San Rafael
School of Rock

Explore School of Rock

San Rafael

Map
School of Rock San Rafael
4150 Redwood Hwy
San Rafael, CA 94903
415-877-7625
Hours
  • Monday: 2 PM - 8 PM
  • Tuesday: 2 PM - 8 PM
  • Wednesday: 2 PM - 8 PM
  • Thursday: 2 PM - 8 PM
  • Friday: 2 PM - 8 PM
  • Saturday: 10 AM - 5 PM
  • Sunday: 10 AM - 5 PM

Music programs at School of Rock San Rafael combine one-on-one lessons with group band practices

School of Rock in San Rafael, California is proud to serve the Marin County community—including surrounding areas like Corte Madera, Mill Valley, Novato, and more —with a revolutionary music education approach. The San Francisco Bay Area is a great place for budding artists and many musicians and bands like Carlos Santana, Huey Lewis, and Grateful Dead have originated from here. Marin County is also home to many recording studios including the Record Plant in Sausalito, which became known as one of the top four recording studios in the San Francisco Bay Area. The music scene is diverse and with lessons from our expert instructors, students can learn to rock out on guitar, keyboards, drums, and vocals, across many different genres! By jamming in a band together with friends while learning to read and play music by ear, students gain the confidence to truly be a rock star. Our students perform at community-based events and festivals like Ember Stomp, Kidchella, and Summer Beats, and regularly play at local establishments like the Session Room at HopMonk Novato and the iconic Sweetwater Music Hall! Take the first step towards reaching your goals and join School of Rock in San Rafael, CA today!

Programs we offer

Rock 101 music program in San Rafael for kids and beginners
Rock 101
Ages 8-13

Rock 101 is one of School of Rock San Rafael's top programs for kids and beginners. Students have one weekly group rehearsal where they learn to play classic rock songs that have been simplified for beginner musicians. Additionally, Rock 101 students in San Rafael have a weekly private music lesson with an instructor who helps them learn the concepts and skills behind their performance songs.

What To Expect
  • 1 WEEKLY PRIVATE LESSON
  • 1 WEEKLY GROUP REHEARSAL

The Path to Take the Stage

Our music programs for kids in San Rafael are designed to get students on stage performing, with the goal of building strong musical proficiency. Younger students at School of Rock San Rafael who have participated in the Rookies program can move to our Rock 101 music program once they’re ready. Additionally, students (typically ages 8 to 13-years-old) can begin Rock 101 without any prior experience. The goal of this rock program is to quickly develop a basic competence on students’ chosen instruments before moving on to our famous Performance Program.

Performance music program for teens in San Rafael
Performance
Ages 8-18

The Performance Program at School of Rock San Rafael is our hallmark music program, where tens of thousands of students enroll each year. It consists of a weekly group rehearsal where kids and teens learn by playing rock music's most iconic songs with a band composed of their peers. Students are assigned songs and parts that are tailored to them based on their age, experience and ability to learn new skills and concepts. Students then work through their parts in weekly private music lessons, refining the skills and concepts that those songs introduce. The goal of this curriculum is to prepare kids and teens for live performances. Every few months, School of Rock San Rafael Performance Program students take the stage and play at local San Rafael music venues in front of a live audience.

What To Expect
  • 1 WEEKLY PRIVATE LESSON
  • 1 WEEKLY GROUP REHEARSAL

The Path to Take the Stage

School of Rock San Rafael's music programs for kids and teens are designed to inspire by getting students on stage and performing. All of our other music education programs focus on readying students for our famous Performance Program. This is where students develop incredible musical skills. Performance Program students have often gone through our Rock 101 program first or have some previous basic music experience. These young musicians will have custom development plans outlined by their instructors with key concepts reinforced during private lessons and group rehearsals, all with the goal of performing live at a San Rafael music venue.

Rookies music program for children in San Rafael
Rookies
Ages 6-7

At School of Rock San Rafael, our music program for children with no previous musical experience (typically ages 6 to 7-years-old) is called Rookies. Rookies students have one weekly group music lesson where they learn fundamentals like chords, rhythm and song structure. Kids get to learn and experiment with multiple instruments so they can later decide which one they ultimately want to continue pursuing in Rock 101.

