St. Petersburg
School of Rock

Explore School of Rock

St. Petersburg

Map
School of Rock St. Petersburg
2401 Central Ave.
St. Petersburg, FL 33713
727-871-7625
Hours
  • Monday: 3 PM - 9 PM
  • Tuesday: 3 PM - 9 PM
  • Wednesday: 3 PM - 9 PM
  • Thursday: 3 PM - 9 PM
  • Friday: 3 PM - 8:15 PM
  • Saturday: 10 AM - 5 PM
  • Sunday: Closed

Music programs at School of Rock St. Petersburg combine one-on-one lessons with group band practices

Programs we offer

Rock 101 music program in St. Petersburg for kids and beginners
Rock 101
Ages 8-13

Rock 101 is one of School of Rock St. Petersburg's top programs for kids and beginners. Students have one weekly group rehearsal where they learn to play classic rock songs that have been simplified for beginner musicians. Additionally, Rock 101 students in St. Petersburg have a weekly private music lesson with an instructor who helps them learn the concepts and skills behind their performance songs.

What To Expect
  • 1 WEEKLY PRIVATE LESSON
  • 1 WEEKLY GROUP REHEARSAL

The Path to Take the Stage

Our music programs for kids in St. Petersburg are designed to get students on stage performing, with the goal of building strong musical proficiency. Younger students at School of Rock St. Petersburg who have participated in the Rookies program can move to our Rock 101 music program once they’re ready. Additionally, students (typically ages 8 to 13-years-old) can begin Rock 101 without any prior experience. The goal of this rock program is to quickly develop a basic competence on students’ chosen instruments before moving on to our famous Performance Program.

Performance music program for teens in St. Petersburg
Performance
Ages 8-18

The Performance Program at School of Rock St. Petersburg is our hallmark music program, where tens of thousands of students enroll each year. It consists of a weekly group rehearsal where kids and teens learn by playing rock music's most iconic songs with a band composed of their peers. Students are assigned songs and parts that are tailored to them based on their age, experience and ability to learn new skills and concepts. Students then work through their parts in weekly private music lessons, refining the skills and concepts that those songs introduce. The goal of this curriculum is to prepare kids and teens for live performances. Every few months, School of Rock St. Petersburg Performance Program students take the stage and play at local St. Petersburg music venues in front of a live audience.

What To Expect
  • 1 WEEKLY PRIVATE LESSON
  • 1 WEEKLY GROUP REHEARSAL

The Path to Take the Stage

School of Rock St. Petersburg's music programs for kids and teens are designed to inspire by getting students on stage and performing. All of our other music education programs focus on readying students for our famous Performance Program. This is where students develop incredible musical skills. Performance Program students have often gone through our Rock 101 program first or have some previous basic music experience. These young musicians will have custom development plans outlined by their instructors with key concepts reinforced during private lessons and group rehearsals, all with the goal of performing live at a St. Petersburg music venue.

Rookies music program for children in St. Petersburg
Rookies
Ages 6-7

At School of Rock St. Petersburg, our music program for children with no previous musical experience (typically ages 6 to 7-years-old) is called Rookies. Rookies students have one weekly group music lesson where they learn fundamentals like chords, rhythm and song structure. Kids get to learn and experiment with multiple instruments so they can later decide which one they ultimately want to continue pursuing in Rock 101.

What To Expect
  • 1 WEEKLY GROUP LESSON
  • USE OF SIMPLIFIED ROCK INSTRUMENTS TO TEACH KIDS TO PLAY MUSIC

The Path to Take the Stage

All of our music programs are designed to inspire students to learn and develop a strong musical proficiency. At School of Rock St. Petersburg, younger students who are not ready for a more comprehensive program like Rock 101 can start in Rookies. Additionally, students who have completed the Little Wing program will progress into the Rookies music program. No prior musical experience is needed for Rookies. Once your child is ready for private music lessons (typically older than first or second graders), they will graduate into our Rock 101 program.

