Melissa Scott
General Manager
Melissa is originally from Kansas City, Kansas, and has been a lover of music her entire life. She grew up playing the flute and piccolo in various school programs throughout grade school, high school, and her first year of undergraduate studies in college. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree, Melissa decided to try her hand at playing bass guitar and was immediately hooked. She then went on to perform original music with multiple bands throughout the Kansas and Missouri area.
Melissa joined the School of Rock in 2018 as an adult student to broaden her musical knowledge when she first moved to Broward County. Since then, due to the life-changing impact School of Rock has had on her own life, Melissa has dedicated her time to providing that same experience to the next generation of School of Rock students as the General Manager of the Fort Lauderdale location.
Melissa blinks one eye at a time.
Adam Turano
Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Regional Manager
Adam has been with School of Rock since 2012 and has been performing music in South Florida since 1996. He received a bachelor's degree in arts and humanities from Florida Atlantic University and has been teaching music locally since 2002. Adam is proficient in saxophone, piano, guitar, drums, and bass. He has taught and performed various styles of music including classical, jazz, blues, rock, punk, big band, R&B, folk, and alternative.
As Regional Manager of the School of Rock in Fort Lauderdale and the School of Rock in West Broward, he is also heavily involved with all day-to-day activities of the school including a very contagious spreading of awesomeness and fun regularly!
Adam sleeps standing up.
Shane Graham
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Show Director
Shane Graham has been a guitar player since 2004. Ever since then, Shane has been playing in original bands, cover bands, and tribute bands throughout South Florida. Being the founder of multiple original extreme heavy metal bands, Shane's current original band has earned him international recognition having been signed by the European record label, Iron Oxide. Shane is primarily self-taught and has played multiple niche styles within the genres of rock and heavy metal for two decades. Over the past decade, Shane has also become proficient as a drummer and bass player. Shane’s favorite guitar players are Steve Vai, Jake E. Lee, and George Lynch.
Shane has not sneezed since 2007.
John Boiko
Keyboard + Piano Teacher
John Boiko is a piano and keyboard instructor at School of Rock Fort Lauderdale. He has been performing and teaching piano in the South Florida area since 1988. After receiving a BA in Music Education from Jersey City State College, he relocated to Fort Lauderdale where he continued his music studies and received an MA in Music from Florida Atlantic University. A highlight of John’s musical journey has been sharing his knowledge and passion for music with his students. His diverse experience in classical, jazz, blues, rock, and contemporary styles give him a unique perspective on helping his students of all ages unlock their musical potential. John currently performs regularly in a variety of venues across South Florida.
John's social security number is: up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, "B", "A" select start.
Jay Drake
Drum Teacher
School of Rock Fort Lauderdale is happy to have Jay Drake as one of our exceptional drum instructors. Jay is a freelance drummer with over 50 years of playing and teaching experience. He attended the University of North Florida School of Music and has studied privately with numerous high-profile teachers in New York City. Jay has extensive experience in studio engineering and production. Jay has dedicated his life to the pursuit of music; he has an unparalleled passion for sharing his love and knowledge of music with others.
Jay has an irrational fear of empty aluminum cans and the noises that they produce.
Ted O'Connell
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Ted O’Connell is a guitarist, bassist, and singer with extensive practical experience in engineering and production. He has been passionate about music for as long as he can remember, with dreams of starting a band when the recorder was the only instrument he could play. Though Ted took guitar lessons for a few months at a young age, it wasn’t until 2011 that he began learning more seriously. While he was in high school, Ted began writing and recording his own original music, which would eventually grow to become his band: The Supplements.
Ted studied music at Nova Southeastern for a year before leaving to study production at Berklee College of Music. After a few semesters, he left school to pursue his musical endeavors more directly. In late 2017, Ted began teaching private guitar and piano lessons from his home, which he did until March 2020. In 2021, Ted began recording and mixing music for local musicians out of his home studio where he had been engineering his own band’s recordings for a few years prior.
