Dave
Owner, Director of Music Operations, Drums Teacher
Dave's passion for music and performing developed at a very early age. His musical journey began in grade school when he joined both concert and marching band, and he soon bought his first drum kit at age 12, growing his passion for rock music. He continued in both performance groups throughout grade school and college at Western Illinois University. This journey then grew as Dave and his best friend and School of Rock coworker Adam Instefjord started a band that specialized in 90s punk rock covers. Dave and Adam also write, produce, and record their own original music and continue to release albums.
Currently, Dave is playing with multiple Chicago-land area bands. He is a founding member of the Chicago punk rock trio The Mizzerables, who have released their third album "Whatever... This Sucks." One of the projects that takes up most of Dave’s time is The Student Body, a high-energy rock cover band that specializes in party rock anthems. You can catch The Student Body at festivals, casinos, weddings, corporate events, and more. Dave currently teaches drum lessons at the School of Rock in Oak Park and is the Music Director for the School of Rock Glenbrook in Glenbrook.
Erica
General Manager
Erica grew up in Michigan and her passion for music began at a young age when her mom and two older sisters were constantly playing classic and 80’s rock records in their home. This eventually led to an obsession with MTV and music videos as a kid and then attending tons of rock shows and festivals as a teen and adult. After graduating from Western Michigan University with a Bachelor’s degree, she started her career in Project Management and Technology Sales, working her way up through several global IT organizations. Then in 2014, Erica was introduced to School of Rock when her now fiancé, Dave, who is also the Music Director in Glenbrook, invited her to attend a School of Rock performance that he directed in Oak Park.
Ever since then, she has been inspired by the extraordinary talent and continued growth of the kids, and has wanted to be part of the sense of belonging and community that School of Rock brings to everyone involved. Erica was lucky enough to have the opportunity to make a career change and recently joined the School of Rock family as the General Manager of Glenbrook. She is so excited to be surrounded by music everyday and to potentially make a difference in the lives of young musicians! Outside of work, Erica enjoys traveling the globe, hiking, gardening, hanging out with her French Bulldog Silvio Dante, true crime books and podcasts, and of course, going to as many rock shows as possible!
Adam
Owner, Regional Director
Adam is a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter from the Northwest suburbs of Chicago. He first picked up a guitar at the age of 12, immediately started his first band in the eighth grade and has been performing both locally and nationally ever since. Over the years he has decided to expand his musical prowess and learned how to sing, play bass guitar and drums. Another concentration that Adam has pursued is audio recording and production. He chose to continue his education at The Recording Workshop in Chillicothe, OH, where he received certification in Audio Recording and Production.
Adam currently plays in multiple bands, including playing bass and singing in Chicago-based cover-band The Student Body. Adam started his career at School of Rock Oak Park in 2013. He started his tenure as an instructor, was promoted to Music Director and is now the Regional Director of both School of Rock Oak Park and School of Rock Glenbrook. During his years with us, he has taught guitar, bass guitar and production, directed countless shows, taught Rock 101 and Rock 201, and taught Project Studio and Oak Park’s House Band.
Amy
Owner
Amy is a former corporate marketer and the owner of School of Rock Oak Park and School of Rock Glenbrook. Starting at an early age, Amy recognized a tension between art and business. It began when her doctor dad left his medical practice to pursue a career in art and her stay-at-home mom went off to law school and started her own successful career. As a result, Amy has spent most of her work life blending the two sides, building her career in sales and marketing at Blue Cross and Blue Shield and, at the same time, pursuing artistic interests. While she developed her business skills in web marketing, sales strategy and technology adoption, she also hosted art shows, crafted and sold jewelry in local boutiques and galleries, and generally sought opportunities that would enable her to marry her business skills with her love of art. When her daughter, at the time only 12 years old, attended summer camp at School of Rock Chicago, Amy suggested that they should consider opening a school in Oak Park. Amy learned that School of Rock was a franchise opportunity and a light bulb went off. She knew that she would be the person to make it happen. In early December 2012, Amy and her ever-supportive husband, Bob, converted a 50-year-old combination warehouse and office building into the vibrant home of School of Rock Oak Park. After having built the largest School of Rock in the world in Oak Park, she is setting her sights on bringing the same magic, energy, and passion to the communities of Northbrook and Glenview with School of Rock Glenbrook.