What To Expect
  • 1 WEEKLY GROUP LESSON
  • USE OF SIMPLIFIED ROCK INSTRUMENTS TO TEACH KIDS TO PLAY MUSIC

The Path to Take the Stage

All of our music programs are designed to inspire students to learn and develop a strong musical proficiency. At School of Rock San Rafael, younger students who are not ready for a more comprehensive program like Rock 101 can start in Rookies. Additionally, students who have completed the Little Wing program will progress into the Rookies music program. No prior musical experience is needed for Rookies. Once your child is ready for private music lessons (typically older than first or second graders), they will graduate into our Rock 101 program.

Little Wing music program for toddlers and preschoolers in San Rafael
Little Wing
Ages 4-5

At School of Rock San Rafael our Little Wing music program for preschoolers and toddlers teaches students foundational music skills by playing games and participating in other interactive musical activities. Little Wing students have one weekly group music lesson in which they use classic rock songs to learn about rhythm, song structure, melody and dynamics through play.

What To Expect
  • 1 WEEKLY GROUP LESSON
  • USE HAND PERCUSSION & OTHER TOOLS TO LEARN RHYTHM PATTERNS & MUSIC SYNTAX

The Path to Take the Stage

The Little Wing music program is the first step in a young musician's journey. At School of Rock San Rafael, toddlers and preschoolers who show an interest in music should start with Little Wing. As they get older, they will progress into the Rookies program, followed by Rock 101 and the Performance Program.

Remote student playing guitar
Online
All Ages

At School of Rock San Rafael, our students can take online, one-on-one music instruction from the comfort of their homes. We call this program School of Rock Remote. This online music program contains weekly one-on-one instruction conducted by our expert School of Rock instructors in a safe virtual lesson room.
 
Students will receive their training using our proprietary education program, The School of Rock Method™, which couples live video lessons with our proprietary Method App™, SongFirst Approach™ and Method Books™. 

What To Expect
  • ONE WEEKLY 1-ON-1 LESSON
  • LESSONS CONDUCTED USING SECURE VIDEO TECHNOLOGY

THE PATH TO TAKE THE STAGE

All of our music programs for kids, teens, and adults are designed to help students gain amazing musical proficiency. School of Rock’s online music lesson program is no exception. Online guitar lessons, online piano lessons, online drum lessons, online singing lessons and online bass guitar lessons are all offered through the School of Rock Remote online program.

Adult music program in San Rafael for students over 18
Adult Program
Ages 18+

School of Rock San Rafael's Adult Program is for students over 18 years old who are looking to either improve their musical proficiency or pick up an instrument with no prior musical experience. As with most School of Rock music programs, the Adult Program uses a performance-based music education approach. This means the curriculum focuses on learning music concepts and applying them in a live performance setting. Our Adult Music Program includes one weekly private music lesson and a weekly group rehearsal. Every student at School of Rock San Rafael is placed in a band of fellow adults and then assigned specific songs as a way of learning key music concepts and skills. Adult students then take the stage to play at a live show in San Rafael.

What To Expect
  • 1 WEEKLY PRIVATE LESSON
  • 1 WEEKLY GROUP REHEARSAL

The Path to Take the Stage

All of our music programs are designed to inspire by getting students on stage and performing, with the goal of building strong musical proficiency along the way. The School of Rock San Rafael Adult Program is open to all experience levels and each student will follow a customized learning plan developed by their instructor. Adult students will work together during rehearsal to prepare for a live performance at a real rock venue in San Rafael.

House Band program for gigging at local venues in San Rafael
House Band
Age 17 and Under

The School of Rock San Rafael House Band music program gives students under 18 the opportunity to join a gigging band composed of fellow musicians from their school. These students perform additional live shows throughout the year. All students in the Performance Program have the opportunity to audition for a spot in School of Rock San Rafael's House Band. Once selected, House Band members become leaders in their School of Rock community and perform live shows at CA rock venues throughout the year.

