Bob Jones
Owner, Director of Operations
Bob Jones is a composer, multi-instrumentalist, and music educator based in New York. He received a bachelor’s degree in double bass performance from Michigan State University and has built a career spanning rock, classical, folk, electronic, and jazz. With performances on dozens of albums and extensive touring across the United States and Europe, Bob’s musical footprint is broad and diverse.
His School of Rock journey began as a guitar sub in 2010, today he is owner and director of two franchises in Brooklyn and Manhattan, where he applies his two decades of teaching experience to mentor students and staff. His students have gone on to performing arts high schools, colleges, and careers in music. He loves The Kinks, Aphex Twin, Arco Part, Napalm Death, cycling, and food-based adventures.
Charlotte Blancq
Studio Coordinator
Charlotte is a native New Yorker and lifelong musician of many genres. She has learned various instruments and studied music theory since the age of 4. Being the daughter of a music teacher and professional jazz musician, Charlotte's interest in and exposure to music began very early on, and she grew up studying and practicing with her dad, listening to his collections and regularly attending his jazz gigs, while her mother is a CBGB-era punk, so Charlotte also grew up surrounded by much of her favorite rock music. As a child, Charlotte took an extreme interest in all kinds of rock n' roll, writing original rock songs from the age of 6, her earliest inspirations being Joan Jett and Heart. Over the years she grew particularly fond of heavy metal, nu-metal, grunge, and classic rock. Some of Charlotte's favorite bands are Tool, Black Sabbath, Alice in Chains, Deftones, A Perfect Circle, Gojira, System of a Down, and Soundgarden.
At age 14, Charlotte began teaching herself to play electric bass and was playing in a punk band by the age of 16. Along with performing original songs with her band, Charlotte has also performed with the LaGuardia New Music Ensemble and at venues like Rockwood Music Hall, the Bitter End, and Webster Hall. Charlotte graduated with honors from LaGuardia High School, having majored in both Vocal and Instrumental Music. There she advanced her knowledge of music theory, writing and sight-reading sheet music, and training in Opera, Band, Theatre, Orchestra, and Songwriting. From there, expanding her musical literacy, songwriting, and performance skills across various genres, Charlotte continued to sing and play bass with other NYHC rock and metal bands. She went on to work in music, television, and film production for many years at venues like the Apollo, Carnegie Hall, and Crown Hill Theatre, and on major MTV and A24 Studios projects.
Nowadays, outside of her administrative work at School of Rock Brooklyn, Charlotte is an active member of the NYHC and Brooklyn metal scene. As a dedicated and lifelong songwriter and performer, Charlotte strives to inspire growing musicians and continue playing and being surrounded by music.
Cody Rahn
Drum Teacher
Cody Rahn is a New York-based drummer/producer/coffee enthusiast. He holds a B.M. in Jazz from Cornish College of the Arts and performs with artists and groups bridging myriad stylistic boundaries. You can see him regularly in the US and beyond with ensembles ranging from the introspective folk songwriting of Anya Marina and Mackenzie Shivers to the Spaghetti Western-influenced Justin Garcia Band and the psychedelic roots Americana of Echo Bloom.
In addition, Cody hosts the internationally renowned percussion education "Sounds Like A Drum" YouTube channel.
Cory Sterling
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Originally from Portland, Oregon, guitarist Cory Sterling moved to New York City in 2010 to attend The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. Cory has performed with Dave Weckl, Melvin Davis, John Stowell, and Scott Whitfield, and has appeared at the Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival, Port Townsend Jazz Festival, and Mount Hood Jazz Festival.
In 2011, Cory won first place in the jazz category at the Yamaha Six String Theory International Guitar Competition, an all-ages/genres event whose judges included Steve Lukather, Lee Ritenour, Gary Tallent, and Scott Goldman of the Grammy Foundation.
Danielle Johnson
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Danielle Johnson is a bassist, composer, and educator. Originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, she is now based in New York City. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Jazz Performance from The City College of New York, graduating Summa Cum Laude. Danielle plays upright and electric bass as well as guitar and has experience in a wide variety of genres such as jazz, rock, hip-hop, salsa, folk, and experimental music. She has performed at venues such as The Bitter End, Nublu, and The Sultan Room, as well as the Toonerville and Big Lawn music festivals. Her influences include Ron Carter, Jimmy Garrison, Scott Lafaro, Esperanza Spalding, Jaco Pastorius, and Thundercat.
As a teacher, Danielle has a strong passion for nurturing musical development and sharing the joy of music. Over five years of professional experience have taught her the importance of making lessons fun and engaging while tailoring to each student’s individual needs and goals. She employs a patient and encouraging teaching style and believes in fostering a supportive learning environment where students feel empowered to explore their creativity and develop their unique voices.