Songwriting
Age 12 and over

Our Songwriting program for kids and teens teaches the fundamentals of songwriting, arrangement and music theory, and helps students compose original works.  At School of Rock St. Petersburg, songwriting students receive one weekly private lesson where they learn concepts, technique and theory on an instrument of their choice. These principles are then applied in a weekly group lesson where students work together on songwriting exercises and lyrical workshops.  Every few months, Songwriting students take the stage to perform or band together to record their original songs.

What to Expect
  • 1 weekly private lesson
  • 1 weekly group lesson

The Path to Take the Stage

Our Songwriting program for kids and teens in St. Petersburg is designed to create musical proficiency through the creation of original music. Students at School of Rock St. Petersburg who have completed our Rock 101 program can move to our Songwriting program once they’re ready. Additionally, new students who have prior experience with and basic knowledge of an instrument can also begin Songwriting. The program culminates with a live showcase where students perform their original compositions in bands at a local music venue. Students taking the Songwriting Program online will remotely record their original songs to produce a demo of the class's music.

Remote student playing guitar
Online
All Ages

At School of Rock St. Petersburg, our students can take online, one-on-one music instruction from the comfort of their homes. We call this program School of Rock Remote. This online music program contains weekly one-on-one instruction conducted by our expert School of Rock instructors in a safe virtual lesson room.
 
Students will receive their training using our proprietary education program, The School of Rock Method™, which couples live video lessons with our proprietary Method App™, SongFirst Approach™ and Method Books™. 

What To Expect
  • ONE WEEKLY 1-ON-1 LESSON
  • LESSONS CONDUCTED USING SECURE VIDEO TECHNOLOGY

THE PATH TO TAKE THE STAGE

All of our music programs for kids, teens, and adults are designed to help students gain amazing musical proficiency. School of Rock’s online music lesson program is no exception. Online guitar lessons, online piano lessons, online drum lessons, online singing lessons and online bass guitar lessons are all offered through the School of Rock Remote online program.

Adult music program in St. Petersburg for students over 18
Adult Program
Ages 18+

School of Rock St. Petersburg's Adult Program is for students over 18 years old who are looking to either improve their musical proficiency or pick up an instrument with no prior musical experience. As with most School of Rock music programs, the Adult Program uses a performance-based music education approach. This means the curriculum focuses on learning music concepts and applying them in a live performance setting. Our Adult Music Program includes one weekly private music lesson and a weekly group rehearsal. Every student at School of Rock St. Petersburg is placed in a band of fellow adults and then assigned specific songs as a way of learning key music concepts and skills. Adult students then take the stage to play at a live show in St. Petersburg.

What To Expect
  • 1 WEEKLY PRIVATE LESSON
  • 1 WEEKLY GROUP REHEARSAL

The Path to Take the Stage

All of our music programs are designed to inspire by getting students on stage and performing, with the goal of building strong musical proficiency along the way. The School of Rock St. Petersburg Adult Program is open to all experience levels and each student will follow a customized learning plan developed by their instructor. Adult students will work together during rehearsal to prepare for a live performance at a real rock venue in St. Petersburg.

House Band program for gigging at local venues in St. Petersburg
House Band
Age 17 and Under

The School of Rock St. Petersburg House Band music program gives students under 18 the opportunity to join a gigging band composed of fellow musicians from their school. These students perform additional live shows throughout the year. All students in the Performance Program have the opportunity to audition for a spot in School of Rock St. Petersburg's House Band. Once selected, House Band members become leaders in their School of Rock community and perform live shows at FL rock venues throughout the year.

What To Expect
  • A GIGGING MUSICIAN'S EXPERIENCE
  • FREQUENT LIVE PERFORMANCES IN COMMUNITY

The Path to Take the Stage

Performance is the core of School of Rock's educational approach. Therefore, we create additional opportunities for students to perform on stages throughout St. Petersburg and the rest of FL. The House Band music program allows each school's most talented students the opportunity to join a band and play routinely in front of live audiences. Once a member, students will gain real music experience associated with gigging musicians and will become leaders and mentors inside the School of Rock community.