Professionally, Ted has had extensive experience working with South Florida's youth as a summer camp counselor and program coordinator since 2015. When not at School of Rock Fort Lauderdale, along with the band The Supplements, Ted writes and records with a few other original bands ranging in genres from pop (The Curfew) to electronic (Missing Parts). Ted currently holds the world speed record for running the 40-yard dash... backwards.
Emily Barnes
Vocal Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Emily Barnes began her musical journey as a Rock 101 student at School of Rock West Broward back in 2014! She worked her way up to the House Band and completed two national tours with her group during her time as a student. Emily is a multi-instrumentalist and teaches vocals, keyboard, and bass guitar.
Emily was a long-time student of Deja Monteagudo and Chris Bromley during her time as a School of Rock student. She continues to thrive at the School of Rock Fort Lauderdale as an instructor, willingly sharing her passion and knowledge of music with anyone who walks through our doors.
Emily bowls overhand.
Anthony Alfano
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Anthony Alfano started his musical education in Queens, NY playing the alto saxophone in elementary school. It was fitting that he would then move on to the trumpet while attending Louis Armstrong Middle School. By the time he reached high school, Anthony found his true calling playing the guitar. He learned a few chords and riffs from friends, but then Anthony moved to West Palm Beach, FL at the age of 15, where he found himself isolated for the summer. He spent hours learning his favorite songs by ear. All of these experiences have shaped his belief that musicians should have a strong foundation in not only notation and theory but also ear training in order to be a complete musician.
Anthony is proficient in playing the guitar, bass, mandolin, ukulele, keys, drums, and vocals. He also has experience teaching choir and instrumental ensembles and directing musicals. His tastes are as eclectic as his playing is versatile. He currently plays with the Iron Maiden tribute Maiden Steel, the local multi-era cover band How Original, and the Red Rocket Big Band.
Anthony's middle name is Anthony.
Augusto Vega
Drums Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Guitar Teacher
Originally from Lima, Peru, Augusto is a multi-instrumentalist, music producer, and audio engineer with over two decades of experience in the music industry. His journey began in the most grassroots way—trading bootleg mixtapes in elementary school. In a place where access to music was limited, he developed a uniquely eclectic taste early on, shaped by everything from Iron Maiden and Phil Collins to Radiohead and The Offspring.
At age 11, Augusto got his first drum set, and shortly after moving to Miami, he picked up the bass guitar. By 18, music had become more than a passion—it was a full-time pursuit. He dove headfirst into recording, touring, and ultimately discovered a deep interest in music production. That interest took him back to Peru to study audio engineering at the Orson Welles Institute, where he developed a solid technical foundation in music theory, digital audio workstations, and studio technology.
For the next 15 years, Augusto called Los Angeles home, working across a range of roles in the music scene. From performing in bands and signing record deals to engineering studio sessions and producing projects, he built a versatile and dynamic career rooted in both creativity and technical skill.
Now based in South Florida, Augusto continues to create, collaborate, and mentor the next generation of musicians. Whether he's behind the console or on stage, his mission remains the same: to make meaningful music and help others do the same. Augusto was the original inventor of the mullet.
Hector Mojena
Drum Teacher
Hector Mojena is a drummer with 10 plus years of experience in South Florida's heavy music scene. With credits including playing with Miami-based metal trio Bleeth and the instrumental rock band Sumo, Hector has recently gotten back into teaching drums, with a focus on theory and group improvisation that's central to his approach. Aside from music, Hector is an editor and writer who enjoys photography, traveling, and batidos de mamey.
Hector knits and crochets in his free time by only using his toes.
Keith Lowe
Studio Coordinator
Keith Lowe is a bassist and singer who has knowledge in the world of communications. Like any child, he went through phases of infatuations, originally leading a life of music taking piano lessons and being a part of his middle school drumline, but swapped it out for sports playing volleyball, wrestling, and running track in high school. It wasn’t until recently that his love for music was reignited when he started taking bass lessons. During operational hours, he’s our studio coordinator, however, in his free time he is a photographer and a journalist by heart.
Having graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a B.A. in Multimedia Studies with a minor in Public Relations, he had to grow comfortable to have interactions with people whom he’d never met before. From writing news articles on environmental change to audio engineering to photography and cinematography, he truly became a well-rounded individual in the world of media consumption.
