Maggie Weber General Manager
Maggie was born and raised with an undeniable ear for music. Singing has always been her passion. Her mother told her that she sang before she ever spoke. Maggie has always had a knack for music. When she was 18 months old, she would hum to songs happily in key. Maggie believes that everyone has music inside of them, no matter what age they are. She has been involved in many projects and studio recordings including The Rip Chords (University of Illinois), Molehill and Willy Dynomite. Her passion for music, paired with her obsessive organization, has led her to be the General Manager of School of Rock Evanston. Maggie hopes to open the door to musicians in a way that she never experienced.
Danielle Piccolomini Assistant Manager
Danielle Piccolomini was born and raised in Wilmington, Delaware, where she was very active in local community and professional theatre. Her passion for music was sparked at an early age by her grandmother, who would sing to her every chance she got. She was immersed in theatre at age nine and started playing the flute, piccolo, piano and handbells soon afterward. After high school, she studied at The Young Americans College of the Performing Arts in Corona, CA, where she had the opportunity to travel and teach music to kids all over the world for almost seven years. She moved to Chicago on a whim in August 2019 and found a way to combine her love of music and love for typing emails at School of Rock Evanston as an Assistant Manager. She hopes to continue sharing her musical and organizational skills.
ERIN COLE Assistant Manager
Erin was born in Albion, Indiana and has always had an interest in music and the arts! Through high school, she was very involved in her school’s theater, choir and band programs as well as a local dance studio where she trained in all dance styles and also developed a love for teaching and choreography. Upon graduating High School, Erin set out for California and joined a performing arts company called The Young Americans where she had the opportunity to travel, perform and teach music for several years. When the pandemic terminated her Assistant Cruise Director contract on board Princess Cruises in March of 2020, she moved to Chicago to experience life in the big city. Now Erin loves to combine her love of music with her passion for administrative responsibilities and organization at the School of Rock and is looking forward to developing relationships with the students and families of the School of Rock community!
Bob Long Piano Teacher
Bob Long began his professional career as a jazz pianist over 40 years ago in Chicago and has recorded and performed most of his life there. He has also performed at the JVC Jazz Festival in New York, the Montreux Jazz Festivalin Switzerland, the North Sea Jazz Festival in the Netherlands and the ChicagoJazz Festival twice.
In 2006, at the age of 56, Bob began graduate school to study Modern European History at the University of California, San Diego and was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship for 2011-12 for research in Spain. Bob received his PhD in history from UCSD in June of 2014 and taught there briefly as a lecturer that same summer. He has since been teaching as a professor and lecturer in history at Elmhurst College in Elmhurst, Illinois and at Elgin Community College in Elgin, Illinois, and as a piano instructor at School of Rock in Evanston, Illinois. He continues to perform as a composer and jazz pianist at the same time, and is a part of the jazz singer-songwriter poetry collective known as The Last Word.
Justin Radtke Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Justin has always had a deep love and appreciation for music throughout his life. He started playing guitar in 1998, and has over 12 years of experience teaching guitar lessons to people of all ages. Some of Justin’s guitar idols include Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton, John Williams and Joe Pass. Justin started off playing rock, blues and folk guitar. At Valparaiso University, he studied Classical Guitar and played in classical guitar ensembles and various bands. He loves playing with local musicians and writing original music. Justin has a passion for teaching guitar and passing on the gift of music to his students. He likes to focus on technique, improvisation and theory so that students build a basis in music that allows them to play any style they wish. While teaching, Justin aims to inspire a lifelong love for music and the guitar.
Jesus Perez Drum Teacher
Jesus Perez, a former student of School of Rock, has gained a lot of knowledge from his experience at the school and now pays it forward to his drum students. Besides teaching drums, he also assists with the Garage Rock program. He has been playing drums for 10 years now and is currently playing in various band projects with his friends, as well as studying music at Oakton Community College. His musical influence comes from soul and Motown music, which he started listening to when he was only eight years old. He hopes to further his musical career and one day start a soul band of his own.
Macklin Suhre Drum Teacher
Macklin Suhre was born in Lake Bluff, Illinois. He attended Lake Forest High School studying music and drumming in the jazz band and wind ensemble. In 2009, he was accepted to Berklee College of Music in Boston as a drum set principle, where he spent four years studying with celebrated faculty members such as Mitch Haupers, Mike Mangini, Kim Plainfield and many more. Macklin graduated from Berklee in 2013 with a degree in Professional Music, and continues to perform with his band The Relevant Elephants, who will be releasing their debut album "Paper Walls" soon.
