Venice
School of Rock

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Venice

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School of Rock Venice
12300 Venice Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90066
(310) 469-7625

Location Specifics

Across from CVS

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Hours
  • Monday: 3 PM - 9 PM
  • Tuesday: 3 PM - 9 PM
  • Wednesday: 3 PM - 9 PM
  • Thursday: 3 PM - 9 PM
  • Friday: Closed
  • Saturday: 11 AM - 7 PM
  • Sunday: 11 AM - 3:30 PM

Upcoming Special Hours:

  • 11/28/2024: Closed
  • 11/30/2024: Closed

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

School of Rock in Venice, California is proud to offer music classes to help teach our community how to play instruments with skill and confidence. We teach everything from keyboard to songwriting but drums and guitar are our most popular. Students can develop skills particularly in grunge, which is a popular genre of our school. At School of Rock, they can perform live shows and develop their musical ability in a supportive and encouraging learning environment. There's a wealth of opportunities for students to take the skills they learned at School of Rock and get their big break in the greater Los Angeles area.

Programs we offer

Rock 101 music program in Los Angeles for kids and beginners
Rock 101
Ages 8-13

Rock 101 is one of School of Rock Venice'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 Venice 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 Los Angeles are designed to get students on stage performing, with the goal of building strong musical proficiency. Younger students at School of Rock Venice 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 Los Angeles
Performance
Ages 8-18

The Performance Program at School of Rock Venice 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 Venice Performance Program students take the stage and play at local Los Angeles 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 Venice'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 Los Angeles music venue.

Rookies music program for children in Los Angeles
Rookies
Ages 6-7

At School of Rock Venice, 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 Venice, 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 Los Angeles
Little Wing
Ages 4-5

At School of Rock Venice 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 Venice, 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.

Songwriting
Age 12 and over

Our Songwriting program for kids and teens teaches the fundamentals of songwriting, arrangement and music theory, and helps students compose original works.  At School of Rock Venice, songwriting students receive one weekly private lesson where they learn concepts, technique and theory on an instrument of their choice. These principles are then applied in a weekly group lesson where students work together on songwriting exercises and lyrical workshops.  Every few months, Songwriting students take the stage to perform or band together to record their original songs.

What to Expect
  • 1 weekly private lesson
  • 1 weekly group lesson

The Path to Take the Stage

Our Songwriting program for kids and teens in Los Angeles is designed to create musical proficiency through the creation of original music. Students at School of Rock Venice who have completed our Rock 101 program can move to our Songwriting program once they’re ready. Additionally, new students who have prior experience with and basic knowledge of an instrument can also begin Songwriting. The program culminates with a live showcase where students perform their original compositions in bands at a local music venue. Students taking the Songwriting Program online will remotely record their original songs to produce a demo of the class's music.

Remote student playing guitar
Online
All Ages

At School of Rock Venice, 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.

House Band program for gigging at local venues in Los Angeles
House Band
Age 17 and Under

The School of Rock Venice 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 Venice'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 Los Angeles 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 Venice

Kid learns to play guitar at School of Rock Los Angeles

Guitar Lessons for All Skill Levels

Beginner Guitar Lessons for Kids

At School of Rock Venice, 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 Venice is an experienced musician, and they emphasize foundational music theory and technique when teaching guitar lessons to kids. Unlike other Los Angeles 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 Venice'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 Venice, we teach beginner guitar lessons for adults in our Adult Program. This program gets students performing onstage at a local Los Angeles 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 Venice 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 Los Angeles guitar teachers will work with each student to develop a custom learning plan.

Kids learn to drum at School of Rock Los Angeles

Drum Lessons for All Skill Levels

Beginner Drum Lessons for Kids

School of Rock Venice 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 Venice we combine private drum lessons for beginners with weekly band rehearsals—it prepares students to perform live. With years of experience teaching drums in Los Angeles, 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 Venice, 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 Los Angeles. Unlike other Los Angeles 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 Venice, our drum lessons are customized for each student and his or her goals. Our Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles

Singing Lessons for All Skill Levels

Beginner Singing Lessons for Kids

School of Rock Venice 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 Venice, 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 Venice 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 Venice, 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 Los Angeles.