What To Expect
  • A GIGGING MUSICIAN'S EXPERIENCE
  • FREQUENT LIVE PERFORMANCES IN COMMUNITY

The Path to Take the Stage

Performance is the core of School of Rock's educational approach. Therefore, we create additional opportunities for students to perform on stages throughout San Rafael and the rest of CA. The House Band music program allows each school's most talented students the opportunity to join a band and play routinely in front of live audiences. Once a member, students will gain real music experience associated with gigging musicians and will become leaders and mentors inside the School of Rock community.

The AllStars national tour features the best child and teen musicians
AllStars
Age 17 and Under

The School of Rock AllStars Tour takes the very best students from around the world and sends them on a nationwide summer tour across the United States. Less than 1% of School of Rock students are selected each year to represent School of Rock as an AllStar. All Performance Program students are eligible to audition for this prestigious program. The intensive audition process starts off with video submissions followed by live auditions. Once selected, AllStar students will have an authentic touring experience including traveling on a tour bus, doing tour publicity and starring in nightly performances at famous venues and festivals during a two-week tour.

What To Expect
  • A MULTI-CITY, COUNTRY-WIDE MUSIC TOUR EXPERIENCE
  • PERFORMING ON SOME OF THE BIGGEST AND MOST FAMOUS STAGES IN THE WORLD

The Path to Take the Stage

Becoming an AllStar is the highest level of achievement for a School of Rock student. They play on legendary stages large and small, including The Knitting Factory, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, The Troubadour and Lollapalooza. AllStar students often go on to have accomplished careers in the music industry. Former AllStars have gone on to become touring artists, star in Broadway musicals, get signed to record deals, become finalists on talent competitions like "The Voice" and "American Idol" and have other notable roles in the music industry.

Music Lessons in San Rafael

Kid learns to play guitar at School of Rock San Rafael

Guitar Lessons for All Skill Levels

Beginner Guitar Lessons for Kids

At School of Rock San Rafael, we offer beginner guitar lessons for kids. Our expert guitar instructors guide your child from start to finish with private instruction and weekly group band rehearsals. Every instructor at School of Rock San Rafael is an experienced musician, and they emphasize foundational music theory and technique when teaching guitar lessons to kids. Unlike other San Rafael guitar lessons and programs, School of Rock is designed to get students performing in a band.

Beginner Guitar Lessons for Adults

It’s never too late to learn to play the guitar. Similar to our kids guitar lessons, School of Rock San Rafael's beginner guitar lessons for adults utilizes a performance-based curriculum. Our experienced instructors teach adult students through popular rock songs, and teach students to play guitar in a way that’s challenging and fun. We believe the best way to learn is by doing, which is why we combine weekly private guitar lessons with group band rehearsals. At School of Rock San Rafael, we teach beginner guitar lessons for adults in our Adult Program. This program gets students performing onstage at a local San Rafael venue.

Key Concepts
  • Technique
  • Solos
  • Chords
  • Theory

Intermediate to Advanced Guitar Lessons

As students gain skills and experience, we move them along to more challenging programs at higher skill levels. Intermediate and advanced students take the skills they learned in beginner guitar lessons, and layer on more difficult techniques and concepts. School of Rock San Rafael offers advanced guitar lessons for kids and adults that teach by playing challenging classic rock songs and emphasize playing the guitar in a real music venue. Our San Rafael guitar teachers will work with each student to develop a custom learning plan.

Kids learn to drum at School of Rock San Rafael

Drum Lessons for All Skill Levels

Beginner Drum Lessons for Kids

School of Rock San Rafael is the best option for anyone looking to learn the drums. Our beginner drum lessons get kids behind the drum kit and on their way to taking the stage. That’s why at School of Rock San Rafael we combine private drum lessons for beginners with weekly band rehearsals—it prepares students to perform live. With years of experience teaching drums in San Rafael, our drum instructors teach beginner drum students core techniques, including how to groove, play rudiments and more.