Gordon Patriarca Bass Guitar Teacher
Bassist Gordon Patriarca has been a lifetime resident of Chicago. As a child in the 1960s, a transistor radio was a constant companion (under the pillow at bedtime). His relationship with the electric bass began at age 16, fueled by the inevitable sibling rivalry with a younger brother who had become an above-average guitarist in only four years of playing. Not to be outdone (and using Cream bassist Jack Bruce as a role model) Patriarca picked the four-stringed instrument and circumnavigated any comparisons with his junior kin. High school bands followed. There was a bit of formal study with (now L.A. studio bassist) Paul Zibits. After high school there were a couple of years of college (Northern Illinois University), where he was in an African percussion ensemble, and took various oddball music classes. The highlight of his college experience was probably his twice weekly shows as a DJ at the campus radio station. Leaving school to pursue the life of a working musician, Patriarca began his 25-year career. Patriarca has played in at least 50 local bands. Other recording highlights include working on the Icos album "At the Speed of Life," recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London. He has toured Europe twice with blues-rock chanteuse Jan James. At this point he calculates he has done close to 4,000 gigs and remains active in the Chicago music scene.
Michelle Hallman Singing Teacher
Michelle Hallman performs, records, writes/arranges songs and tours with many different projects. She has been a working musician for a greater part of her life, and thrives in live performances. She is a well-versed singer, perfecting a plethora of styles and genres. Even though she's a rocker at heart, she has always loved choral music and is extremely knowledgeable in vocal harmonies. Michelle is also an accomplished percussionist. She plays congas, bongos, djembe and all kinds of assorted hand percussion instruments. She has played the piano since age three, and took lessons for many, many years. She also plays the guitar and is striving to get better. Michelle has sung/played with the likes of Gregg Allman, Darryl Jones, Mr. Blotto, Umphree's McGee , Richard Marx, Vince Welnick, Freddie Jones Band and The Bodeans. Her bands have opened for Kansas, Steven Stills and Jazz is Dead. She's also been the voice of national commercial jingles. Michelle loves teaching at School of Rock, and is thrilled to share her knowledge and experience. She is so excited to see what the next generation of talent will bring.
Schaefer Hugebeck Guitar Teacher
Schaefer decided to play guitar in fifth grade when he became enamored with the guitar stylings of Jimmy Page, Hendrix and Carlos Santana. It wasn’t long till it was a full blown love affair between boy and guitar, causing him to study for over a decade with some of Chicago's finest musicians. Music is the first thing he thinks of when he wakes up in the later hours of the morning and the last thing he thinks of before he sleeps. Schaefer has been at School of Rock since 2014 teaching guitar and working with both the performance and garage rock programs.
Steve Knight Guitar Teacher
Steve has been a guitarist ever since trading his first skateboard for a guitar many years ago. He brings 20 years of playing and teaching experience with Carnival Cruise Lines, the New York Jazz Workshop, Emporia State University, The University of the Ozarks and The University of South Carolina, as well as countless musical theatre productions, weddings and corporate gigs. He believes that one-on-one mentorship lays a more solid foundation for lifetime musical appreciation, collaboration and achievement than anything that can be found on the internet.
Camille McClellan Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Singing Teacher
Camille McClellan is an electric guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, composer/arranger and record producer with a dedicated music career spanning over 15 years. Often described by audiences as the female Slash, Camille has garnered years of experience performing at legendary venues around the country, including Fenway Park and The Whiskey A Go Go. After graduating from Berklee College of Music in 2016, Camille spent time in Los Angeles, where she wrote, arranged, pre-produced and co-produced her debut solo EP alongside a Grammy Award-winning producer/engineer. In 2017 she adopted the stage name Blake Red as an emerging alternative-metal recording artist.
Alex Zeravica Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher
Alex Zeravica was born in Georgia in 1990. He had a bad habit of banging on anything he could find around the house. When his parents realized it wasn't a phase, they bought him a beginner drum set when he was six or seven. After moving to Lake Bluff, Illinois at the age of nine, Alex started taking drum lessons and enrolled in school band. In middle school, Alex joined the jazz band, and also joined Midwest Young Artists, enrolling in their jazz ensemble and advanced percussion ensemble. He continued all of these throughout his time at Lake Forest High School. After graduating, he moved to Boston to study at Berklee College of Music, studying Film Scoring. Alex currently plays with a handful of different groups and records as a session musician, having played on dozens of different projects, from demos to full-length albums. He is a guitar teacher, bass guitar teacher and drum teacher at School of Rock Evanston.