Kid learns to play bass at School of Rock Los Angeles

Bass Lessons for All Skill Levels

Beginner Bass Lessons for Kids

School of Rock Venice 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 Los Angeles 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 Venice, 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 Los Angeles 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 Venice, 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 Los Angeles

Keyboard Lessons for All Skill Levels

Beginner Keyboard Lessons for Kids

At School of Rock we teach differently than other music schools in Los Angeles. 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 Venice, 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 Los Angeles 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 Venice Adult Program puts beginner keyboard students in a band. Adult Program students in the Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles 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 Venice, 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 Los Angeles, 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 Venice’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.

Ryan Schiff
District Manager
Born and raised in Long Island, NY, Ryan began playing guitar at age 13 after seeing the movie "La Bamba" about rock legend Ritchie Valens. He studied with Grammy-nominated guitarist Steve Briody for several years before starting his own projects and soon became an instructor himself. While still in New York, his band Code Anchor independently released several EPs and one full-length album, "Rosada," while touring extensively nationwide from 2005-2009. A co-writer in the band, Ryan also played lead and rhythm guitar while singing lead and backup vocals. Memorable stages include the Vans Warped Tour at Nassau Coliseum and headlining bills at some of New York City's greatest venues like CBGBs and The Knitting Factory. It was during this time that Ryan began teaching at School of Rock in Melville, NY. Hungry to pursue new musical ventures, Ryan departed from Code Anchor and moved to Los Angeles in 2009. Since then, he's been busy writing, producing and performing with his newest project, Lou Pine. As a Sony/ATV artist, Lou Pine’s music has been featured on television shows like “Chicago Fire,” “Gordon Ramsay’s The F Word,” and “Food Paradise." Ryan enjoys playing every genre including jazz, funk, country and folk, but credits the blues and rock n' roll as his main influences.
Regional Manager, General Manager Justin Salmons
Justin Salmons
Regional Manager, General Manager
Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, but raised in Dallas, Texas, Justin has been a music aficionado since elementary school. Inspired by his cousin's ability to riff on a Les Paul as a kid, Justin finally picked up the guitar himself at the age of 13. Initially a rocker, his thirst for a deeper understanding of the inner workings of guitar and music led him to a more diverse repertoire and a greater knowledge of music theory.

Taking advantage of the immense blues, jazz, country, and R&B culture that Texas had to offer, Justin broadened his influences and musical understanding, quickly becoming an old soul in a young body. This led to performing and recording with artists such as Nokie Edwards of The Ventures and Dave Bartholomew, songwriter for Fats Domino, as well as hip-hop legend the D.O.C., and Texas country legends The Light Crust Doughboys, which eventually led to a Grammy nomination in Southern Gospel.

After graduating from the University of North Texas in 2007 and feeling the limitations of Texas, Justin relocated to Los Angeles in 2010. Justin began teaching at School of Rock West LA in 2011 and was promoted to Music Director in 2014. Justin was promoted again to General Manager in 2018 and continues to be dedicated to enriching lives through performance-based music education.
Assistant General Manager, Vocal Teacher Justine Markman
Justine Markman
Assistant General Manager, Vocal Teacher
Justine Markman is a School of Rock transplant. She was originally a voice/guitar/keys student at School of Rock Chatham in New Jersey and was a member of their House Band for three years. She then taught lessons, rehearsals, and Little Wing there and at School of Rock Clark. She is a former voice principal and songwriting major at Berklee College of Music.

Justine is a nationally touring solo artist, who did two full runs on the Vans Warped Tour. Currently, she is a touring and recording solo artist and touring keyboardist for the punk band Crooked Teeth.
Music Director, Drum Teacher Jacob Somerscales
Jacob Somerscales
Music Director, Drum Teacher
Jacob Somerscales is a drummer, DJ, producer, and ethnomusicologist. Growing up in a city as rich in musical history as St. Louis, Jacob saw no other option than to engulf himself in rhythms and embark on his own musical journey. Jacob’s learning focused greatly on practical diversity of knowledge—recognizing the value of studying all musical styles that come his way—a skill that has taken his music to clubs, studios, and large-scale music festivals across the country.

Apart from teaching private students of all ages and abilities, Jacob regularly guest lectures at public and private universities on music culture and history, and he previously served for three years as Musical Director for the University of Missouri’s diversity orientation initiative, Talking Drum.

