Monica
Owner, Regional General Manager
Monica didn't know when she was younger that this was where she wanted to be but her life has led her to School of Rock Roslyn. Monica grew up in a talented home where everyone had a musical talent except for her. Her dad, a self-taught musician, could play anything you put in front of him. Monica, on the other hand, was musically challenged. She would sing at the top of her lungs not really caring that she was pitchy and off-beat (and still does). Her parents sent her to piano lessons even though she really wanted to play the drums. After the second month of lessons, the instructor told Monica that he would pay her to stop going if she promised not to tell anyone she had been his student (true story!).
Monica's son, Michael, became interested in playing the guitar at a young age. She and her husband, Gene, encouraged Michael to play but quickly realized that taking lessons just wasn't enough. Coming home and practicing on his own wasn't fun. After some internet research, Monica learned about School of Rock.
Monica and Gene quickly scheduled an appointment thinking this was all just too good to be true. They had no idea that School of Rock would not only change her son's life but the lives of her entire family! Throughout Michael's years at School of Rock, Monica turned her photography to the concert world. She was fortunate to have met some incredible artists and is lucky to now call them her friends. They introduced her to the music business, teaching her about recording, managing, touring, and the list goes on. It was around this time that Michael's band, The Inoculated Canaries, started to develop into more than a garage band. It was also at this time that Gene told Monica he knew what her calling was, and he was right!
Monica and Gene started School of Rock Roslyn knowing that it would change the lives of those who walked through the doors. School of Rock Roslyn is a clubhouse for our students. They have a place to express themselves musically and are challenged by the incredible teachers that are here.
Dylan
Regional General Manager, Regional Music Director, Bass Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Dylan is a Long Island-based multi-instrumentalist and educator who has been working at School of Rock since 2015, shortly after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in music education from Five Towns College. Dylan is well-versed in many genres, having performance credits in various rock bands, jazz groups, chamber orchestras, theater orchestras, and more. He has performed at NAMM’s Winter Show in Anaheim, CA, and South by Southwest in Austin, TX, as well as several local venues including Revolution, 89 North, KJ Farrell’s, Fordham University’s Winterfest, and more.
In the studio, Dylan has played electric bass, upright bass, drum set, percussion, keys, ukulele, and laid down vocal tracks on many songs and albums across multiple genres. A lesson with Dylan means a lesson in theory, ear training, performance, and exposure to multiple genres of music. He is the Regional Manager and Regional Music Director at School of Rock Huntington, Queens, Rockville Centre, Roslyn, and Syosset/Oyster Bay.
Dorianna
Regional General Manager, Marketing Director
Dorianna has extensive experience working with children, including being an Assistant Director at a sleep-away camp for underprivileged children and adults with special needs. She has also worked at several local day camps, as well as after-school programs. Dorianna is excited to be a part of School of Rock as the Marketing Director. She has a bachelor's degree in Psychology from Mount Saint Mary College and a master's degree in Social Work from Adelphi University.
Samara
General Manager
Samara is a classically trained musician on oboe and piano, holding a B.A. in Arts Management and Music Business from SUNY Potsdam. She has experience teaching piano to children and currently serves as the studio coordinator at the School of Rock in Roslyn where her goal is to create a happy, fun, and comfortable environment for students.
Amber
Studio Coordinator Vocal Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Amber started singing at the age of 10 and has not looked back since. As a graduate of School of Rock Rockville Centre and a multi-year member of the School of Rock House Band, Amber is determined to provide the life-changing experience that she had to students. She has performed at venues such as The Bitter End in New York City, Revolution in Amityville, the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn, the Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland, and more. She currently attends Five Towns College, pursuing a degree in Vocal Performance. She is a singing teacher and studio coordinator at School of Rock Huntington, Queens, Rockville Centre, Roslyn, and Syosset/Oyster Bay.
Anna
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Show Director
Anna is a multi-instrumentalist currently based in Brooklyn, NY. She started playing the piano at age 5 but switched to focusing on the guitar at 9 and took lessons for the next 10 years, alongside playing the drums and bass. Anna studied classical music theory heavily throughout high school and is now majoring in audio engineering at New York University.
Anna has played in bands ranging from indie pop to noise rock and country, plays in musical pit orchestras, and writes reviews for a variety of small music publications. She currently records and performs with the bands It Takes Dedication and Such a Pretty Face, among many others. She is a guitar teacher and bass guitar teacher at the School of Rock in Roslyn.