Beginner Drum Lessons for Adults

Our drum lessons for adults are designed to accommodate all skill levels. At School of Rock San Rafael, our beginner drum lessons for adults are built for musicians with little to no experience. We teach adults using the same core performance-based education philosophy as our drum lessons for kids—performing with a band accelerates the learning process. Adult students will perform live at a venue in San Rafael. Unlike other San Rafael drum lessons for beginners, School of Rock combines private drum lessons with weekly band rehearsals so students are ready to play in front of real, live audiences.

Key Concepts
  • RUDIMENTS
  • TIME SIGNATURES
  • TECHNIQUE
  • GROOVE

Intermediate to Advanced Drum Lessons

More experienced to advanced drum students need a drum lesson curriculum that builds upon foundational skills and continues to grow musical proficiency. That’s why at School of Rock San Rafael, our drum lessons are customized for each student and his or her goals. Our San Rafael drum instructors integrate more complex techniques and concepts—intermediary grooves, shifts, meters and more—into a student's individual lessons and group band rehearsal, and will also select more difficult songs for his or her live performances.

 

Kid learns to sing at School of Rock San Rafael

Singing Lessons for All Skill Levels

Beginner Singing Lessons for Kids

School of Rock San Rafael offers beginner singing lessons for kids. Our unique, performance-based approach develops students' musical proficiency by preparing them to perform live. At School of Rock San Rafael, our vocal coaches are practicing musicians who integrate key music fundamentals—breathing, posture and more—into a curriculum based on performing with a band. Each week, beginner singing students participate in a private singing lesson and a band rehearsal.

Beginner Singing Lessons for Adults

School of Rock San Rafael teaches adults how to sing in our innovative Adult Program. Students develop vocal skills at a challenging pace designed to help you see results with every singing lesson. Adult vocalists learn how to keep tempo, stay on-key and master advanced vocal techniques for a powerful and healthy voice. Our curriculum teaches students how to sing by using popular rock songs that emphasize key concepts. Each week, Adult Program students have a private singing lesson for beginners and group band rehearsal.

Key Concepts
  • TECHNIQUE
  • HARMONY
  • POWER
  • READING

Intermediate to Advanced Singing Lessons

At School of Rock San Rafael, our singing lessons for kids and adults are designed to help our students reach a high degree of musical proficiency. Intermediate and advanced singers take skills learned from previous singing lessons and layer on more difficult techniques and concepts. Our advanced singing lessons teach students to sing by performing popular rock songs that illustrate a specific vocal concept or technique. We pair weekly private singing lessons with weekly band rehearsals with the goal of getting musicians to perform live in San Rafael.

Kid learns to play bass at School of Rock San Rafael

Bass Lessons for All Skill Levels

Beginner Bass Lessons for Kids

School of Rock San Rafael offers beginner bass guitar lessons for kids that blend weekly private instruction with weekly band rehearsals. This performance-based approach results in a high level of musical proficiency because it engages and inspires students. Every School of Rock bass instructor is a practicing musician in San Rafael and teaches bass lessons for kids that get great results. Beginners learn to play bass guitar by using popular rock songs that illustrate key concepts and techniques.

Beginner Bass Lessons for Adults

Adults looking to learn bass guitar can enroll in School of Rock’s Adult Program. No experience is necessary in our beginner bass guitar lessons for adults. At School of Rock San Rafael, our experienced, local bass guitar instructors have the patience and skills to help adult students gain musical proficiency. As with all School of Rock music programs, our bass guitar lessons for adults ciriculum is performance-based, and include both weekly private instruction and weekly band rehearsals.

Key Concepts
  • GROOVE
  • TECHNIQUE
  • THEORY
  • TONE

Intermediate to Advanced Bass Lessons

Our intermediate to advanced bass guitar lessons teach San Rafael students the skills they need to become the backbone of a band. Students take skills from previous bass lessons and layer on more difficult techniques and concepts. At School of Rock San Rafael, our bass instructors use popular rock songs as a way of teaching students advanced concepts and techniques. We pair weekly private bass lessons with weekly band rehearsals to inspire and engage students throughout the learning process.