With the experience Keith has gained from college, he now is a freelance journalist writing environmental pieces based in the South Florida region. His later hope for his career is to advance into the world of Human Resources as an in-house liaison.
Keith eats spaghetti through his nose.
Geneiva Allen
Vocal Teacher
Geneiva C. Allen is a singer/actress/songwriter from Queens, NY currently residing in South Florida. She is a member of the Actors' Equity Association and SAG-AFTRA, an accomplished actress, and a vocalist of remarkable range. Her repertoire spans standards, jazz, contemporary gospel, R&B, top 40, and the blues. Early exposure to dance (jazz, tap, ballet) & regional pageantry, did prime her for a professional career in vocal theater and musical theater nationally (regional theater) & internationally (RCCL, Radisson Cruises). Some theater credits include: The Full Monty, Nefertiti, Aida!, Smokey Joe's Cafe', Blues In The Night, Ain't Misbehavin', The Strong Breed, Rashomon, and The Pajama Game. She has also been featured nationally, on R&B/hip-hop singles (TVT Records), as well as Internationally on dance singles (Purple Records, UK; 222 Records, US/UK). She has recorded voice-overs and jingles for national television & radio advertisements (Zimmerman Advertisement Agency, Ft. Lauderdale, FL). Some previous clients include Vital Basics, Mattress Firm, Papa Johns, Met-Life Auto & Home, Les-Stanford Cadillac, MI, and Smythe.
Geneiva has a chia pet in the likeness of every U.S. president.
Kim Cardoso
Drum Teacher
Kim Cardoso is a drummer, songwriter, and singer from Broward County, Florida. She began her drumming career at the School of Rock in Fort Lauderdale in September of 2021! Since her early drumming days, Kim has discovered a passion for playing in bands and working with a variety of musicians. Since her debut band Nemesis, Kim has been a part of numerous bands including Prey Tell, The Recycled, Machine Poetry, and Just Dive. Kim is currently a student at Florida Atlantic University where she plans on graduating with a B.M. in Commercial Music Business. With her degree, she aspires to use her musical knowledge and experience in a career within the music industry.
Kim wears gloves on her feet when it snows.
Anthony Wisky
Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Anthony Wisky is a passionate musician who plays piano. Anthony started his musical journey when the world was on lockdown during the Covid-19 pandemic. With all his free time, Anthony practiced the keys for almost eight hours daily. He started playing for his local church and performed in his high school's jazz band and choir. He went on to play and perform at a state level, performed for the FMEA 2024 All-State Men’s Choir, and was the only one who achieved a perfect music theory score for his audition.
Staying consistent with his faith, Anthony is now attending a private Christian college, continuing his studies in music, and interning for the largest church in Florida. Anthony and his twin brother, Winsthon Wisky, work together in songwriting and performing. They plan to change the world one day with their music.
Anthony hates whiskey.
Winsthon Wisky
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Winsthon Wisky is a passionate musician who plays the guitar. He started playing when he was 13 years old because he wanted to express himself at a deeper level and he knew music was the way to do it. Winsthon fell in love with the way his youth pastor played the bass and guitar, which was a huge driving force for him. He grew up playing church music, learning all types of guitar and music theory, and decided to pursue music in school. He played lead guitar and bass for his high school jazz band for 3 years and became the bass section leader for his school choir. Winsthon took music theory seriously and was one of the highest-scoring students in his AP music classes. Staying true to his faith and his love for making music for God, he’s now working towards getting certified in music composition at Oceans Edge University School of Worship. He hopes to pass on the same love and drive for music the Lord gave him to others.
Winsthon eats snow for dinner.
Javier Rebollar
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Drum Teacher, Vocal Teacher
Born in Cuba in a diverse musical family, Javier developed an intuitive sense of music. Although singing and playing an instrument were encouraged, his biggest influence was his father's eclectic music collection. From rock to pop, fusion, funk, classical music, afrocuban jazz, and more, listening with full attention and falling in love with songs turned into a passion for learning multiple instruments. Being self-taught and having learned from great teachers, Javier loves to bridge the gap between listeners and musicians.
