Bryan S. McRay
Owner
After a lengthy career in emergency medical services, Bryan retired to follow his new passion. After seeing how impactful and powerful the School of Rock community had been for his daughter for the past 10 years he decided to purchase a franchise and open his own school.
Fawn Baber
Vocal Teacher
Fawn Baber is a vocal teacher at School of Rock Midlothian who’s been singing since she was little and carried that love all the way through classical training in college. She also composes for film, produces music, DJs, and dives into just about any creative outlet she can find. With a soft spot for punk, R&B, and jazz, Fawn believes music is the quickest way to the heart and the kind of magic that sticks with us forever.
Maddox Bruce
Bass Guitar Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Maddox Bruce is a dynamic multi-instrumentalist and passionate music professional based in Richmond, VA. They specialize in bass guitar, guitar, and keyboard + piano, delivering high-energy lessons packed with real-world performance experience. Maddox's goal is to help students master the fundamentals, build rock-solid confidence, and truly own the stage.
To Maddox, music education is absolutely everything. They know firsthand how music has the incredible power to change lives, ignite lifelong passion, and forge unbreakable confidence. Their mission is to empower the next generation of musicians at School of Rock Midlothian to grow, thrive, and fall in love with playing, making rock accessible, fun, and life-changing for everyone.
Mark Buxo
Drum Teacher
Mark has 18 years of throne time. He earned a Music Performance Degree from Nyack College and has played with multiple bands in the New Jersey/New York area. He has been teaching music for several years and enjoys it when his students shine on stage!
Steven Christian
Guitar Teacher
Steven started playing the guitar when he was 13 years old, taking private lessons at a local music store. He attended Broad Run High School in Ashburn, VA, where he started playing in a metal band. Throughout high school, he played guitar with the school's jazz ensemble and indoor drumlines.
Steven went on to study classical guitar at Radford University, completing his degree in Music Business in 2015. He enjoys playing several musical styles including metal, alternative rock, pop-punk, jazz/fusion, progressive, classical, and acoustic.
Delaney David
Studio Coordinator
Delaney is a graduate of Longwood University. She has a lifelong love of music which fuels her passion for creative spaces and learning. Before joining the School of Rock Midlothian, Delaney spent three years as a campus radio DJ where she served as Chief Trainer, teaching fellow students how to use professional radio equipment. She is always happy to help point others in the right direction as they explore their own musical journeys.
Jordyn Elliott
Vocal Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Jordyn is what happens when you mix a passion for music and childlike curiosity. Coming from a musical household and family, she started singing at the tender age of 2 in churches. Jordyn began performing when she was 6 years old, with vocal training from her mother, who is also a singer. She started receiving music lessons at 8 followed by the flute and the clarinet at 11.
Jordyn received formal vocal lessons during her time at Appomattox Regional Governors’ School for Arts and Tech. She then started coming up with techniques to bring formal training from the classical music world into the contemporary world. She is trained and has performed certain genres including gospel, blues, soul, rock, and alt-rock during her time studying at Berklee. While she was in Boston, Jordyn taught at the School of Rock in Watertown specializing in vocal health and advanced techniques that are effective cross-genre such as harsh vocals. Her teaching and learning motto is “Since music can be infinite, as musicians so should we.”
Nick Gada
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher
Nick Gada is a multi-instrumentalist who has been playing music since he was nine years old. He fell in love with playing with other musicians when he joined his middle school Rock Band program and has been playing in bands and ensembles ever since. Though he spends most of his time behind the drum kit, he also plays guitar and bass, as well as records and mixes music. He studied music at William & Mary and now works as a musician in Richmond. He is thrilled to be working at School of Rock Midlothian and is excited to help students take the next step in their musical journey!
Ash Gill
Bass Guitar Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
From the start of their musical journey at the young age of 3, Ash's passion for the art knew no bounds. After falling in love with both the piano and the guitar, Ash underwent traditional music lessons at the Newark School of the Arts for both guitar and music theory at 6 years old. Years later, he began partaking in middle and high school concerts, jazz, and marching bands as an alto saxophonist while honing their craft and understanding of the principles of music theory.
Ash's passion for classical compositions as well as progressive rock & heavy metal led to him founding his own power metal band in his later high school years, a project that they still play keys and sing for to this day. Outside of performing all over the country with his band and as a solo artist, he also developed a skill for composing and has recently begun taking control behind the desk as a DIY producer. Ash is excited to teach everyone who wants to discover the same level of passion for music that he had when he was young and foster love and appreciation for all forms of rock music!
Wilder Graves
Guitar Teacher
Wilder has been playing guitar since 2017 and has been performing live shows since 2022. Their musical taste spans a wide range of influences, from the theatrical and modern sounds of Ghost, Muse, and Rob Zombie to the classic rock foundations of Cream, Iron Butterfly, and Van Halen. Wilder is eager to embark on the adventure of helping students at School of Rock Midlothian navigate and grow throughout their own musical journeys.