The AllStars national tour features the best child and teen musicians
AllStars
Age 17 and Under

The School of Rock AllStars Tour takes the very best students from around the world and sends them on a nationwide summer tour across the United States. Less than 1% of School of Rock students are selected each year to represent School of Rock as an AllStar. All Performance Program students are eligible to audition for this prestigious program. The intensive audition process starts off with video submissions followed by live auditions. Once selected, AllStar students will have an authentic touring experience including traveling on a tour bus, doing tour publicity and starring in nightly performances at famous venues and festivals during a two-week tour.

What To Expect
  • A MULTI-CITY, COUNTRY-WIDE MUSIC TOUR EXPERIENCE
  • PERFORMING ON SOME OF THE BIGGEST AND MOST FAMOUS STAGES IN THE WORLD

The Path to Take the Stage

Becoming an AllStar is the highest level of achievement for a School of Rock student. They play on legendary stages large and small, including The Knitting Factory, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, The Troubadour and Lollapalooza. AllStar students often go on to have accomplished careers in the music industry. Former AllStars have gone on to become touring artists, star in Broadway musicals, get signed to record deals, become finalists on talent competitions like "The Voice" and "American Idol" and have other notable roles in the music industry.

Music Lessons in St. Petersburg

Kid learns to play guitar at School of Rock St. Petersburg

Guitar Lessons for All Skill Levels

Beginner Guitar Lessons for Kids

At School of Rock St. Petersburg, we offer beginner guitar lessons for kids. Our expert guitar instructors guide your child from start to finish with private instruction and weekly group band rehearsals. Every instructor at School of Rock St. Petersburg is an experienced musician, and they emphasize foundational music theory and technique when teaching guitar lessons to kids. Unlike other St. Petersburg guitar lessons and programs, School of Rock is designed to get students performing in a band.

Beginner Guitar Lessons for Adults

It’s never too late to learn to play the guitar. Similar to our kids guitar lessons, School of Rock St. Petersburg's beginner guitar lessons for adults utilizes a performance-based curriculum. Our experienced instructors teach adult students through popular rock songs, and teach students to play guitar in a way that’s challenging and fun. We believe the best way to learn is by doing, which is why we combine weekly private guitar lessons with group band rehearsals. At School of Rock St. Petersburg, we teach beginner guitar lessons for adults in our Adult Program. This program gets students performing onstage at a local St. Petersburg venue.

Key Concepts
  • Technique
  • Solos
  • Chords
  • Theory

Intermediate to Advanced Guitar Lessons

As students gain skills and experience, we move them along to more challenging programs at higher skill levels. Intermediate and advanced students take the skills they learned in beginner guitar lessons, and layer on more difficult techniques and concepts. School of Rock St. Petersburg offers advanced guitar lessons for kids and adults that teach by playing challenging classic rock songs and emphasize playing the guitar in a real music venue. Our St. Petersburg guitar teachers will work with each student to develop a custom learning plan.

Kids learn to drum at School of Rock St. Petersburg

Drum Lessons for All Skill Levels

Beginner Drum Lessons for Kids

School of Rock St. Petersburg is the best option for anyone looking to learn the drums. Our beginner drum lessons get kids behind the drum kit and on their way to taking the stage. That’s why at School of Rock St. Petersburg we combine private drum lessons for beginners with weekly band rehearsals—it prepares students to perform live. With years of experience teaching drums in St. Petersburg, our drum instructors teach beginner drum students core techniques, including how to groove, play rudiments and more.

Beginner Drum Lessons for Adults

Our drum lessons for adults are designed to accommodate all skill levels. At School of Rock St. Petersburg, our beginner drum lessons for adults are built for musicians with little to no experience. We teach adults using the same core performance-based education philosophy as our drum lessons for kids—performing with a band accelerates the learning process. Adult students will perform live at a venue in St. Petersburg. Unlike other St. Petersburg drum lessons for beginners, School of Rock combines private drum lessons with weekly band rehearsals so students are ready to play in front of real, live audiences.