Chris A.
Drum Teacher
Chris is a drummer/percussionist based in Chicago. He holds a degree in Music Education from Western Illinois University and teaches percussion ensemble, marching drumline, and private lessons at various schools throughout the Chicagoland area.
In addition to his teaching, Chris keeps a busy performance and recording schedule. He can regularly be seen performing with groups ranging in styles from jazz, country, singer-songwriter, indie pop, punk, metal, hard rock, and classical.
Christina
Music Director, Vocal Teacher
Christina is so excited to be part of the School of Rock community. She grew up on '70s classics and R&B, gained an appreciation for classical music through her grandparents, and was a teenager in the '80s, which says it all right there. From the coffee table “stage” with a hairbrush mic, where she sang to the imagined packed arena, to the stage with live humans, Christina took every chance she could to sing in choirs, as the lead in her high school musical, and was classically trained through high school. That training served her well and, meshed with her rock voice, created a National Anthem range. She has sung at major and minor league games. She sang in the church choir for 10 years and currently serves as a sound healer.
Christina teaches yoga and has come to discover how breathing techniques and physical poses contribute to an increased breath capacity overall, improving performance.
Over the last 20 years, Christina has performed in small local bands. Her influences include the powerhouses of Janis Joplin, Susan Tedeschi, Linda Ronstadt, and Joanna Cotten. Current projects include The Island of Misfit Toys and her newest project, Christina Michelle & the Badass Muthas, both with friends in the Grad School program. She has also recently begun learning guitar. Music is where she is meant to be. It is Home. Christina has discovered how to become one with the music, because it lives in her soul.
Kyle
Guitar Teacher
Kyle was captivated by music at a very young age, listening for hours with his father to the artists of XRT. Inspired by the rock ‘n roll of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, he picked up a guitar and took lessons throughout his childhood. In high school, it was the attitude and rebellious nature of pop punk bands like blink-182 that led him to form a band with his friends and begin performing music for others. Being a quiet natured kid from the suburbs, the stage allowed him a platform of self expression unlike any other. He pursued this creative outlet in college, earning a degree in Music Performance from Columbia College Chicago. It was here that he first heard The Beatles’ Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, forever expanding his conceptions of music and songwriting. Since then, music has continued to be a central part of Kyle’s life, whether it was repairing and building stringed instruments, or performing the sounds of funk, soul and Motown with the Chicago based Second Hand Soul Band. Now a guitar and bass instructor at School of Rock, he is excited to share his lifelong passion with others.
Charley
Drums Teacher
Charley is an active percussionist, drummer, and educator in the Chicagoland area. He currently performs as a percussionist with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and spent the 2019-21 seasons playing with The Orchestra Now (TON) in New York. He’s performed in prestigious venues across the country including Carnegie Hall, Jordan Hall, Boston Symphony Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Chicago Symphony's Orchestra Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Charley comes from a family of musicians and started studying music at the age of 5, and started on drums at age 8. He went on to study major in music, graduating from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY with a Bachelor of Music degree in 2017 and from the New England Conservatory in Boston, MA with a Master of Music degree in 2019. As an educator, Charley believes in creating a fun, safe, and creative environment for all students to learn how to use two pieces of wood to express their musical voices. Charley is a drum teacher at School of Rock Glenbrook in Northbrook, IL.
Bryan
Guitar Teacher
Bryan has been playing the guitar since 2004 and specializes in genres ranging from rock & roll, country, western, funk, and jazz. His musical heroes include Derek Trucks, Trey Anastasio, and Jack Johnson for their abilities not only as guitar players and songwriters but also for their positive influences on the communities surrounding them.
Bryan followed his passion for music into adulthood by majoring in Contemporary, Urban & Popular Music at Columbia College Chicago, a track that covers music industry facets like theory, performance, business, and writing and production. Bryan has performed with several bands and has real-world experience touring around the country with these groups, as well as teaching group and private lessons.