As a teen, he was in drumline, jazz band, metal bands, transcribing, and writing/recording/mixing music all at the same time. He began teaching drums, guitar, and bass in 2007, attended Berklee College of Music for writing and production, and has performed extensively in New Jersey, NY, and Miami. As a true multi-instrumentalist, Javier believes that a musician should be able to use any tool or instrument available to interact with the vast world of music. He is creative and flexible with students and helps them improve their ear and understanding of music theory, the connection between the mind and body, and how all instruments and styles relate. His favorite approach is to introduce seemingly advanced concepts earlier on with the least number of steps. He is a guitar teacher, bass guitar teacher, piano teacher, drum teacher, and vocal instructor at School of Rock.
Javier used to be an Olympic weightlifter.
Josh Craven
Drum Teacher
Josh was raised in the town of Clifton, Virginia. Growing up in a household filled with music from a record player, courtesy of his family, he was introduced to a wide variety of genres at a young age. This early exposure sparked his passion for playing music, and at just 11 years old, he picked up a pair of drumsticks. He honed his skills through lessons while also being largely self-taught, drawing inspiration from drummers such as Danny Carey, The Rev, Bill Bruford, Brann Dailor, and many more. After playing in high school bands, jazz and symphonic ensembles, and percussion in school, he eventually moved to South Florida in 2022 and immediately stepped into the local music scene.
Josh is currently the drummer for the alternative metal band, Newly Opposed, in addition to being a lyricist, songwriter, and electronic music producer. Beyond performing, he actively supports the local scene by combining his love for graphic design with music, creating show flyers for artists across different genres.
Josh has an extensive collection of blades of grass.
Fabio Tramonte
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Fabio was born in Caracas, Venezuela, raised in Weston, Florida, and has had a passion for music his whole life. Fabio started playing self-taught guitar at 13, mainly playing metal and pushing his boundaries throughout the years. With influences from the metal genre and scene, he played for a couple of local bands in South Florida and pursued in-depth lessons on music theory to expand his knowledge. Fabio has also been playing guitar for his local church at Calvary Chapel’s Worship Team since 2023.
Fabio enjoys long walks on the moon.
Gabriel Figueira
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Gabriel Figueira, is a Portuguese / Venezuelan and Latin Grammy–nominated musician, composer, musical director, and multi-instrumentalist with over 20 years of experience across music, theater, and film. Known for his dynamic artistry and boundless creativity, Gabriel seamlessly blends tradition with innovation through composition, orchestration, sound design, and performance.
In the early stages of his career, Gabriel composed and directed music for over 20 theater productions with Venezuela’s Skena Theater Group (1997–2007). Since 2001, he has led Gaêlica, an acclaimed Celtic and World Music ensemble he founded, releasing five studio albums, including Luz (Latin Grammy-nominated, 2013) and the multi-award-winning El Día que Todo Cambió (2017). Beyond Gaêlica, Gabriel has collaborated as producer and multi-instrumentalist with renowned Latin-American artists including Laura Guevara, Nana Cadavieco, Telegrama, Rodrigo Solo, and SANLUIS. His work in film and television spans over a decade, contributing scores, sound design, and field recordings to projects like Minor League (2021), The Painter’s Dream (2021), Translúcido (2017), and I Wanna Shine (2010), among others. Gabriel studied at Venezuela’s University of Musical Studies and Ars Nova Academy, while also training with notable artists like Gerry Weil and Jorge Chacón.
A dedicated autodidact, he continually pursues knowledge across disciplines to enrich his work, including at School of Rock Fort Launderdale. His accolades include multiple Pepsi Music Awards and a Grammy nomination for Best Folk Album. Gabriel draws inspiration from ancient cultures, folklore, anthropology, fantasy, and the visual arts. Deeply influenced by sculptor Louise Bourgeois, he lives by her words: "I am not what I am, I am what I do with my hands." Gabriel always microwaves his ice cream for at least ten minutes before he eats it.