Key Concepts
  • RUDIMENTS
  • TIME SIGNATURES
  • TECHNIQUE
  • GROOVE

Intermediate to Advanced Drum Lessons

More experienced to advanced drum students need a drum lesson curriculum that builds upon foundational skills and continues to grow musical proficiency. That’s why at School of Rock St. Petersburg, our drum lessons are customized for each student and his or her goals. Our St. Petersburg drum instructors integrate more complex techniques and concepts—intermediary grooves, shifts, meters and more—into a student's individual lessons and group band rehearsal, and will also select more difficult songs for his or her live performances.

 

Kid learns to sing at School of Rock St. Petersburg

Singing Lessons for All Skill Levels

Beginner Singing Lessons for Kids

School of Rock St. Petersburg offers beginner singing lessons for kids. Our unique, performance-based approach develops students' musical proficiency by preparing them to perform live. At School of Rock St. Petersburg, our vocal coaches are practicing musicians who integrate key music fundamentals—breathing, posture and more—into a curriculum based on performing with a band. Each week, beginner singing students participate in a private singing lesson and a band rehearsal.

Beginner Singing Lessons for Adults

School of Rock St. Petersburg teaches adults how to sing in our innovative Adult Program. Students develop vocal skills at a challenging pace designed to help you see results with every singing lesson. Adult vocalists learn how to keep tempo, stay on-key and master advanced vocal techniques for a powerful and healthy voice. Our curriculum teaches students how to sing by using popular rock songs that emphasize key concepts. Each week, Adult Program students have a private singing lesson for beginners and group band rehearsal.

Key Concepts
  • TECHNIQUE
  • HARMONY
  • POWER
  • READING

Intermediate to Advanced Singing Lessons

At School of Rock St. Petersburg, our singing lessons for kids and adults are designed to help our students reach a high degree of musical proficiency. Intermediate and advanced singers take skills learned from previous singing lessons and layer on more difficult techniques and concepts. Our advanced singing lessons teach students to sing by performing popular rock songs that illustrate a specific vocal concept or technique. We pair weekly private singing lessons with weekly band rehearsals with the goal of getting musicians to perform live in St. Petersburg.

Kid learns to play bass at School of Rock St. Petersburg

Bass Lessons for All Skill Levels

Beginner Bass Lessons for Kids

School of Rock St. Petersburg offers beginner bass guitar lessons for kids that blend weekly private instruction with weekly band rehearsals. This performance-based approach results in a high level of musical proficiency because it engages and inspires students. Every School of Rock bass instructor is a practicing musician in St. Petersburg and teaches bass lessons for kids that get great results. Beginners learn to play bass guitar by using popular rock songs that illustrate key concepts and techniques.

Beginner Bass Lessons for Adults

Adults looking to learn bass guitar can enroll in School of Rock’s Adult Program. No experience is necessary in our beginner bass guitar lessons for adults. At School of Rock St. Petersburg, our experienced, local bass guitar instructors have the patience and skills to help adult students gain musical proficiency. As with all School of Rock music programs, our bass guitar lessons for adults ciriculum is performance-based, and include both weekly private instruction and weekly band rehearsals.

Key Concepts
  • GROOVE
  • TECHNIQUE
  • THEORY
  • TONE

Intermediate to Advanced Bass Lessons

Our intermediate to advanced bass guitar lessons teach St. Petersburg students the skills they need to become the backbone of a band. Students take skills from previous bass lessons and layer on more difficult techniques and concepts. At School of Rock St. Petersburg, our bass instructors use popular rock songs as a way of teaching students advanced concepts and techniques. We pair weekly private bass lessons with weekly band rehearsals to inspire and engage students throughout the learning process.