As an instructor, he believes anybody with enthusiasm, patience, and a willingness to practice can become a great musician. Bryan is currently returning to school, seeking a degree in Psychology. He hopes it will help him understand how our creative minds understand and learn music and other art forms. Bryan is an advanced guitar teacher at School of Rock in Northbrook, IL.
Alex K.
Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Alex has been playing music since the age of 9, starting with piano lessons for three years before taking up the saxophone. He took every chance he could to play music with others, which gave him experience playing many different styles of music. While studying both classical and jazz music, Alex also performed with a variety of bands ranging from funk to bluegrass, ska, blues, and more.
Alex graduated from Columbia College Chicago in 2014 with a B.A. in Music, where he worked with many renowned musicians, including Lee Konitz, Benny Golson, Kevin Eubanks, Gerald Clayton, and Barry Harris. Since then, he has gone on to release an album with The Giving Trio, featuring some of his own original compositions, as well as play and collaborate with various musicians around Chicago. Currently, Alex is the saxophonist for the soul and funk band The Heavy Sounds.
When he is not playing music, you can likely find Alex playing chess or other board games, or reading the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. Alex is an advanced keyboard teacher at School of Rock in Northbrook, IL!
Kianna C.
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Ki (they/them) is a musician, producer, and performer whose passion for music has taken them around the world. After first picking up the guitar at 16, they quickly discovered how music can inspire, connect, and empower. Since then, Ki has toured with the country-rock band Delta Rae, performed with an all-star Prince tribute band in Nashville, and played stages from the U.S. to China, Vietnam, Qatar, and the UAE. After years on the road, they returned home to study at Berklee College of Music, deepening their craft and creative vision.
At School of Rock Glenbrook, Ki aims to bring that same spirit of connection into the classroom, helping students find their voice, build confidence, and discover the joy of performing live. As an artist and trans musician, they’re passionate about creating spaces where everyone can express themselves fully and feel seen through music.
When they’re not teaching or performing, Ki likes to hang out with their cat, Otis, write music, collaborate with other artists, and support trans and queer musicians as Associate Producer for T4T Open Mic.
Chris K.
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Studio Coordinator
Chris moved from West Virginia years ago to pursue a music career in Chicago. In that time, he has covered ground in many genres including rock, metal, traditional, folk, jazz, fusion, and electronic music. Having studied music composition at Columbia College Chicago for his first two and a half years in the city, Chris has studied with many of Chicago's finest musicians and has appeared with acts such as Can I Get an Amen string band and soul/pop singer Sarita Songbird.
Chris has diverse musical interests and a strong dedication to preserving music history while not allowing the past to inhibit the future. He has years of experience teaching guitar and bass guitar, and directing shows at School of Rock Oak Park and adds Studio Coordinator to his role at School of Rock Glenbrook in Northbrook, IL.
Nick L.
Drum Teacher
Nick grew up in the Twin Cities and quickly became an active member of the area's youth music scene after picking up drums at the age of 11. He was admitted to Northwestern University in 2021 for Jazz Performance, where he quickly became involved in student bands in the area. In 2022, he made the switch to a Music Education major to pursue his love of teaching music to others. He is still pursuing this degree today, along with a degree in Political Science.
As someone who began learning drumset in a similar setting, Nick truly believes in the performance-based methods at School of Rock. He hopes to synthesize his formal music education training and his experience as a student, learner, performer, and human to create well-rounded musicians who can play and have fun with others! Nick teaches drums at the School of Rock in Northbrook, IL.
Jack A.
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar, Vocal Teacher
Jack grew up in Saint Joseph, Michigan, and found his interest in music beginning with the songwriting of the Beatles, the jingling guitar of Buddy Holly, and the raw energy of Jimi Hendrix. Jack began performing regionally as "St. Joe Jack" as a teenager and has remained productive in the Michigan music scene since 2014.
Jack attended Grand Valley State University where he studied classical and jazz guitar. He took some time off from college to pursue his music career in 2019 and embarked on an ambitious tour to play at 100 different breweries in 100 days across the Midwest and Canada! Since completing this journey in 2020, Jack has been regularly performing between Chicagoland and Michigan while earning his bachelor's degree from GVSU.