Kid learns to play piano at School of Rock San Rafael

Keyboard Lessons for All Skill Levels

Beginner Keyboard Lessons for Kids

At School of Rock we teach differently than other music schools in San Rafael. Our curriculum is performance-based, meaning that we prepare students to perform. Our piano lessons for beginners combine weekly private instruction with weekly band rehearsals. At School of Rock San Rafael, our beginner keyboard lessons for kids take key concepts and music fundamentals—finger placement, scales, key differentiation and more—and teach them through popular rock songs. This approach inspires and engages students, which results in attaining a high level of musical proficiency. Our piano teachers have years of experience teaching music in the San Rafael area, and know how to coach and motivate students of any skill level to play the keyboard.

Beginner Keyboard Lessons for Adults

The School of Rock San Rafael Adult Program puts beginner keyboard students in a band. Adult Program students in the San Rafael area learn to play piano through a combination of weekly private beginner piano lessons and weekly band rehearsals. At School of Rock, our piano lessons give adult students the chance to perform in a band at local San Rafael music venues, taking them out of the classroom and onto the stage.

Key Concepts
  • TECHNIQUE
  • TONE
  • THEORY
  • READING

Intermediate to Advanced Keyboard Lessons

At School of Rock San Rafael, our keyboard lessons for kids and adults are designed to help students get results. Intermediate and advanced students take skills learned from beginner keyboard lessons and layer on more advanced piano techniques with concepts. Our local keyboard instructors are all practicing musicians in San Rafael, and use popular rock songs as a way of teaching complex skills. We pair weekly private piano lessons with weekly band rehearsals to inspire and engage students throughout the learning process.

Our Experienced Music Teachers

All of School of Rock San Rafael’s music teachers are experienced musicians devoted to helping students attain musical proficiency. Our instructors guide students one-on-one to personalize learning, inspire confidence and build social skills.

Owner, General Manager Heather Riley
Heather Riley
Owner, General Manager
Heather was born in England and grew up with a love of all things music. She was immersed in decades of British artists, sang The American Songbook at home, and performed vocals for a cover band. In the mid-80s she attended a company conference in the U.S. and discovered that she had "found her tribe" with her northern California colleagues. She has lived in the U.S. since 1991, mostly in the north Bay Area, and is a dual citizen.

Heather has had many careers including as a sales executive for computer peripherals, property manager for a large REIT, project coordinator for HP products, owner of an insurance business, HR administrator, and certified massage therapist. All roads led her to School of Rock Santa Rosa which she helped open from the ground up. Here, while utilizing her extensive customer service and business administration experience, she discovered just how important music is to her, and just about everyone else it seemed.

Heather fully fell in love with School of Rock when she joined the adult performance program as a vocalist and bass student. In 2021 she was able to realize her dream gig by establishing School of Rock San Rafael, serving Marin County.
Music Director Evan Kolesar
Evan Kolesar
Music Director
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Evan was immersed in music from a young age, picking up his first guitar at the age of 10, and going on his first tour by the time he turned 15. After high school, he attended the Musicians Institute’s GiT program where he graduated top of his class in Guitar Performance, all while being immersed in LA’s singer-songwriter scene as a hired gun, collaborator, and songwriter.