Anthony
Drum Teacher
Hailing from Long Island, Anthony is a drummer and multi-instrumentalist focusing on songwriting. He started his musical journey at age 9 by learning saxophone, drums, and piano simultaneously. Anthony would then gain experience with bass, guitar, and vocals.
For over a decade, Anthony has been performing in various ensembles and bands in New York and greater Boston where he was a member of the third-ever cohort of Harvard-Berklee dual-degree students. As an undergraduate, Anthony studied drum performance and songwriting while also rehearsing for various musicals, concerts, and cover bands. Though trained primarily in rock and jazz, his stylistic capabilities and experience range from Latin to disco to funk.
Anthony graduated with a bachelor's degree in physics from Harvard University and a master's degree in songwriting and production from Berklee NYC. He is a drum instructor at the School of Rock in Roslyn.
Christian
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Christian studied guitar for years from acclaimed Long Island guitarist Tom San Filippo of the band Half Step. Christian loves to educate when it comes to music and understanding how to express oneself through the guitar. Currently, Christian plays and performs in two independent rock groups and has appeared on stages in New York City and Philadelphia.
Christian is driven to instruct and educate his students to have a thorough understanding of the guitar along with improving their technical skills. Christian is a guitar teacher and bass guitar teacher at School of Rock Roslyn.
Danny
Drum Teacher
Years ago when Danny decided to start sharing his musical knowledge with children he quickly realized how rewarding it would be. Now, looking back, he sees the accomplished musicians he has helped develop. Companies such as Sabian, Vater, and Drum Workshop have Danny on their education and artist rosters and retain his services to hold clinics and masterclasses for all three companies.
Danny studied music at Nassau Community College, Drummers Collective, and continues his education with the well known-instructors Joe Morello, Jojo Mayer, and Frank Bellucci. Danny has played with several national acts touring globally. His focus is drum set, snare drum, and mallets along with preparation of his students for NYSSMA.
Danny is a drum teacher at School of Rock Huntington, Queens, Rockville Centre, Roslyn and Syosset/Oyster Bay.
Dave
Drum Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Dave has two decades of experience as a musician and specializes in drums, percussion, woodwinds, and piano. He got his start at the age of 10 when a chance meeting with a music teacher prompted him to start clarinet. He attended Laguardia High School of Music and Art and Mannes School of Music, performing with the Laguardia orchestra, the Mannes concert orchestra, and the ISO orchestra. After graduating high school, David attended Queens College where he performed with the senior orchestra for three years. He's taken lessons with some of the most famous clarinetists in New York City including Bonnie Sholl, David Glazer, David Weber, and Stanley Drucker.
After years of clarinet lessons, David felt he needed a change. Percussion was always a love of his so after transferring to Lehman College in the Bronx, he decided to take drum lessons. After four years of percussion lessons with Howard Hirsch, he began performing in various marching band groups and symphonic bands around New York City, trading the woodwind section for the percussion section. Currently, David gives private music instruction in all of his instruments, performs with various rock bands and cover band groups around the city, and writes original compositions in his spare time. David is a drum and keyboard teacher at School of Rock Huntington, Rockville Centre, Roslyn, and Syosset/Oyster Bay.
Derek
Drum Teacher
Derek has been teaching drums for over 15 years and has been playing since the age of 8. He currently plays with several busy cover bands: Graffiti Rose, The Mango Brothers, Alter Ego, and a roots reggae band, Hailey Unlikely. In addition to his busy performing schedule, Derek is also well versed in Afro-Caribbean music, having studied extensively at The Drummer’s Collective in Manhattan, which has yielded countless DJ-based percussion gigs including weddings, bar mitzvahs, corporate events, parties, Zumba classes, and Yoga classes. He is currently playing percussion with Rob Nolfe, and performing at the Riverfish in Port Washington.
In addition to performing Derek has also recorded a full-length EP with Great Caesar’s Ghost, Josh Joffen, and The Pineapples. Derek is also a proficient guitarist and pianist, having written over fifty original songs, and has recorded an original CD entitled, "I Would." Derek’s formal training began at the age of 8 when he studied privately with Robert Blumenthal, a highly acclaimed jazz drummer and musical director for The Harlem Youth Center. He went on to study at the prestigious Drummer’s Collective in Manhattan for three years, focusing on Afro-Caribbean and Brazilian drum set, conga, bongo, timbale, bells, shekere, guiro, and maraca, with two highly acclaimed drummers from Puerto Rico and Brazil, Bobby Sanabria and Daduka Fonsaka. He continued his studies on Long Island with Richie Rodriguez, focusing on sight reading and hand drumming. Derek is proficient in all genres of drumming. He is very creative and has incorporated many unique techniques and tricks into his playing. He is also very proficient with double bass, ostinatos, polyrhythms, hemiolas, and odd time signatures. Derek is a qualified NYSSMA instructor and has achieved great success with all levels of snare drum and drum set.