In all of his musical endeavors, Jacob seeks to express powerful, dynamic stories and share those feelings with his peers, audiences, and students. His approach to life always bears the reverence and wisdom of a jazz drummer and the flair and presence of a crate-digging DJ.
T. Alex Budrow
Drum Teacher
Alex Budrow started out in the basement with a passion at 11 years old, like many drummers, and has pursued that through today. He began playing professionally by age 17 and has been studying and playing music for 18 years. He attended The New England Institute of Art and McNally Smith College of Music and got a BA in Audio Media Technology and AP Percussion Performance. His experience as an educator began while still attending NEIA, guest lecturing on Drum Set Production and Performance, which led to teaching private lessons. A position as Music Director for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Dorchester in Boston, MA followed soon after. As a drummer pursuing his calling, Alex has performed countless shows, covering a vast spectrum of musical styles. His recording credits boast the same variety. Some of these recordings have even cracked local radio markets. These accomplishments only strengthen his commitment to the daily discipline of a professional musician. Alex believes the experience of music is for everyone. His approach to teaching is a balanced mix of inspiration and diligence designed to take the student where they want to go in their pursuit of a musical life.
Drum Teacher Drama Wyatt
Drama Wyatt
Drum Teacher
Born and raised in Los Angeles, California in a musical family, Drama has been around music her entire life and started playing guitar at the age of 8. However, it was when she was 14 years old and started playing the drums that she found her true passion for being a musician. She started taking lessons and enrolled at School of Rock West LA and has been playing ever since.

School of Rock has given Drama many amazing opportunities, such as learning how to play and interact with other musicians, as well as the chance to play legendary venues including Whiskey a Go Go and the Troubadour with rock & roll Hall of Fame member Jackson Browne.

Drama currently attends the Musicians Institute in Hollywood. She has played in several bands and currently plays drums for various singer-songwriters around town and writes her own material. Drama appreciates an array of genres but prefers to play hard rock and alternative rock. Some of her favorite bands include Foo Fighters, The Strokes, Royal Blood, and Marmozets. She continues to strive to be a better musician every day and works very hard towards her goal of becoming a nationwide touring musician.
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Singing Teacher Amin Mortada
Amin Mortada
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Vocal Teacher
Amin Mortada is a professional guitarist, bassist, and vocalist. He has performed at notable music festivals such as The Governor's Ball and Warped Tour. He has played alongside world class musicians including Victor Wooten and Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty. He is a graduate of Berklee College of Music where he also studied songwriting and music business. He has several years of teaching experience in addition to his position as Music Director at School of Rock, Watertown. He is a lover of all music and has taught everything from Metal to Jazz to Pop.
Singing Teacher Candice Ferguson
Candice Ferguson
Vocal Teacher
Candice was raised in Houston, TX and started her music journey at a young age as a member of a gospel group. After the gospel group disbanded, she continued her musical pursuit as an R&B solo artist and moved to Atlanta, GA where she continued writing and recording music while having the opportunity to work with Grammy-nominated writers and producers. During her time in Atlanta, she performed the National Anthem at the NASCAR Nationwide Series, around the city, and in neighboring states. She vocal trained for several years at Jan Smith Studios, one of the top vocal studios that trained successful artists such as Justin Bieber, Usher, Drake, and more. Now living in LA, she continues pursuing her passion for music and has performed the National Anthem for various professional sports organizations such as the NBA, NHL, and the WNBA. She is currently a vocal/performance coach, and works in A&R and Artist Development at EDGEOUT Records/Universal Music Group.
Piano Teacher Michael Campanelli
Michael Campanelli
Piano Teacher
Michael is a singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer from Portland, OR. He is a proficient vocalist, keyboardist, guitarist, bassist, drummer and percussionist. His love for music began shortly after starting classical piano lessons at age 7 when he realized he could write and record original songs using his piano skills and Garageband on his brother's laptop. This love led him to learn other instruments, produce original music and play in bands throughout middle and high school - and finally to studying music in college. Currently, he is in his last semester at the University of Southern California studying Popular Music Performance and Music Production under their legendary faculty.