After graduating, Evan started his journey as a music educator at School of Rock West LA as an instructor, working his way up to Music Director and General Manager of the South Bay LA location. Now relocated to the Bay Area, Evan serves as our Music Director and instructs guitar, bass, and drums. Evan loves all music and has a particular interest in funk, fusion, prog, and singer/songwriter. He thinks the best thing about working at School of Rock is being surrounded by those who love music as much as he does. Outside of School of Rock, Evan loves photography, nature, video games, his partner Tiffany, and his dog Preston.
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher Michael Papenburg
Michael Papenburg
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Michael is a Bay Area native with over 35 years of teaching and performing experience. He has performed and recorded with many local artists including The Jerry Hannan Band, Matadore, Matt Nathanson, Brittany Shane, Orange, Penelope Houston, Lilyvolt, The Mad Cattle Ensemble and Missile Harmony. He currently plays lead guitar for Petty Theft, a tribute to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Michael specializes in rock, alternative, slide guitar, blues, funk, country and folk. His influences include Jimmy Page, David Gilmour, Jeff Beck, Bill Frisell, Robin Guthrie, Daniel Ash, Mike Campbell and many others. He is a very patient teacher with students ranging from beginning to advanced players. His focus is on playing technique, chords, scales, music theory, musicianship, and transcriptions of songs and solos in either tablature or standard notation. Michael taught at School of Rock Santa Rosa for three years and led many performance and adult performance bands who succeeded under his patient direction and critical ear for detail. He is a Lead Instructor at School of Rock San Rafael.
Singing Teacher, Guitar Teacher Ella Keilt
Ella Keilt
Vocal Teacher, Guitar Teacher
Ella grew up in the north bay immersed in music through her family from the very start. Between vocal and guitar lessons, and listening to a new album each day before school she exposed herself to genres and eras of music that most of her peers were unaware of. Ella attended Artquest, a public school magnet program for the Visual and Performing Arts at Santa Rosa High School, where she also honed her visual artistic skills. In 2019, she joined the staff at School of Rock Santa Rosa where kids of all ages loved her teaching style and ability to connect. She also brought her energy and enthusiasm to group classes including Little Wing, Rookies, Summer Camps, Rock 101, and the Performance Program rehearsals. As a singer-songwriter, Ella combines her unique smokey voice with relatable and memorable lyrics. She is a Lead Instructor at School of Rock San Rafael.
Bass Guitar Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher John Woodall
John Woodall
Bass Guitar Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
John was hooked on music early in his life when, at age 5, he began playing piano. By the age of 10, he started writing music and playing guitar. John considers himself a ‘lifer’ who must practice and play daily because it is his love. He attended the Academy of Guitar and the N.S.W. Conservatory of Music in Australia where he attained a master's degree in Music. Once in California, John worked as an engineer and production coordinator at The Record Plant in Sausalito with legendary producer/engineer Jim Gaines. He assisted in the production of many great bands and artists including Santana, Heart, Starship, Dan Fogelberg, Journey, Huey Lewis, and John Fogarty.

John became a working musician in the Marin band Frontline and formed Powerof2Music in 1989, which has scored over 700 episodes of television as well as commercials and video games. John received the Excellence in Composition and Songwriting Award from Yamaha Music USA, scored two Emmy Award-winning shows, and received Ace and Gold Awards for his work on children's audiobooks such as the beautiful Baru Bay with Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead.

John is a longtime ASCAP writer and publisher, and a consultant regarding licensing in perpetuity issues, publishing, and placing music. He puts thought, passion, and nurturing into his teaching, bringing out the very best in his students and the bands he directs.
Singing Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher Abbi Samuels
Abbi Samuels
Vocal Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Abbi’s mother used to play classical music for her in the morning before school which inspired her to pick up the violin and later transition to voice. She attended MSA and then Sonoma State where she attained a Bachelor of Music with a concentration in vocal performance. Abbi loves to listen to and perform a complete variety of genres from classical, to folk, to rock, and progressive metal. We love to hear Abbi sing her warm-ups before her students come in because her voice is so beautiful!

Abbi teaches vocals and keyboard, plus Little Wing. Her mission is for her students to find joy in the music they create and build their self-confidence on stage. Abbi shares her life with her partner Jack, and enjoys cooking, reading, and playing video games. She loves that School of Rock is a safe space for self-expression and making music, where everyone is welcome.
Drum Teacher Eli Streich
Eli Streich
Drum Teacher
Both of Eli’s parents are musicians and it was natural for him to follow in their steps without thinking about it. In his teen years, Eli started getting involved with the Bay Area DIY scene and was “immediately obsessed.” He loved experiencing what was happening in his neck of the woods and he has continued to play and attend local gigs ever since. Eli’s main gig is with the Oakland art rock trio Gumby’s Junk and he freelances for small jazz combos and various other local bands.