Daphne Gampel
Studio Coordinator
Daphné is a Brooklyn-based musician and producer who brings both creative and administrative experience to School of Rock Brooklyn. She has lived and made music in Los Angeles, Vermont, Paris and Berlin. As an independent artist (Daphné Gale), she has toured internationally, released three studio albums, and collaborated with the likes of Noah Kahan, Naomi Scott, Bailen, and others. Daphne is passionate about songwriting, salsa dancing,
farming, traveling and excited to be a part of the school of rock team!
Jada Preston
Vocal Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Show Director
Jada is a Houston native who began her journey into the arts at a very young age. She grew up listening to her grandmother sing and record herself every night, and this eventually led Jada to do the same. After enjoying and thriving in dance and art throughout her youth, she soon began her musical theatre journey in high school, advancing to Nationals with perfect scores.
Jada also had the opportunity to perform at the Tommy Tune Awards. After much hard work and experience, she decided to perfect her craft at Howard University. There, she began her love for music theory and expanded her range for music! An avid Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Zappa listener, Jada enjoys learning and teaching all sounds.
John Lisi
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
John Lisi is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, and producer based in Brooklyn. Since graduating from Berklee College of Music in 2022 with a degree in Film Scoring, John has toured the country with several bands, written music for award-winning short films and commercials, and played a wide variety of gigs throughout NYC as a bandleader and sideman. He’s also worked extensively as a session musician, recording on hundreds of tracks accruing millions of streams, along with releasing his own original music.
John has worked as an educator for over a decade, from music lessons to SAT tutoring. As a guitar and bass guitar teacher at School of Rock Brooklyn, he values finding areas of genuine interest for his students, helping them reach their goals and beyond as performers and musicians. John loves the music of Jaco Pastorius, Louis Cole, and Stevie Wonder, but is truly excited about music of all kinds.
Kate Bresnahan
Vocal Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Kate Bresnahan is a musician, vocalist, arranger, bandleader, and composer. She recently graduated from Temple University in Philadelphia, where she received a Bachelor’s Degree of Music in Jazz Voice Performance. Originally from northern Virginia, Kate began studying classical voice starting in elementary school through her senior year of high school, where she discovered the joy she found in singing jazz. She studied piano classically for 12 years, continuing her piano studies at Temple University. Kate performs regularly with her band in New York City, Philadelphia, and beyond. Recently, she has played at Dizzy's Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Chris' Jazz Cafe, and Bourbon
and Branch.
Kate's teaching philosophy at School of Rock Brooklyn focuses on finding joy and light through music, classical technique, and emotional expression. She believes music is for everyone, and that each and every student can have fun and express themselves through song.
Laila Smith
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Laila Smith is a guitarist, audio engineer, composer, and guitar teacher from Woodstock, NY. Growing up immersed in a vibrant musical community, she quickly developed a passion for making music with others and participated in a program similar to School of Rock from age 8-18. She then went to Bennington College, where she studied everything from experimental guitar improvisation and modular synthesis to classical composition and music theory. Laila graduated from Bennington in 2025 with a degree in Audio Production and Music Composition.
These days, Laila lives in Brooklyn, playing shows around NYC (and occasionally touring) with her friends in a noisy indie band called Surgeon General when not teaching at School of Rock Brooklyn. When she needs her alone time, she works on solo material — her instrumental EP, Finding, was released in May 2025. Some of her guitar heroes are Jeff Beck, Prince, and Mick Ronson.
Marey Steffansson
Show Director, Vocal Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Marey Steffansson is a singer, keys player, songwriter, and producer. Originally from Finland, Marey moved to the United States to pursue her master's degree in Songwriting and Production at Berklee NYC, graduating in 2023.
Marey is one of our band directors and teaches vocal lessons and keyboard lessons. She strives to create a safe space for kids to explore their passion for music and artistry. With her bachelor’s degree in music education, she centers her lessons around kindness and meeting kids where they’re at in their skill sets as well as their interests and passions. Every student's day should feel a little brighter after band class.
When she isn’t teaching at School of Rock Brooklyn, Marey is an independent artist and DJ who writes and produces music for herself and others.
Mike Maenza
Drum Teacher
Born in Rochester, New York, now living in New York City, Mike has been playing the drums for over 30 years. He also sings and plays guitar. He's a solid timekeeper, fluent in many styles of modern and classical drumming, with flair for showmanship and over the top energy.
Mike has traveled and toured all over the U.S. and beyond. He has performed and recorded with some of the industry's most successful recording artists including Steven Tyler, Dee Snider, Tiffany Debbie Gibson and most recently Belinda Carlisle. Currently he performs regularly with Jessie's Girl (The World's Best 80's Tribute Show), The Tommy Zamp Band, The Jonny Couch Band, Super Sonic Blonde, The Brass Knuckle Evangelist and with Broadway’s Rock of Ages/American Idol star Constantine Maroulis.