When he’s not studying or practicing, he writes and produces music of many different styles and has released songs, amassing millions of streams. Additionally, he is a professional session musician. Among his session work, he is most proud of his keyboards on Lucky Daye’s song “Used to Be” off the album “Candy Drip.” Michael is extremely excited to share his love and knowledge of creating music with the talented students at the School of Rock!!
Eli Sokolow Guitar Teacher, Bass Teacher
Eli Sokolow
Guitar Teacher, Bass Teacher
Eli is a multi-instrumentalist, producer, and songwriter. Having begun his musical journey attending a Radiohead concert in the womb (true story), music has been the centerpiece of his life from the start. Since the age of five, he has shared the stage with everyone from childhood friends to Slash. Eli studied music production under producer Daniel Jimenez Afanador, graduating from school early to tour with his band. In the last few years, he’s grown as a music educator and producer/songwriter with work ranging from major label EDM acts to indie rock bands. Eli’s instruction focuses on applying concepts through song and keeping the path of progress directed by the student’s goals and musical passions.
Drum Teacher Antonio Fungairino
Antonio Fungairino
Drum Teacher
Antonio Fungairino has been playing drums for over 13 years. A former student of School of Rock, Antonio was an active member of the House Band and a two-year AllStar. Along with participating in the Philadelphia house show scene, he taught drums and ran summer camps at School of Rock over breaks between college semesters. He has played drums on many musical projects over the years, ranging from sludge metal to prog to folk-rock to shoegaze. He graduated with a degree in film from Temple University in 2021 and promptly moved to Los Angeles to pursue filmmaking.

Some of Antonio's favorite artists include King Crimson, Kendrick Lamar, Weezer, Frank Zappa, Prince, Kanye West, Palm, Jeff Rosenstock, Bruce Springsteen, Fun, Duke Deuce, Pharoah Sanders, and Pig Destroyer!
Assistant Music Director, Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher Bobby Danzi
Bobby Danzi
Assistant Music Director, Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Originally from Long Island, New York, Bobby had an early obsession with all things music. After picking up the guitar when he was 11 years old, he soon found himself writing and recording his own songs.

Bobby went on to attend Berklee College of Music from 2014-2018, where he graduated with a degree in music production and engineering. Since college, he has worked in both Nashville and Los Angeles as a guitarist and recording engineer across a wide variety of genres. With a personal focus on alternative, hard rock, and progressive rock, Bobby leads two bands in LA, including his main project, Deer Pilot, in which he is the primary writer and performer.
Singing Teacher Mykel Pay
Mykel Pay
Vocal Teacher
Mykel is an independent artist and songwriter who trained in musical theater (at the Utah Conservatory of Performing Arts) for 11 years before venturing into the pop/songwriting world in Los Angeles at just 19 years old. She received her education through UCLA Extension's Independent Music Production program and spent six years doing studio, writing, and performance work in the city. She has written for herself as well as TV shows and movies featured on Hulu, Amazon Prime, Lifetime, and Bravo Network.

Mykel’s private vocal training spans multiple styles/methods. This allows her to prioritize overall strengthening and control of the voice as opposed to a genre-specific approach, which increases the versatility and vocal longevity of her students. She has taught vocal lessons privately for five years and cannot wait to infuse the School of Rock student community with her love of creativity, self-expression, and vocal excellence!
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher Parker Goessling
Parker Goessling
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Parker Goessling was born in Duluth, Minnesota, and began playing guitar at the age of 9 after being introduced to classic rock through the likes of The Who’s “Substitute” and the opening riff to Led Zeppelin’s “Communication Breakdown.”

After moving to Boston to attend Berklee College of Music, Parker toured with New York-based jam band Baked Goods and contributed guitar to their 2017 EP, A Vivid Hallucination.

Upon returning to Boston, Parker began working as an in-demand guitarist in the New England area for local artists and function bands, performing live with Houston Bernard and Kellan Donavan along with contributing guitars to albums by Erin Bonnie, Don’t Call Me Tina, and Bill Moody, among others. He relocated to Los Angeles in late 2022 to pursue further musical opportunities.
Keyboard + Piano Teacher Gabriella Hirsch
Gabriella Hirsch
Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Gabriella is a musician (piano, guitar, voice) and composer/lyricist for film, TV, and theater. She loves teaching students of all ages and abilities. Gaby earned her master's degree in Music Composition: Screen-Scoring at NYU, and a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance and Music Therapy from the University of Miami. She has taught piano lessons and a wide range of instrument and ensemble classes at community music schools over the past decade.