Jack Mancuso Drum Teacher
Jack Mancuso is a drum instructor who began his journey on the instrument at the age of 12. Throughout the ten years of his musical journey, he has discovered not only the liberating nature of creative expression, but also the value of discipline and the joy sharing his gift with others.
Prior to joining the School of Rock Evanston team, Jack was in demand as a private instructor in the Lake Forest area. He is motivated to help musicians at any skill level unlock their potential and discover the ways in which hard work and creativity can pay off for them.
BRYAN RESENDIZ Drum Teacher
Bryan Resendiz is a Music Director at the Highwood School. He teaches drums and manages the ensemble rehearsals. His path through the world of rock 'n' roll began when he got his first drum set in the 3rd grade.
Bryan's musical inspiration came initially from his older sister's record collection of "The Police" and "Led Zeppelin." By age 12 and throughout his teens, Bryan performed live in bands and in studio settings. In the summer of 1995 as a part of the Hello Dave band, Bryan played in venues from San Francisco and New York to Key West. The Hello Dave Band also headlined at the House of Blues, Park West, and the Vic Theater in Chicago. The band performed on numerous radio and television programs including WGN-TV, WXRT, and WCKG. In 2002, Hello Dave was asked by the U.S.O to entertain American servicemen and servicewomen overseas.
Between 2002 and 2005, Bryan played rock 'n' roll in the Pacific Islands, Asia, Europe, Africa, and across the Middle East, culminating in an intense tour across Iraq. Bryan recorded a full-length album for Hello Dave's "Perfect Day" in 2003. An opportunity to work closely with producer, Don Gehman (John Mellencamp, REM, Bruce Hornsby) and engineer Mark Dearnley (Paul McCartney, ACDC, XTC) made a lasting impression on how to create powerful music and capture great performances. Bryan left the Hello Dave band in 2005 in order to focus on freelance music projects and a successful teaching practice at Kevin Connelley Drum Instruction in Skokie. Bryan continues to maintain a busy gigging schedule with a number of Chicago bands.
SCOTT BALMOOS Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Singing Teacher
Scott is a singer, songwriter, guitarist and music educator. He started on his path in music while in middle school when he fell in love with the sound of The Beatles. He decided he must learn to sing and play guitar and what followed was the forming of his first rock and roll band. Music grew in his heart and he continued to pursue his passion by studying at the Eastman School of Music with a focus in vocal performance. While at Eastman, along with singing opera, art songs and musicals, and against his teacher's wishes, he continued rockin' out with his band The Shift. This energy eventually provided the spark to move to Chicago.For the past 12 years, Scott has been performing, writing and recording in Chicago, most notably with the roots reggae band Akasha and as a solo artist. As a lover of all types of music, he believes that you can learn about yourself, how to use your voice and reach out to the world from almost any song as long as it cries out with love from your heart.
Kelli Hutton Singing Teacher, Keyboard Teacher
Kelli Owens Hutton is a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist with over 20 years of experience playing in bands and recording. She was signed to Atlantic Records and has toured nationally with acts like Better Than Ezra and Edwin McCain. Her songs have been featured in major motion pictures and on various records. She has a Bachelors degree from Berklee College of Music and comes from a musical family as her father was the Director of Jazz Studies at Northwestern University for many years. Kelli loves teaching voice and piano at the School of Rock!
TJ HORANSKY Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Keyboard Teacher
TJ is a musician, songwriter and producer/engineer originally from Cleveland, OH. After years of taking piano lessons from a sweet old lady down the street, at 13 he discovered Blink-182 and taught himself guitar. He moved to Chicago to attend DePaul University and graduated in 2013. For the past few years, he has been a full-time touring musician, releasing a few albums on Equal Vision Records and playing Riot Fest main stage. As the chief songwriter for the band, he loves composing, recording and layering different instruments.
While in junior high, his mom ran an in-home day care where he would often help babysit and entertain the kids. It was then he realized his love for teaching, especially music. When quarantine hit, he took the opportunity to teach himself how to engineer and produce music on his own. TJ now runs his own Music Workshop, offering services like producing, mixing and mastering. He also loves Star Wars, sushi, editorial writing, coffee and riding his bike.
JACK BRERETON Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher
Jack Brereton fell in love with music as a young child. Often he was found singing and dancing around the house to any tune in his head, and at the age of ten he first picked up a bass. From then until now, he has performed in a range of musical groups including jazz ensembles, rock bands, cover bands, and pit orchestras. Jack has played all over the country, including famous venues like the House of Blues in Chicago and Carnegie Hall. Jack’s dedication to the art doesn’t stop at playing music, he also graduated from the Blackbird Academy where he learned how to engineer records and now works with clients throughout the Chicagoland area. He puts in the same exceptional effort while working with his students to help them achieve their goals.