He has been teaching drums on and off for the past 15 years, now bringing this experience to School of Rock Brooklyn.
Nic Everaert
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Show Director
Nic Everaert is a former student and longtime member of the School of Rock community. A versatile guitar and bass skill set allows him to fall into any style or genre he wants to tackle, always keeping an open mind to musical exploration. He loves to push new players towards their goals, no matter the size, and specializes in improvisational techniques and fingerpicking.
Nic studied digital media and audio engineering at Ithaca College and loves to dive into the technical aspects of music production from the stage to the studio. Inspired by music from film, television, and games, Nic's musical tastes are wide and ever-changing.
Nick Arcari
Drum Teacher
Nick is a lifelong musician and music lover. Growing up in a musical household, Nick gravitated towards the instruments that surrounded him, provided by his Jazz-Fusion Father and Punk-Rock Mother. Before he could form a memory, Nick was banging his father Jay’s drums and consuming his parents eclectic music collection, one that would define his love for discovering energy and beauty across all genres in music. Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, Sly & The Family Stone, Steely Dan and The Police began and remain the blueprint for Nick’s musical DNA. This would evolve as he was introduced to Hip-Hop by his cousin Ben and artists such as A Tribe Called Quest, J Dilla, and D’Angelo became his superheroes and opened up Nick’s interest in sound design and audio production.
Nick later graduated from Emerson College with a Bachelor of Art in Media Arts Production and Minor in Music History and Culture. While in school he also took advantage of the opportunity to study abroad in Valencia, Spain with Berklee College of Music where he honed in his recording and production skills. Shortly after, he joined forces with singer-songwriter Annie Collette and has been making records with her ever since. Now, Nick resides in Queens, NY where he gigs with Annie, The Sydney Fay Jazz Trio, Vincent Blackshadow, and whoever needs a creative force behind the drums. He is venturing into the art of teaching at School of Rock Brooklyn and continues to obsessively fine-tune his sound, technique, and craft.
Shubh Saran
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Shubh Saran is a New York-based guitarist and composer who has performed extensively as a solo artist and with globally renowned musicians in the United States, India, Bangladesh, Canada, and Vietnam.
Shubh completed a Bachelor of Music in Music Performance (B.Mus.) from the prestigious Berklee College of Music, where he was awarded the Berklee Achievement Scholarship. During his studies at Berklee, Shubh had the privilege of honing his guitar-playing skills under the mentorship of distinguished guitarists Tim Miller, Tomo Fujita, and Dave Fiuczynski. He has also performed alongside some of the most famous artists in the American and Indian music industries, including OMI, American Idol's Michael Lynche, A.R. Rahman, Clinton Cerejo, Prasanna, and Mohini Dey.
Stephen Vario
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Stephen Vario is a dynamic musician and educator with a rich background spanning a variety of genres, including jazz, rock, funk, blues, fusion, and metal. With a bachelor's degree in jazz from The New School, Stephen has a deep understanding of music theory, composition, arranging, and performance. He has honed his craft under the guidance of renowned musicians like Oz Noy, Rez Abbasi, Steve Cardenas, Andy McKee, and Reggie Workman. Drawing from a diverse range of influences, Stephen excels in teaching any concept related to music and offering expertise in any genre. Whether performing live or instructing students at School of Rock Brooklyn, Stephen brings a dynamic and adaptable approach to music, fostering a love for both technical mastery and creative expression.
Thomas Jackson
Drum Teacher
Thomas is a professional drummer originally from North Carolina. He began playing drums at age 13 and later received a bachelor’s degree in Jazz Drum-Set Performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2018. He has experience performing in a variety of styles, including rock, jazz, funk, and blues, as well as working in studio recording settings. He brings over a decade of teaching experience to School of Rock Brooklyn, and enjoys helping students develop their skills and musicality, whether they’re just starting out or looking to refine their technique.
Vincent Blackshadow Braimes
Music Director, Show Director, Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Vincent is a lifelong rock musician and songwriter from Bellingham, Washington, who started teaching himself guitar and piano as a toddler. By the age of 10, he was playing semi-regular gigs around Washington state, belting out KISS, AC/DC, and Blue Oyster Cult covers as well as original material. He has played in rock bands and as a solo act since middle school.
Vincent graduated from Portland State University in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy. A prolific songwriter, he has independently released six full-length studio albums since 2016, with a seventh on the way. Currently, Vincent can be found playing lead guitar or bass for dozens of groups around Brooklyn including Annie Collette and Swear Tapes, as well as continuing to front his solo band. His favorite artists are Deerhoof, Guided by Voices, and Thin Lizzy. Outside of music, he enjoys making collages and reading philosophy.
Vincent taught at two different School of Rock locations across the country before joining School of Rock Brooklyn, where he became Music Director in the summer of 2025. As a teacher, he strives to establish and grow the student’s independent love for and curiosity about music.