Gabriella has performed at festivals, venues, and events in Chicago (Sleeping Village, Red Bull Music Presents Xicago, the Neo-Futurists Theater, iO Chicago), New York (The Duplex, The Center), and Miami (Miami Music Festival). Her songs and scores have been heard at the Vancouver International Film Festival, Hollywood and Edinburgh Fringe Festivals, Chicago Musical Theatre Festival, Toronto International Women Film Festival, Lisboa Indie Film Festival, and more.
Guitar Teacher Sean Marcelin
Sean Marcelin
Guitar Teacher
Growing up in Miami, Florida, Sean Marcelin has been surrounded by music his whole life; he has been playing guitar for over 15 years, alongside piano, bass, saxophone, percussion, and more. Sean is a fan of most genres of music but consistently finds himself listening to rock: classic, progressive, alternative, soft, hard, experimental, you name it.

Sean has been playing in and leading bands since high school and throughout his time at Berklee College of Music (‘23). Now, after making a home in Venice, CA, he’s ready to bring his passion for music to School of Rock students!
Keyboard + Piano Teacher Xander Burmer
Xander Burmer
Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Xander is a seasoned live performer and lifelong musician. As a child, he was classically trained on the piano for 12 years. Then as a teenager, he also picked up guitar and soon started playing in local bands. Shortly after his 21st birthday, Xander left on his first full U.S. tour playing keys in a piano rock band. He then toured for half a decade, including multiple trips across the U.S. and Japan, as well as an Armed Forces Entertainment tour through Southeast Asia. He played festivals like SXSW, had placements on MTV reality shows, and live radio performances on Seattle’s 106.1 KISS FM.

After his tenure on the road, Xander relocated to Los Angeles, where he has continued to hone his musical crafts while playing locally with multiple bands spanning many genres over the years. With a particular focus on the piano and keys, guitar, and bass, he is an active live performer, session musician, and instructor in the area.
Vocal Teacher Curt Harpel
Curt Harpel
Vocal Teacher
Curt is a seasoned singer, producer, composer, and voice teacher. He has a strong foundation in music, including studies at the Manhattan School of Music and the Santa Fe Opera, plus vocal training with notable coaches.

Curt is a multi-talented musician. He holds a degree in Music Production and is proficient in piano, guitar, and bass. His career highlights include Broadway tours, producing music for movie trailers, and composing original music for films. His work has been featured in popular TV shows, and he has won an award at the Sundance Film Festival.

As a voice teacher, Curt shares his expertise and passion for rock music with aspiring young vocalists, making a lasting impact on the School of Rock Venice community.
Vocal Teacher Dakota Luna
Dakota Luna
Vocal Teacher
Dakota Luna is a vocalist, songwriter, educator, musician, and a graduate of UCLA’s Herb Alpert School of Music with a degree in Ethnomusicology. Beginning in professional musical theater at age 7, she has been performing for over a decade in a variety of settings: as a solo artist, leader of her own band, backup vocalist, and member of a variety of ensembles, choirs, musicals, and a cappella groups.

Dakota studied Vocal Music for four years at Oakland School for The Arts where she received comprehensive training in vocal technique, jazz, classical, and pop/R&B repertoire, music theory and aural skills, and composition. During her time at OSA, she was a member of the award-winning a cappella group Vocal Rush and had the chance to perform alongside award-winning artists such as Daveed Diggs, Dave Grohl, Wilson Heredia, and Ryan Tedder. During college, Dakota began performing with her own band around LA to audiences of up to 6,000 people. As an Ethnomusicology major, she has sung a range of styles including Balkan Folk Music, Mariachi, Iranian Avaz, Brazilian Samba, Afro-Latin Jazz, Gospel, and Klezmer (as the lead singer for UCLA’s Gluck Fellowship Klezmer Ensemble).

Along with performing, teaching has been Dakota's long-standing passion. With over five years of experience teaching music to K-12 students, she has taught everything from guitar and piano to voice, musical theater, music theory, and songwriting. She is excited by music’s ability to encourage confidence, community, joy, identity, and passion in young students! Dakota believes that teaching all genres, eras, and traditions of music, especially styles that students are excited about and feel represented in, is the best way to keep students learning and playing music for a lifetime!
Keyboard + Piano Teacher CJ Maus
CJ Maus
Keyboard + Piano Teacher
CJ Maus is a trumpet and keys player, DJ, producer, and lover of hardware synthesizers. His musical journey started on keys at the age of 8, after listening to his mom play Andrew Lloyd Webber and other show tunes on their home piano. CJ eventually picked up the guitar with dreams of being a rock star and spent several years leading his worship band and learning classic rock tunes in his basement. In high school, he found the joys of improvisation through jazz as a trumpet player and pivoted his focus to trumpet and jazz studies at the University of Missouri, Columbia.