JUSTIN PETERSON Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Justin has been performing professionally around the world for over 20 years. He first began in symphonic orchestras on the viola before teaching himself electric bass and joining various rock bands. He then decided to round out his holistic approach to music by studying jazz, and holds a bachelor’s in Jazz Studies from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He believes learning by ear is primary, but should be complemented with basic reading and theory to allow the growing musician to throw down in any possible situation. Justin draws inspiration from all genres, whether it’s the intensity of Charles Mingus and Rage Against The Machine, the complexity of Igor Stravinsky and Bela Fleck, or the sublime beauty of Pink Floyd and John Coltrane.
Tyler Damon Drum Teacher Tyler Damon
Tyler Damon is a drummer and instructor who has been drumming on everything within arm’s reach from an early age. Recognizing this, his parents presented him with a Pearl student model snare drum for his 10th birthday, unwittingly inviting years of percussive clangor into their basement.
Tyler has been recognized internationally for his work with Bhutanese guitarist Tashi Dorji and Chicago saxophonist Dave Rempis, in duos and as the trio Kuzu, as well as for his drumming with Haley Fohr’s chameleonic Circuit Des Yeux. He can often be found performing around the city with Gerrit Hatcher & Joshua Abrams, Mars Williams, Eli Winter and many others. He also performs as a solo percussionist.
Over the last decade he has performed on over 50 recordings and has toured extensively in North America, Europe, Vietnam, & Colombia. In addition to his own teaching, Tyler is fortunate to study with world-renowned drummer, percussionist and educator Pete Magadini. His recorded output has been offered by a myriad of labels including Family Vineyard, Astral Spirits, Matador, Drag City, Trost, Aerophonic, Magnetic South, Feeding Tube and Auris Apothecary, among others.
Photo by Ricardo Adame.
Sam Subar Drum Teacher
Picking up the instrument by ear at age 11, Sam Subar began to learn how to play drums by playing along to his favorite classic rock records. Through doing so, he gained a passion for music and became eager to expand his musical knowledge and rhythmic technique. Shortly after, Sam began to take drum lessons at The North Shore Music Institute. He did so under the instruction of Jim Hines (Brian Wilson). Through weekly lessons with Jim, Sam began to learn Funk, Jazz, Rock and rudimental techniques. In high school, Sam was enthralled by the various musical opportunities offered. He became a percussionist in the Marching Giant’s drum line, Highland Park High School Jazz Ensemble, Honors Jazz Combo, and the Highland Park High School’s Wind Ensemble in which he toured China and received both the Most Improved Player Award and Woody Herman Jazz Award. Outside of school, Sam performed with his own Pop-Rock group, Xazz, playing at local Chicago venues like The House of Blues, Elbo Room, and Bottom Lounge. Additionally, the group released two all original EP’s in 2014 and 2015.
In the summer of 2015 Sam deferred acceptance to Berklee College of Music in order to pursue the opportunity to play for viral sensation, Caroline Baran of Post Modern Jukebox, whom he still performs for on occasion. With Baran, Sam played around the Chicagoland area and toured Poland. In the summer of 2016, Sam began playing for his brother, Max Subar, a Chicago-based singer-songwriter. In addition to recording drums and percussion on his last three EPs, Sam has played with Max throughout Chicago at venues like Schubas Tavern, Subterranean, The City Winery, and Space. He is also featured on Max's second EP, What The Story Says, released this past spring.
In 2016 Sam began attending Berklee College of Music on scholarship as a full-time student studying professional music with concentrations in performance and music business. There he pushed himself within his craft and was lucky enough to perform and record with piano extraordinaire Jesus Javier Molina, The Bob Marley Ensemble, The Berklee Turntable Ensemble, Boston based Afro-Pop group Kina Zore, vibraphonist Colin Anderson, guitarists Gabe Childs and Hans Kristian Nordin, and singer songwriters Noah Kesselman and Corrina Tadros. He studied with the likes of Kenwood Dennard, Bob Gullotti, Steve Wilkes, Bob Tamagni, James Murphy, Jeffrey Lockhart and Dave DiCenso. During the summer of 2018, Sam traveled to Kenya with the non-for-profit organization, Global Youth Groove, along side a small group of Berklee students and faculty. There he had the opportunity to gig around the country. Additionally, he taught youth and young adults whom he helped forge a relationship with Berklee to pursue higher educational opportunities within the U.S. In the spring semester of 2019, Sam received the Pro Music Academic & Performance Scholarship Award in recognition of his outstanding work within his studies and involvement on and off campus musically. In May of 2019, he graduated from Berklee. His experience culminated as a selected performer in the 2019 Berklee Commencement Concert at The Agganis Arena where he had the immense privilege of performing in front of students and their families, faculty, professors, and honorary doctorates Justin Timberlake, Missy Elliott, and Alex Lacamoire.