Derek tries to cater to his student’s tastes and focuses mainly on the styles, drummers, and genres that inspire them, while simultaneously exposing them to a strong foundation of rudiments and reading. He is extremely patient and friendly and relates well to children and adults alike. Derek believes that music should be fun at all costs, and tries to fashion his classes with that in mind, at the same time exposing his students to many different styles, to not only expand their horizons and make them better drummers, but to also show them how music is all somehow magically connected, creating a beautiful universal language; a language in which no words are necessary. Derek is a drum instructor at School of Rock Huntington, Rockville Centre, Roslyn, and Syosset/Oyster Bay.
Jimmy
Drum Teacher
Jimmy is a drum teacher at the School of Rock in Roslyn and is a long-time musician from Oceanside, NY. He has been a percussion student since age 7 and spends his spare time learning guitar. Although his percussion training consisted mostly of jazz and classical music, he began playing in rock bands in his sophomore year of high school. In college, he spent the weekends playing in a punk band and touring during breaks. He also played drums for a jazz ensemble at Nassau Community College before studying music industry at SUNY Oneonta. As a 3rd grade teacher, he no longer tours but consistently fills in for local bands. Jimmy was an original drummer for the band Oso Oso and has played in other notable bands such as Macseal as a fill-in drummer and Yeah Is What We Have. Jimmy is a deeply passionate educator and loves to pass his love for rock music on to his students.
Matt
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Vocal Teacher
Matt is a guitarist and vocalist who plays around the Long Island and New York City area with two bands. A former School of Rock student, Matt spent years in the Performance Program in various shows both playing guitar and singing. He has been playing guitar for over eight years and is extremely excited to teach students just beginning their musical journey. Matt is a guitar, bass, and vocal teacher at the School of Rock in Roslyn.
Michael
Guitar Teacher
Michael was born in Whitestone, New York. His parents introduced him to music while in utero, listening to Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Zappa—the classics. It was his grandfather who handed him his first guitar and that one Christmas gift forever changed his life. Guitar Hero was fun to play but when he actually held a guitar he knew the game wouldn’t be enough. From that moment on his passion for the instrument began his journey into songwriting.
Michael was attending classes at School of Rock by the age of 10. He felt at home there with other kids just like him. It was School of Rock that introduced Michael to performing. The school had such a profound impact on him that he is now one of the top instructors and directors at three (3) New York area School of Rock locations in which he is also the co-owner. He is presently using his teaching skills to create an instructional video series in partnership with ESP Guitars, one of his musical instrument endorsers.
At the age of 13, Michael formed his band, The Inoculated Canaries. He was in his science class when the instructor mentioned inoculating canaries during the bird flu. The band’s first EP, The Blue Laws, was soon followed by their single “Don’t Be Late” and an acoustic version of the song “Jericho.” Their second EP, Trying Times, was also followed by singles “Count Me Out,” “Who Are You?,” “The Lawyer’s Wife,” “Sneakers,” “Donna,” and “Hypocrite.”
Michael formed a second band, King Falcon. They released their debut single “Shake!, Shake! Shake!” in early 2020. Both bands are actively writing, recording, and performing.
Today, Michael is endorsed by ESP Guitars. Matt Masciandaro, President and CEO of ESP Guitars comments: “ESP works with many of rock’s leading guitarists, and Michael’s amazing technique, stylistic range, tone, and phrasing make him a welcome addition to our team.” Tony Rauser, Director of Artist Relations, adds: “We are happy to welcome Michael of King Falcon to the ESP artist family! Michael’s unique and melodic playing style is showcased perfectly in his first ESP video lesson series.”
Nick
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Nick is a Long Island-based musician and teacher at the School of Rock in Roslyn. Nick is a self-taught musician and songwriter who has been playing and making music for much of his life. He is a graduate of SUNY Albany with a bachelor's in psychology, and while there, spent much of his free time playing and recording his own music. Outside of teaching, he frequently plays gigs around Long Island and the city.
Nick is a guitar and bass teacher but has recorded songs on drums, vocals, and keys as well. He has put out his own music that spans genres including rock, funk, indie, and pop. A lesson with Nick is one focused on gradual development, rhythm, feel, melodic understanding, and nurturing an overall love for music. Nick is a guitar and bass teacher at the School of Rock in Roslyn.