Kid learns to play piano at School of Rock St. Petersburg

Keyboard Lessons for All Skill Levels

Beginner Keyboard Lessons for Kids

At School of Rock we teach differently than other music schools in St. Petersburg. Our curriculum is performance-based, meaning that we prepare students to perform. Our piano lessons for beginners combine weekly private instruction with weekly band rehearsals. At School of Rock St. Petersburg, our beginner keyboard lessons for kids take key concepts and music fundamentals—finger placement, scales, key differentiation and more—and teach them through popular rock songs. This approach inspires and engages students, which results in attaining a high level of musical proficiency. Our piano teachers have years of experience teaching music in the St. Petersburg area, and know how to coach and motivate students of any skill level to play the keyboard.

Beginner Keyboard Lessons for Adults

The School of Rock St. Petersburg Adult Program puts beginner keyboard students in a band. Adult Program students in the St. Petersburg area learn to play piano through a combination of weekly private beginner piano lessons and weekly band rehearsals. At School of Rock, our piano lessons give adult students the chance to perform in a band at local St. Petersburg music venues, taking them out of the classroom and onto the stage.

Key Concepts
  • TECHNIQUE
  • TONE
  • THEORY
  • READING

Intermediate to Advanced Keyboard Lessons

At School of Rock St. Petersburg, our keyboard lessons for kids and adults are designed to help students get results. Intermediate and advanced students take skills learned from beginner keyboard lessons and layer on more advanced piano techniques with concepts. Our local keyboard instructors are all practicing musicians in St. Petersburg, and use popular rock songs as a way of teaching complex skills. We pair weekly private piano lessons with weekly band rehearsals to inspire and engage students throughout the learning process.

Our Experienced Music Teachers

All of School of Rock St. Petersburg’s music teachers are experienced musicians devoted to helping students attain musical proficiency. Our instructors guide students one-on-one to personalize learning, inspire confidence and build social skills.

Owner Don Seraita
Don Seraita
Owner
Don's love of music was passed down from his parents at a very young age. Whether it was car rides with his dad listening to The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Elvis or accompanying his mom while she played songs on guitar by Neil Young, the Eagles, and Cat Stevens—the music was never-ending.

When Don was about 13 years old, he discovered bands like Green Day, Blink-182, Rise Against, and Yellowcard and it launched an entirely new drive of inspiration. Don had dabbled in guitar since the age of 9 but it was at age 14 that he picked up his first electric guitar, got up on a stage in front of hundreds of people, strummed some chunky power chords, and tasted the life of a rockstar—the rest is history.

Don has been performing at venues such as The Knitting Factory, Sullivan Hall, Trash Bar, Paper Box, Don Hill's, and The Bowery Electric with various bands, ever since he was 17 years old.

One of his favorite memories was working in the Rock Shop at the sleepaway camp he went to as a kid. He was tasked with giving one-on-one lessons to children ages 6-18 as well as working with bands that would ultimately put on a rock show for the entire camp. While seeing his campers successfully perform was rewarding in itself, the real reward came almost a decade later, when some of his old campers reached back out to him to express their gratitude for everything he had taught them. At that moment he thought to himself, "I wish I could have a career that gave me the same rewarding feeling that working at camp gave me..."