Lauren Gonzalez
Little Wing Teacher, Rookies Lead Instructor
Lauren Gonzalez has been studying music since the age of 8, playing several instruments including piano, clarinet, and saxophone. She graduated from Auburn University with a Bachelor of Music Education degree. Lauren has performed with various symphonic and orchestral ensembles in the U.S. and Japan including the Auburn University Marching Band, the Auburn University Orchestra, the Tidewater Winds, and the Kanazawa Clarinet Choir. She has been a teacher since 2009 and loves sharing her love for music and learning with young minds.
Gabe Mayhugh
Guitar Teacher
Gabe Mayhugh moved to Central Virginia after spending time in Northern Virginia. This is where he found School of Rock and began teaching. Gabe is an aspiring folk musician with nearly a decade of experience playing the guitar. He is a rhythm guitarist first and foremost but also has a passion for teaching the craft to people looking for a channel of expression.
Gabe believes music is intimate and personal, and draws inspiration from artists such as Nick Drake, The Velvet Underground, Bob Dylan, Wilco, and many others. As a developing musician, Gabe is currently working on his own act.
Madyson McRay
Studio Coordinator, Vocals Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Madyson is a multi-instrumentalist with over ten years of experience. She is an alum of the School of Rock program, having performed in over 30 shows, and a member of her school’s House Band for seven years. She also performed around the RVA music scene for a few years, partnering with bands such as No One Hero and Bombshell, as well as having her own band, Static Reality.
When not teaching at School of Rock Midlothian, Madyson currently attends James Madison University, where she is studying Elementary Education and has a minor in Music.
Randy Moore
Guitar Teacher, Vocal Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
A multi-instrumentalist with over 15 years of experience, Randy joins School of Rock Midlothian with a deep love for music rooted in his Southern and Appalachian upbringing. Randy studied Social Work, a background that heavily influences his teaching style today. He focuses on using music as a tool for building confidence and self-expression, ensuring that every student feels supported in their creative journey. Randy is passionate about helping students of all backgrounds find their own honest voice.
Cooper Mullins
Drum Teacher
Cooper has been playing and producing music for about nine years. His passion started in middle school and has grown since then. He has a background in several formal groups including symphonic bands, jazz ensembles, and marching percussion. Cooper has 6 years of experience in WGI and AIA groups as well.
Chris Newcomb
Bass Guitar Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Chris Newcomb is a singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Richmond, Virginia. He plays bass guitar, rhythm and lead guitar, drums, keys, and sings. His influences include Prince, Bon Jovi, Sting, Mozart, and newer talent like Hozier, Adele, and Foo Fighters among others. His passion is to help music students fall in love with all kinds of music, discover their unique rockstar talents, reach for the stars, and capture all their dreams!
Naomi Pike
Vocal Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Naomi is a student at Arizona State University, majoring in Psychology. She has been singing and playing keys and guitar for most of her life and is excited to use her educational background to help teach music.
Naomi has performed in local shows and has onstage and classical vocal training. She primarily helps with our Little Wing and Rookies programs.
Todd Riles
Drum Teacher
To Todd, life is temporary, but music and knowledge are forever. Throughout their two decades of percussion experience, Todd has found it to be the most therapeutic activity they have ever engaged in. It connects the mind and body with a unique type of structure and intent that no other activity seems to match.
Music has always been Todd’s primary passion; they also play guitar, some keyboard + piano, and produce electronic dance music. However, they believe that without early-age training—at a time when the brain is primed for language acquisition—they might not have been able to teach themselves those additional skills. Childhood music education was, by far, the greatest long-term decision for Todd's physical and mental well-being, and they are beyond excited to help others start that journey.
Hayden Stilley
Bass Guitar Teacher, Guitar Teacher
Hayden has been an active musician for over 15 years, and has been teaching music for over 10 years. He grew up exposed to Americana and folk rock of the 1960s and 1970s, idolizing Neil Young at an early age.
Hayden’s core belief is that performing music and songwriting are both languages of self-expression that are meant to be shared with a community, including at School of Rock Midlothian. Music is a human experience, and humans are empathetic—when a performer genuinely enjoys playing the music, the audience enjoys it as well.
Hayden has been an active member of several bands over the years. He is currently playing, singing, and writing music for the Richmond folk-punk act, Dead Possum Girlfriend.
Madison Tifft
Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Madison Tifft is an experienced performance pianist. She started playing early as a 4-year-old and has been performing publicly since the age of 8. Madison advanced quickly through the levels of piano performance, playing a college-level audition song for her eighth-grade recital. She has also performed with multiple age choirs, orchestras, bands, and solo violinists. Now, Madison is looking to spread her love of playing piano by teaching those of all ages.
Austin Washington
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Austin has been playing music for over 18 years and has been an RVA resident his whole life. In 2014 Austin joined the School of Rock program and in 2015 was the first RVA student to be selected to the AllStars program.
After graduating from School of Rock as a student, he began teaching music for a couple of years before various other jobs. He returns to teaching as part of our School of Rock Midlothian staff as a guitar and bass instructor while also pursuing his own music opportunities.