Eli is a graduate of Oakland School for The Arts as well as Sonoma State University, from which he obtained a bachelor’s degree in Jazz Studies. He loves any music that excites or tickles his brain. Punk is his first love, but he acknowledges that jazz got him where he is as a player. Asked about his favorite music his answer is, “Usually anything between punk and jazz is right up my alley. Rhythmic, angular, obnoxious, humorous, overall weird, I love it all!” In his personal time, Eli creates visual art, attends local shows, and collects tchotchkes.

Eli teaches drums and the Rookies program and directs Rock 101 bands (the rehearsals are always fun and filled with jokes). He loves the bond he has with his students and hopes that their journey in music continues way past their time with him.
Bass Guitar Teacher, Guitar Teacher Josh Zee
Josh Zee
Bass Guitar Teacher, Guitar Teacher
Josh was born and raised in San Francisco, CA. When he is not playing music, Josh loves to hike, play basketball, and travel. He has recorded two major records on the SONY/Work label as the singer, guitarist, and songwriter for the rock group Protein. They have toured extensively throughout the U.S. and also toured Europe and Japan as part of MTV Asia Summer Fest.

Josh’s next original band, The Mother Truckers, was formed with his talented wife Teal Collins. They moved to Austin, TX where they released four albums, and were named Best Roots-Rock Band at the SXSW Austin Music Awards. They toured all over the country and Europe, and have played alongside Willie Nelson, Hank Williams III, Old 97’s, The Avett Brothers, Merle Haggard, George Jones, the Supersuckers, and many more. Teal later formed the group The Whiskey Sisters with Josh on guitar. They were named Best New Band at the SXSW Austin Music Awards, recorded an eponymous album (co-produced by Josh), and toured both the U.S. and Europe.

Josh is currently performing and recording with the Bay Area country group The Starling Six, and AC/DC tribute band AZ/DZ. He has been written about in many national publications including frequent features in Guitar Player Magazine, Thrasher, and Village Voice. Josh has many production and arrangement credits on the albums of other artists and continues to work as a recording session player as well as regularly touring with other bands as a guitarist.
Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Singing Teacher Sam Eaton
Sam Eaton
Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Vocal Teacher
Sam began their musicianship journey by playing drums at age 9 and then picking up guitar and bass a couple of years after. When Sam was in middle school they formed a band with their friends and played every week, as well as in the music program. The band (Flimflam!) is still together and has inspired Sam to keep going and continually learn new things.

Sam teaches bass, drums, guitar, and vocals, and they direct Rock 101 and Performance bands. Sam's hope is to help each student discover a love of music that can last a lifetime. Musically, Sam tries to appreciate everything they hear and loves music that challenges them to expand their tastes. Sam lives with some of their awesome friends and their family dog Luna. Sam loves getting to know all the awesome students at School of Rock San Rafael and the fact that “everyone is so creative and cool!”
Drum Teacher Tom Paslay
Tom Paslay
Drum Teacher
Tom Paslay has been teaching, recording, and performing drums for over 30 years. Tom attended the Grove School of Music in Los Angeles where he received his certificate in drumset studies. In addition to his teaching experience, he has toured in Tokyo, Japan, and extensively throughout the West Coast.

Tom has shared the stage with such notables as Beck, No Doubt, and The English Beat among many others. Tom teaches beginning to advanced drum lessons in a variety of styles including rock, worldbeat, funk, and traditional snare drum rudiments. He emphasizes reading, balance, hand technique, and coordination, and caters each lesson to the student’s goals and aspirations.

Tom naturally connects with and inspires students of all ages, and believes playing drums should always be fun!
Bass Guitar Teacher, Guitar Teacher Philip Thorneycroft
Philip Thorneycroft
Bass Guitar Teacher, Guitar Teacher
Philip Thorneycroft is a guitar and bass player based in San Francisco. He is originally from Phoenix, Arizona, and has been playing music since he was 16 years old. Philip was raised in a musical family and gained a rich appreciation for jazz, blues, and country music. Over the years, he has been passionately pursuing rock and post-rock styles.