After working various inside sales jobs in Manhattan, the pandemic pushed Don to pursue something that he was more passionate about, and eventually discovered the wonders of School of Rock! Don began his School of Rock career by owning and operating the School of Rock in Rockland, New York and after almost 3.5 years in Rockland, life again pushed Don in a new direction, and the Florida sun was calling his name! Don is very excited to begin this next chapter of ownership in St. Petersburg, Florida!
General Manager, Rookies Program Director Jae Hughes
Jae Hughes
General Manager, Rookies Program Director
Since the age of 10, Jae Hughes has had a passion for teaching music and working with children. Her career began as a music tutor for percussion instruments at her high school in Rayland, Ohio. To further her career, she moved to St. Petersburg after graduation and has spent her time teaching band instruments, percussion, and piano, and working in the music industry. With experience in sales and lesson coordinating, she enjoys working with people and spreading the joy of music to everyone she meets.
Music Director, Guitar Teacher, Bass Teacher, Keyboard Teacher
Mel Walsh
Music Director, Guitar Teacher, Bass Teacher, Keyboard Teacher
Melbourne "Mel" Walsh picked up his first guitar at 15 years old. Inspired by his father's love of guitar, Mel's natural musical aptitude ensured local success in his hometown of Marathon, Florida. He started his formal musical education in Gainesville, Florida at Santa Fe Community College but was quickly lured away by the opportunity to study at The Players School of Music. There he took part in weekly jazz ensembles with the inimitable Jeff Berlin, studied theory, harmony, scales and chord tones, learned to read chord charts and sheet music, received one-on-one guitar lessons and ear training, and a multitude of other musical concepts. He has played a myriad of venues from Florida to North Carolina, including Hard Rock Cafe and Jannus Live. Mel's musical background includes rock, blues, jazz, fusion, progressive rock and funk.
Music Director, Guitar Teacher, Bass Teacher, Singing Teacher
Zach Short
Music Director, Guitar Teacher, Bass Teacher, Vocal Teacher
Zach Short is a guitarist and vocalist of 13 years from Tulsa, Oklahoma. He has written and recorded two albums with cog and lantern recordings, both of which have been released on iTunes and other music platforms. Zach has played multiple venues, ranging from small sizes such as restaurants, bars and weddings to larger venues that host national acts like Cains Ballroom in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He has toured the Midwest, playing in multiple bands either as a hired guitarist, session guitarist or permanent member of the band, and has performed at festivals such as SXSW in Austin, Texas playing showcases and opening up for artists including Leon Russel and The Nixons. Zach has eight years of experience teaching students of all ages, both in group settings and private lessons. He currently plays guitar for the Safety Harbor-based band Viewers Like You and is regularly gigging throughout the Tampa Bay and St. Petersburg areas.
Vincent
Vince Montemarano
Drums Teacher, Bass Teacher, Vocal Teacher
A consistently gigging and touring drummer for over 14 years, Vincent plans to use his additional experience in songwriting, guitar, bass, vocals and percussion to help strengthen students’ understanding and appreciation of music. He knew that being a musician was his calling when he started playing guitar at age 10, but it wasn’t until age 13 that he realized he felt most comfortable behind a drum kit. From that point, he began taking drum set lessons and also joined the Countryside High School drum line, where he would spend the next four years developing and honing his drumming skills.

Vincent continues to use his multi-instrumental experience in his two current bands, for which he writes and arranges music. With his comprehensive skill set, he hopes to create a unique lesson plan that caters to each student’s individual musical aspirations.
Bass Teacher, Drums Teacher, Keyboard Teacher Vinny Svoboda
Vinny Svoboda
Bass Teacher, Drums Teacher, Keyboard Teacher
Vinny Svoboda picked up his first musical instrument, the violin, when he was 10 years old. Shortly after this musical introduction, he received his first bass guitar. In his early teens, after a few years of being a part of his school's orchestras and bands, Vinny became intrigued by the mechanics of percussion and overall rhythm. He immersed himself in learning how to play any percussion instrument he could get his hands on.

