacher, Bass Teacher, Vocal Teacher
Hadley is a multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, performer, and music lover from Jacksonville, Florida. They began playing violin in kindergarten and moved on to guitar in the fourth grade. Classically trained in guitar and voice at Lavilla School of the Arts and Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, they started playing gigs in Jacksonville at age 13. Since moving to Portland to attend Reed College, Hadley started the band Pepper Jelly, wrote a collaborative song cycle called The Last to Go: Reprise, and performed as June Carter in Stumptown Stages' production of The Ring of Fire. They have played in bands ranging in genre from ska-punk to bluegrass, making appearances at the Florida Folk Festival and Jacksonville Porchfest, often performing with their dad and his band, The Uncanny Valley Boys.
When not making music, Hadley can often be found taking long walks with their dog, Leeloo Dallas, crafting, or watching Star Trek. Some of their favorite musicians include Bob Schneider, Tom Waits, Pup the Band, Crucial Eddy Cotton (their dad), and Tigers Jaw. Hadley is a self proclaimed music nerd and is always learning and hoping to grow as a musician.
Jake
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Vocal Teacher
Jake is originally from the Chicagoland area and has been playing guitar since he was 8. He also plays bass, drums, keys, and sings. His favorite time as a musician was going on tour with his former band throughout Europe.
Jake currently works as a music composer and editor on various podcasts. He is also an avid backpacker and hiker who is loving the nature of the West Coast.
Luke
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Luke is a recent graduate from the University of Oregon School of Music and Dance with a Bachelor's Degree of Music in Jazz Studies. He has toured internationally and worked as a studio musician for the last five years. With close to ten years of experience teaching music, Luke has developed a curriculum that caters to the individual needs of each student. Luke teaches guitar, bass, ukulele, and beginner keys.
An avid fan of Jimi Hendrix, Radiohead, The Beatles, Prince, and D'Angelo, Luke has an eclectic taste in music and mastery of many different genres including rock, blues, jazz, latin, funk, reggae, soul, and R&B.
When not teaching, Luke can be found playing music with his band Spiller, watching sports (Go Packers), and enjoying the beautiful scenery Oregon has to offer.
Octavio
Bass Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Vocal Teacher
Octavio is a graduate of the University of Oregon School of Music and Dance with a Bachelor of Science in Music Technology. He has played in multiple Portland bands and composes music for films, TV shows, video games, and ads for everything from Sizzle Pie to Nike.
Having started his musical journey at School of Rock Portland when he was 11, Octavio has developed a deep passion for music education and music history. He’s always enthusiastic to have his students embrace their curiosity and learn from all genres of music.
When he’s not building synthesizers, Octavio enjoys reading history books, cooking Korean food, going to the movie theater, collecting retro video games, studying Japanese, and trading obscure vinyl soundtracks.
Pablo
Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Pablo is a multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer born and raised in Portland. He has played in rock, funk, hip hop and jazz cover bands such as Star Stuff, Thundersnatch and Rip City Soul, as well as performed his own music around town. Before getting his start in music, he played shows at this very School of Rock!
Pablo loves sound of all kinds. From classical music to experimental electronic music; there's always something to learn. His biggest musical influences are Mort Garrison’s Plantasia, Herbie Hancock’s fusion and synthesizer music, Japanese funk band YMO and expressionist composer Maurice Ravel. When Pablo isn't playing music he’s spending time with friends and family or going on long walks, usually humming some kind of melody as he goes.
Rachel
Vocal Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Drum Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Guitar Teacher
Rachel is a multi instrumentalist, singer songwriter, and audio engineer best known for her work with bands Black Mountain, Sleepy Sun, and UNKLE. In between tours she has accumulated over a decade of experience working as a musical instructor to all ages in the Los Angeles area and is excited to now call Portland home. Rachel is currently drumming for a feminist punk group and her favorite singers are David Bowie, Robert Plant, Billie Holiday, and Freddie Mercury.
Ragon
Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Vocal Teacher
Ragon is a music professional working as a solo performer and recording artist, music teacher, recording engineer, radio DJ, and supporting musician. Originally from Oklahoma, Ragon has called Portland home since 2006. Their background includes working as a multi-instrumentalist in many genres of music, teaching, internet radio, and on the board of directors for a music education non-profit.