After graduating, Sam moved back to his hometown of Chicago where he currently pursues a freelance career in drum performance, production and instruction. Since moving back he has played and recorded with Chicago based musical artists such as Minor Moon, Da$htone, Sarah Weddle, Reno Cruz, and he continues to collaborate with his brother. He also works as a private instructor, teaching 20+ students a week, varying in age from 7 to 22 years old, and from his home studio where he self produces drum tracks. Today his pocket centric style behind the kit roots itself in Rock, Folk, Funk, Jazz, and R&B influences.
Drew Bunge Bass Guitar, Guitar Teacher, Keyboard Teacher, Singing Teacher
Drew Bunge is a musician, producer and engineer currently based in Chicago, IL. He plays the bass, guitar, keys, and sings. Drew began playing music regularly at the age of 11 years old. After graduating from New Trier High School where he played bass in the top Jazz band and orchestra, Drew attended Berklee College of Music. While attending, Drew majored in music production and engineering, and played in numerous musical acts whilst also garnering over 500,000+ collective plays on streaming services through working with acts like Dee Beam, Lip Service, Mom Rock, Winkler, Luvrgurl, and more.
Isaura Flores Singing Teacher, Keyboard Teacher, Guitar Teacher
Isaura (they/them) is a performing artist, educator, and community organizer from Chicago. Since graduating from Syracuse University with a BFA in musical theater they have performed around the country and the NYC/Chicagoland area. Based out of Pilsen, they are working on building brave, healing and creative autonomous learning spaces for families and longtime residents with an emphasis on care for indigenous black and brown youth, trans, queer, undocumented, and femme identifying folks. They are also currently self-producing their first album!
Guillermo Casal Keyboard Teacher
Guillermo Casal is a pianist and music educator. He graduated with Bachelor’s degree in Arts and Music Education from Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM) in Argentina, his home country. He’s been teaching students of different ages and backgrounds for the last 10 years, in a variety of settings from Elementary to High schools, and private lessons. As a music performer, he has collaborated on many projects, including a recording with Argentinian Rock/Pop singer Agustín Valero, and the Contemporary Tango/Rock fusion band “YeSca!”, with whom he recorded two albums and performed in some of the most prestigious Tango venues in Argentina. In 2019, he moved to the United States, and joined the “Athens Tango Project”, based in Georgia, as pianist and arranger.
Ait Fetterolf Bass Guitar Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Keyboard Teacher, Singing Teacher
Ait Fetterolf is a multi-instrumentalist, singer, and award-nominated screenwriter from South Carolina. Ait has been playing piano since the age of five, where his teacher told his parents after his first lesson that he had perfect pitch. After a brief stint as a piano performance major at Furman University and several years in punk bands, jazz ensembles, drum lines, and orchestras, his affections tended towards the theater where he performed in numerous musicals including as an actor and singer in The Lost Colony outdoor symphonic drama in North Carolina. He has also served as musical director and conductor for several stage productions, arranging harmonies and rehearsing vocalists for The Rocky Horror Show, Belz!, The Last Five Years, and more. In addition to teaching private voice, guitar, & drum lessons for more than a decade, he has also performed stand-up comedy at the world famous Comedy Store on the Sunset Strip. Ait loves to discover new genres and artists, and believes that a key component of musical education is providing a musician with a drive & desire to explore the totality of humanity’s harmonies.
Henri Harps Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Henri Harps is a guitarist and bassist originally from Washington D.C. He started on his musical path at an early age, beginning with the alto saxophone before moving to the clarinet and bass clarinet. As a teenager in the 90s he was inspired by alternative music and switched his focus to guitar and bass.
After graduating from college, he moved to New York City to continue following his passion for music. During this time, he performed a variety of musical styles in diverse settings: from jazz, to rock, to experimental music. Also during this time, he helped to start musical programs for children: an after-school program for elementary-aged children and a partnership with a charter school to teach music classes. Since moving to Chicago in 2015, he has worked with senior citizens, providing therapeutic music services.
Henri believes that it's important for students to be curious and open to many forms of music and that it is the teacher's role to cultivate knowledge in the hope of instilling a lifelong appreciation of the art.