His education progressed when he was accepted into the Music Performance program at the University of South Florida. Studying under the principal bass player of the Florida Orchestra, Vinny received his Bachelor's Degree in Music Performance with an emphasis in Classical Upright Bass in 2013. Since graduation, Vinny has made great strides within his local community and abroad as a live and studio musician for many musical acts. He's also an active audio engineer who specializes in full-band tracking, mixing and mastering. He is a bass guitar teacher, drum teacher and piano teacher at School of Rock St. Petersburg.
Matt Aaland Guitar Teacher, Bass Teacher, Keyboard Teacher, Drums Teacher, Singing Teacher
Matt Aaland
Guitar Teacher, Bass Teacher, Keyboard Teacher, Drums Teacher, Vocal Teacher
Matt Aaland is a multi-instrumentalist who comes from the jazz rich community of Fargo, North Dakota, where he grew up attending big band jazz concerts. Picking up the violin as his first instrument, Matt quickly added guitar, bass, piano, voice, brass and woodwind instruments to his repertoire all before high school graduation. Performing with jazz greats like Maynard Ferguson and Ramsey Lewis ignited a passion for music performance in him. Following his favorite local musicians into the collegiate world, Matt attended North Dakota State University with an emphasis on Music Education, studying with the incredible team of Dr. Matthew Patnode and Dr. Kyle Mach. While in college Matt enlisted in the US Army, where he performed with the 188th Army Band as well as the 215th Army Band all around the world. Accepting a scholarship to Berklee College of Music in Boston, he then studied Guitar Performance.

After Berklee, Matt relocated to the Los Angeles area to pursue a career in the music industry, performing in local bands and studio projects in the LA and Las Vegas metro areas. After relocating to the Chicago area, Matt began to focus on offering private instruction as well as group masterclasses. He accepted an instructor position at School of Rock in Geneva, Illinois where he taught guitar, bass, piano and vocals, as well as directed performance groups. Matt continues to use his extensive experience to offer custom designed musical instruction to each of his students. He focuses on student’s goals and interests to help each student find their unique musical voice and direction. He is a guitar teacher, bass guitar teacher, piano teacher and vocal instructor at School of Rock St. Petersburg.
Keyboard Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Guitar Teacher Austin Llewellyn
Austin Llewellyn
Keyboard Teacher, Bass Teacher, Guitar Teacher
Austin Llewellyn is a multi-instrumentalist with 25 years of experience. Starting off on guitar at age 10 and quickly picking up the bass shortly thereafter, he finally settled on keyboards as his primary instrument in college. With a musical background spanning from Rock and Funk to Reggae and Jazz, Austin is currently playing in 4 local bands including Row Jomah, with whom he toured the Southwest, playing in Georgia, North Carolina, and numerous locations in Florida. He has also played notable venues like the Hard Rock and Jannus Live, as well as participated in the Clearwater Jazz Festival. With decades of performance experience and a love for teaching, Austin has come on board as a guitar, bass, and piano teacher here at the School of Rock St. Pete.
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Drum Teacher Clarke Jacobson
Clarke Jacobson
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Drum Teacher
A native of St. Petersburg, Clarke credits local professional musicians Chris LeFever and Joe Braccio for spurring his journey to become a professional musician. He attended John Hopkins Middle School and then the Pinellas County Center for the Arts at Gibbs High School. Clarke was accepted to Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he continued with his formal study of music theory, performance, and production.

During this time, Clarke became proficient on multiple instruments including guitar, drums, keys, and bass. When Clarke left Boston, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue his professional music career. He joined the pop-punk band Sound Parlor and then later toured with All Day Breakfast, an indie rock-influenced band.

Clarke’s experience ultimately led him to St. Petersburg where he hopes to inspire his students to have a lifelong passion for music.
Drum Teacher Ian McNerney
Ian McNerney
Drum Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Bass Teacher
Growing up in a military family and moving frequently, Ian relied on music as a creative outlet and source of entertainment and solace. He started out playing the piano and guitar, but it wasn’t until his family settled east of the Tampa area that Ian found a love of percussion. He quickly joined his middle school orchestral program and became interested in jazz and classical percussion. Ian continued to hone his skills as a member of the Indoor Percussion Group at his high school, where he was chosen to compete in the WGI Indoor Percussion World Championships Scholastic Open Division and was recognized for visual and technical performance.

After moving to St. Pete in 2018, Ian participated in the Music Industry Recording Arts (MIRA) Program at St. Pete College, focusing primarily on recording, mixing and production. Around that time, he also helped form the alternative rock band The Opportunists, and began gigging around St. Pete, writing, recording and producing original music. In 2020, The Opportunists released their debut album, including the track "Mr. Take It Slow," a collaboration with the Florida Orchestra.