In everything he plays, CJ seeks to embrace self-expression and explore the role of technology in the creative process—often incorporating guitar pedals in his trumpet playing and custom synth patches on keys. As an arranger and supporting musician, he enjoys helping artists find new ways of expressing their musical vision both on the stage and in their recordings. CJ continues to perform, write, and record with artists across the local LA scene.
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher Zach Zito
Zach Zito
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Zach Zito is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, composer, and audio producer. He is a guitar teacher and bass guitar teacher at the School of Rock in Venice, California.

Having grown up around an enriching artistic environment in St. Louis, MO, Zach naturally fell into these creative roles at a young age. With the influence of like-minded friends and his father, also a professional musician, he has been performing for over 17 years. It has led to many amazing musical projects and experiences around the globe, from Moscow to Los Angeles.

Zach currently resides in the LA area where he performs and writes music professionally, edits podcasts, and is an amateur ecologist, volunteering his time with local environmental organizations educating others on the importance of biodiversity.
Studio Coordinator Phoebe Randall
Phoebe Randall
Studio Coordinator
Born and raised under the blazing Arizona sun, yet somehow incapable of absorbing vitamin D, Phoebe Randall has loved and valued music since she got her hands on a Hello Kitty boombox and her very first CD—a Britany Spears album she won at Dave and Busters.

Phoebe loves to sing, and has been trying to learn guitar for years, but just can’t get those barre chords down. She graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in Art Studies, focusing primarily on animation. She loves how animation is a marriage of moving images and sound, the two made more impactful together than apart.

Phoebe loves that music alone can transport us to worlds of our creation, and she believes strongly in the therapeutic power of listening to and playing music. Phoebe will often be found listening to her favorite artists while she draws, goes on a hike, or while she’s brushing her teeth. She very much looks forward to supporting you on your uniquely beautiful artistic journey!
Studio Coordinator T'Shommie Tyler
T'Shommie Tyler
Studio Coordinator
T’Shommie was born and raised in Miami, Florida to a musical Caribbean family, and has been obsessed with music ever since. Prime memories include loud family parties every weekend and—to provide a sense of nostalgia—purchasing a platinum blonde Miley Cyrus Hannah Montana wig, wearing it in public, and performing.

T’Shommie later moved to Houston and then relocated to California where she attended Cal State LA. She was the first in her family to receive her graduate degree. T’Shommie loves the music and entertainment business and creative movement (aka dancing). Channeling her instrumentation, her first love was the drums, but she couldn’t quite practice snare the consistency of it. Next up was the guitar, and the same thing there. She’ll come around one day.

Some of T’Shommie’s favorite artists and bands include Janis Joplin, Earth, Wind & Fire, Cream, Dijon, Yebba, Metallica, Selena, and Machel Montano. She's excited to be a part of the School of Rock Venice team!
Drum Teacher Joey Marcello
Joey Marcello
Drum Teacher
Starting his professional drumming career at the age of 16, Joey Marcello has performed for a wide array of ensembles, musicals, studio sessions, and bands. Growing up in a small town in upstate New York, Joey taught himself how to play drums, bass, guitar, and piano from a young age, frequently writing and recording his own songs and burning them onto CDs with his hand-me-down Tascam Portastudio.

Following his love for songwriting and performance, Joey studied at Berklee College of Music where he performed with high-achieving ensembles such as Tia Fuller's Rainbow All Stars Jazz Ensemble and Boston-based pop group BLUSH. He has also released over fifty independent studio records since 2020 covering a variety of genres. Now based in LA, Joey performs frequently with indie rock band Membership and enjoys making music with everyone he meets.
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

A great place to explore music.

School of Rock is a great place for kids to enjoy exploring rock and playing music. My nephew loves it!

School of Rock makes practicing fun!

School of Rock has a philosophy of getting their students straight to playing by picking out simple songs to play immediately. This, together with a group of teachers who know how to light the fire of enthusiasm in their students, makes a winning strategy.

Knowledgeable and fun staff!

We recently signed up my son for drum lessons and Rock 101 here and we're loving it! The staff is incredibly knowledgable, helpful and fun! My son can't wait to get going and play in a band soon.

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