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.
Evan Arents
Drum Teacher
Evan Arents got his start with music playing piano in 2007 and found his love for drum set shortly after. After playing in his high school’s jazz band and drumline, he performed with the Virginia Tech Drumline from 2017 to 2021 where he ran rehearsals and led workshops. While pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering at Virginia Tech, Evan continued his music education and released an EP with his band, North 12. Evan sees music as a language and the drum set as a tool for self-expression.
Eric Bandy
Drum Teacher
Eric is an experienced drum teacher at School of Rock Midlothian. He has played with numerous bands and completed his education at the Musicians Institute in California. His combination of practical and classroom education brings a great combination to the lesson room for our students.
Andrew Bonieskie
Singing Teacher
Andrew Bonieskie is a singer and composer with a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Virginia Commonwealth University where he studied classical voice. Andrew has an extensive background in rock music performing since he was 17 and has produced three albums with numerous bands and artists in the Richmond area.
Sean Burton
Show Director
Sean has been a pop/R&B songwriter for over two decades and he has written for local artists and many other artists on a local record label. Sean also has various experiences in the production of songs, commercials, PSAs, music videos, live show preparation, and studio engineering. His passion is art, and his language is music.
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!
JaCari Diggs
Keyboard + Piano Teacher
JaCari is a musician and has played for over a decade. He enjoys all types of music, especially jazz and classical music. JaCari's biggest influence in music is his grandmother. She often took him to church with her and that's when JaCari got his start singing with the adult choir until he eventually started to take piano more seriously. He later auditioned for his high school jazz band, and it was from there he decided he NEEDED to be a pianist.
JaCari is in his final years of college and wrapping up his studies in piano. He has performed with the first iteration of N.F.U.S.I.O.N.Z., the Jazz Therapy Band, and most notably the Dr. Billy Taylor Jazz Ensemble.
Chris Dobyns
Guitar Teacher
Chris specializes in rock, metal, and blues music. The last 15 years have been focused on mastering his technique on guitar, bass, and drums. Chris has recently started working on songwriting and music production.
Tanner High
Guitar Teacher
Tanner has been playing guitar for seven years and has experience recording in studios and playing live on tour. He loves to play different forms of rock and metal music. Some of his influences include bands such as the Misfits, KISS, Windhand, Motörhead, and other similar artists. Tanner has played in a few different bands over the years including the group Baby Bugs.
Jeremiah Martin
Bass Guitar Teacher, Guitar Teacher
Jeremiah Martin is a talented musician who has been making waves in the music industry since he was 16 years old. Born and raised in the Richmond area, Jeremiah was always drawn to music and started playing guitar at a young age. He quickly discovered his passion for music and decided to pursue a career in the industry.
In addition to his career as a musician, Jeremiah is also passionate about teaching music. He believes that music is a powerful tool for self-expression, creativity, and personal growth, and he wants to share this passion with others.
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.
Jordan Reinecke
Guitar Teacher
Jordan Reinecke is a seasoned working musician and artist. He started playing extended sets at the age of 16 and has played hundreds of them across the East Coast. Jordan has also cut his teeth in the recording industry as a producer and songwriter. Now, he spends most of his time working under his own artist project, REIN, where he explores combining his heroic guitar influences and modern pop songwriting.
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.
NiKo Vargas
Singing Teacher
NiKo is a disabled Afro-Latine nonbinary vocalist, voice actor, musician, producer, writer, and audio engineer. Growing up in New York City, they’ve had a passion for entertainment from a young age, taking part in many artistic endeavors such as show choir, musical theatre, and drama.
Driven by creativity and determination, NiKo began doing freelance work for music and voice acting in March 2015. Having self-taught themselves everything they knew at that point (from audio engineering to music composition), they used their passion to drive them forward to continue learning more about their craft. Their dedication to the arts has driven them to be a knowledgeable, reliable, and energized talent.
Now residing in Richmond, Virginia, NiKo has honed their skills as an actor, vocalist, and audio engineer at a professional level through vocal coaching and university.
With more than 8 years of experience under their belt, they are devoted to their career and eager to help bring life to your project!