As a self-taught player, Philip got a chance to perform at an early age on the worship team at his church and has since performed and toured all over the country in a variety of bands. He currently performs at clubs and weddings on guitar with his girlfriend and songwriter Kim Capria and is the bassist for local San Francisco band Alvie and the Breakfast Pigs.

Philip brings his love for music to every person he comes into contact with and is driven to help people achieve their musical goals not just with technique and theory, but with consideration for personal expression and stagecraft. For him, it's an art and a craft, and nothing brings more satisfaction than being able to pass that on to others.

Philip has been teaching music since 2018 and specializes in rock, pop, and blues styles. His philosophy about music is that it's a language that serves as a skeleton key capable of opening many doors and helping to understand the world around us. In addition to teaching bass and guitar, Philip directs Little Wing, Rookies, Rock 101, and Performance bands at the School of Rock in San Rafael, CA.
Drum Teacher Andrew Griffin
Andrew Griffin
Drum Teacher
Andrew is a graduate of Berklee College of Music. He has taught hundreds of aspiring drummers at his own East Bay Drummers’ Studio and has taught master classes at the Jazz School in Berkeley and for the California Percussive Arts Society. Additionally, Andrew has taught at Redhouse Studios (Walnut Creek), Vibo Music (San Bruno), and St. Joseph Elementary (Alameda).

Andrew has performed and/or recorded with several bands, artists, and producers including CAKE, Camper Van Beethoven, Steve Fisk (producer for Nirvana, Soundgarden, the Posies, and Soul Coughing), and Jeff Bhasker (Grammy-winning producer for Fun, Kanye West, and the Rolling Stones).

Andrew is also a singer/songwriter and producer and currently fronts the Oakland-based indie rock group Felsen. In addition to teaching drums, Andrew directs Performance and Adult Performance bands at the School of Rock in San Rafael, CA.
Keyboard + Piano Teacher Larry Tasse
Larry Tasse
Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Larry is a classically trained pianist whose father was a jazz drummer and lyricist. His father inspired Larry to write his own music, learn other genres of music from rock to jazz and the Great American Songbook, as well as learn to be an accompanist for singers and instrumentalists.

Larry began his professional performing, songwriting, and composing career at 16 years old in Tin Pan Alley (NYC) working as a staff songwriter and studio musician. He was discovered by a rock n' roll manager, who put him to work as a songwriter/composer/pianist/mime in an art rock band called The Hello People. The band appeared on the Tonight Show, the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, and the Midnight Special, and performed at Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall, and the Fillmore's East and West while constantly touring the U.S.

Larry’s music has been heard on three soundtracks: Easy Rider, Almost Famous, and Six Feet Under. He was a House Sound Designer and Music Composer for the Broadhollow Regional Theatres in New York. He won “Best Sound Design” from the San Francisco Bay Area Theater Critics Circle for his work for the Potrero Stage production of Fahrenheit 451.

Larry teaches piano, songwriting, and music composition, giving back what he has received and sharing his musical experience, strength, and hope with his students.
School of Rock is where music and learning come together

For over twenty years, our amazing instructors have transformed hundreds of thousands of students across the world into skilled musicians. Become a musician at School of Rock.

Reviews

What I like about the program is that my kids LOVE it!

This is so different from the music lessons that existed when I was a kid. These kids are actually making music and learning to play as a band. The performances are so impressive, and watching the kids gain confidence and express themselves on stage is priceless.

The structure around how kids learn is amazing.

Taking lessons to learn an instrument is one thing, but learning how to be a part of a band is on another level. These kids are learning how to communicate, respect people and their opinions, and how to be accountable for themselves. It’s more than just music here.

It's the best music program in the city.

Dedicated instructors and staff, vibrant atmosphere, and most importantly, it's fun! My 8-year-old has grown leaps and bounds in skill and personal confidence. If you're thinking about checking it out, don't wait, just do it!

The kids have a great time while learning to play.

Lifelong skills and relationships are born here. The staff shares their passion for music and are very professional and accommodating. Wish I had this type of exposure to music when I was growing up!

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