Ian’s passion for music and love of teaching make him a perfect fit for drum instruction at the St. Pete School of Rock.
Singing Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Bass Teacher, Keyboard Teacher
Chris Kinney
Vocal Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Bass Teacher, Keyboard Teacher
Chris’ varied background includes church choirs, musical theatre, and live stage performances as a solo act as well as part of a band. A native of St. Pete, Chris is a Gibbs High School graduate where his focus was musical theatre and performance. He joined the LA music scene after high school, honing his songwriting, production, and engineering, and playing as part of “All Day Breakfast,” an indie rock band which toured throughout the Southern US in 2019. Upon moving to St. Pete, he also began playing as a solo act under the name “Topher Kinney.” In addition to vocals, Chris is also a talented multi-instrumentalist, proficient in guitar, keys, and bass.
Nico Panasiuk Guitar Teacher, Bass Teacher, Keys Teacher, Singing Teacher
Nico Panasiuk
Guitar Teacher, Bass Teacher, Keys Teacher, Vocal Teacher
Nico picked up the guitar at the age of fifteen and never put it down. Quickly developing a taste for blues and folk music, he fell in love with artists like Simon and Garfunkel, The Beatles, and Hozier, and decided to pursue his passion for music and music education through his high school’s band, choir, and theater programs, before pursuing a degree in music education at Toccoa Falls College and later the University of South Florida. During his time in college, Nico picked up piano, bass, and vocals, and performed in various Manhattan choir productions at venues like the Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall. Nico teaches guitar, bass, piano, and vocals to the students here at the St. Pete School of Rock.
Connor Fass Drums Teacher
Connor Fass
Drums Teacher
Connor fell in love with drums at the age of 7, after spotting a drum kit in a music store window, and went on to join the Patel Conservatory’s rock band program at age 10, performing live on stage. His love for classic rock artists such as Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, and AC/DC propelled him into his high school marching band and subsequently to Berklee College of Music and SPC’s Mira program, where he learned from John Blackwell (the late drummer for grammy award winning artists Prince and Justin Timberlake). Connor’s experience in a broad range of styles and passion for teaching make him an excellent addition to the St. Petersburg School of Rock staff.
Studio Coordinator Sydney Snyder
Sydney Snyder
Studio Coordinator
Sydney Snyder is the Studio Coordinator at School of Rock St. Petersburg with several years of administrative experience under her belt. Born and raised in St. Pete, Sydney earned a BA in Political Science from the University of South Florida, before working as a Field Organizer and Event Coordinator on numerous political campaigns and nonprofit initiatives, where she recruited and managed dozens of volunteers. Sydney is passionate about her community and excited about working alongside the rest of the School of Rock team to create a fun and inviting atmosphere for all of our students.
School of Rock is where music and learning come together

For over twenty years, our amazing instructors have transformed hundreds of thousands of students across the world into skilled musicians. Become a musician at School of Rock.

Reviews

What I like about the program is that my kids LOVE it!

This is so different from the music lessons that existed when I was a kid. These kids are actually making music and learning to play as a band. The performances are so impressive, and watching the kids gain confidence and express themselves on stage is priceless.

The structure around how kids learn is amazing.

Taking lessons to learn an instrument is one thing, but learning how to be a part of a band is on another level. These kids are learning how to communicate, respect people and their opinions, and how to be accountable for themselves. It’s more than just music here.

It's the best music program in the city.

Dedicated instructors and staff, vibrant atmosphere, and most importantly, it's fun! My 8-year-old has grown leaps and bounds in skill and personal confidence. If you're thinking about checking it out, don't wait, just do it!

The kids have a great time while learning to play.

Lifelong skills and relationships are born here. The staff shares their passion for music and are very professional and accommodating. Wish I had this type of exposure to music when I was growing up!

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