You can find Ragon’s solo work on all major streaming services and they currently play in three Portland bands: Doödrr, Bug Complex, and a Pink Floyd tribute band, Comfortably Numb. Ragon loves all music genres and they are especially a big fan of Prog Rock. You can catch their weekly Prog Rock radio show on Tuesdays on Shady Pines Radio.
Ragon holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Engineering from the University of Oklahoma.
Ryan
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Vocal Teacher, Drum Teacher
Ryan is a drum, bass, guitar, piano and voice teacher. He is a graduate of the University of Northern Colorado with a Bachelor's Degree in Jazz Studies. After studying with drummers Jim White and Chris Smith in Colorado, Ryan moved to Los Angeles where he played in numerous bands and studied with Dave Elitch and Thomas Pridgen. Throughout his musical career Ryan has become proficient in many different styles on many different instruments. With a background in rock, jazz, metal, indie/folk rock, and freely improvised music, Ryan can adapt to the needs of any student, and most importantly, make it fun! Ryan is a recent transplant to Portland, and after teaching at the school of rock in Santa Clarita while touring and playing with bands in LA, he is looking forward to continuing the musical journey in Oregon! Favorite bands include Dillinger Escape Plan, John Coltrane, Nirvana, Alexisonfire, Led Zeppelin, and Tom Waits. Favorite hobbies include running around with his dogs and jumping into rivers.
Spencer
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Vocal Teacher
Spencer is a music production student at Portland State University and a member of the world-renowned Portland State Chamber Choir. He has over 12 years experience in both guitar and singing, and has been a featured singer with Josh Groban and Thomas Lauderdale. He's very passionate about music theory and helping his students play songs that challenge them and inspire them to improve. Spencer teaches guitar, voice, bass guitar and beginner drums.
Spencer's a huge fan of Weezer and Soundgarden, and he also likes progressive metal acts like Dream Theater. His wide taste in music helps him connect with any song choice his students might bring to him.
When Spencer isn't working, he's singing with his choir, writing/recording his own music or nerding out over the newest Marvel movie or TV show.
Tiana
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher
Tiana is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and audio engineer from Los Angeles. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Audio Design & Production at Columbia College Chicago and has engineered, performed, produced, written music and worked alongside musicians and engineers all over the country. Tiana is a lover of all things analog, lo-fi, or unreleased and you can usually find anything from Zappa to Japanese funk to AfroCuban to old country music on my record shelf. As a former School of Rock All Star, Tiana is happy to be teaching guitar, bass, and drums to the next generations of music makers. A fun fact about Tiana: “I once toured with an all-female Metallica tribute band Misstallica as Kirk Hammett!”
Tiana loves to cook and spends most non-musical brain power thinking about food and new recipes. Her favorite foods are the family’s traditional cuisines: Thai and Argentine. ”I’m a huge X-Files nerd and my favorite movies to watch over and over again are “Spirited Away, Harold and Maude, and The Hunger.”
Wayan
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher
Wayan has been making music for most of his life, starting on guitar before grade school, and picking up bass, drums, and keyboards along the way. He majored in Jazz performance at Lewis & Clark college and has studied with Dan Balmer, Jojo Mayer, and Joe Russo. He’s toured the country as a guitarist with The Funk Ark and as a Tour Manager for Nerve. He has multiple albums out on Ropeadope Records, and has previously worked as Production Manager at Brooklyn Bowl (NY) and Assistant Editor at Relix Magazine. Wayan has been teaching for over 20 years, and has numerous former students touring in bands. These days he mostly listens to instrumental music spanning the spectrum from Butcher Brown to Chon, and spends the bulk of his free time figuring out how to play the hybrid bass/guitar he got from Charlie Hunter.
Zach
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Zach has been a devoted musician since he was a teenager when he began playing rock guitar. Those early years consisted of everything from learning, practicing, and rehearsing to performing, writing, and recording music with various groups. Holden is a graduate of SOR who then attended Portland State University, earning a Bachelor of Music degree and further developing his musical ability and identity through his education in jazz and classical styles. During his education and thereafter, Zach has continued to write music, perform in bands and in the “pit” for staged musical productions in Portland, and has begun educating others about music as well. Zach is also an avid cook, a history and geography nerd, and a burgeoning language enthusiast who is currently studying Italian.