Currently, Jack finds deep inspiration in the soulful grooves of Stevie Wonder, the complex improvisation of Grateful Dead, Phish, and Charlie Parker, and the grassroots of guitar heroes like Django Reinhardt and Billy Strings. Outside of music, he has over four years of experience as a certified ski instructor at Cannonsburg Ski Area and Breckenridge, Colorado! Jack now teaches guitar and bass at the School of Rock Glenbrook to meld his two passions of music and teaching together to share with his students and colleagues.
Holly B.
Vocal Teacher
Holly Beemer was born into a music-loving family in Gurnee, IL, where she started singing before she could walk! As a little girl, she listened and sang along to anything from John Denver to Iron Maiden, Lynyrd Skynyrd to Green Day, Led Zeppelin to Carrie Underwood. After majoring in English for her 1st year of college, she transferred to Lawrence University in Appleton, WI. There, she majored in music for vocal performance and started training classically with Estelí Gomez, a multiple Grammy Award-winning musician.
It was also at Lawrence that she gained an interest in music therapy and community outreach performance. She graduated with a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance in June of 2023. She has extensive experience in stage performance and working with others and has a passion for inspiring younger generations to cultivate a life filled with music and art. She also looks forward to pursuing her Music Therapy Board Certification remotely starting in August. Holly is a vocal teacher at School of Rock in Northbrook, IL.
Mathieu M.
Vocals Teacher
Mathieu Mieling's musical path has always been about breaking stereotypes, combining genres, and never saying no to new experiences! Mathieu started out as a classical pianist, learning the instrument starting at the age of four. Beginning with Contemporary Christian music as he grew up performing at church as a Pianist, Vocalist, and Aux Percussionist, it wasn't long until Mathieu started experimenting with Jazz and Soul music. Learning to play Alto Saxophone, he dug deeper into more soulful music in his high school and college years.
Mathieu broke into the Chicago scene primarily as a Jazz Vocalist, and zsince then has been performing all over the Chicagoland area. Currently, Mathieu is working on his debut album which blends the genres of Jazz, Rock, Soul, and Christian music. Mathieu is a vocal teacher at School of Rock Glenbrook.
Ethan R.
Drums Teacher
Ethan Reinbach, a drummer from Fryeburg, Maine, discovered his passion for rhythm early on. Guided by NYC-based drummer Bill Mead, Ethan honed his skills before venturing to Chicago for a Bachelor of Music degree at Columbia College. Immersed in the city's diverse music scene, he showcased his versatility by collaborating with various artists and bands, including Aisle Five, Kahil El’Zabar, Anessa Rivera, Kacie Brown, and Mara Luna.
Ethan's electrifying performances graced renowned venues like The Metro, Bottom Lounge, Raven Room, and Martyrs. Having just graduated from Columbia in spring 2024, Ethan looks forward to leaving his unique imprint on the music industry, which includes teaching at School of Rock Glenbrook.
Ted S.
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Ted is a guitarist, bassist, and music producer dedicated to helping students discover their unique musical voice. Growing up surrounded by music, he was inspired by his older brother to start playing guitar. His earliest influences came from rock legends like Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, and Eric Clapton, and over time he expanded his musical palette to include styles as diverse as traditional Irish music and modern electronic music.
In his teaching, Ted emphasizes fun, patience, and personal growth—not just as a musician, but as a human being. He believes music is both a craft and a way to connect more deeply with ourselves and others. His goal is to make learning music inspiring and enjoyable, while equipping students with the skills they need to succeed on their own musical journey. He works with students of all levels, from complete beginners to advanced musicians refining their craft.
Through his solo project Osis, Ted blends electronic music with live rock guitar, performing at festivals and concerts across the country. He brings this real-world experience as both a writer and performer directly into the lesson room, offering students a unique perspective shaped by both creativity and professional artistry. Ted teaches guitar and bass guitar at School of Rock Glenbrook.
Reeder V.
Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Reeder began playing music at five years old, taking classical piano lessons at church in a small town. Over time writing music and improvisation became increasingly more important to him, which led to learning songs by ear, teaching himself to play guitar and drums, and ultimately an interest in recording music. He went on to attend the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, and earned a Bachelor of Science in Audio Engineering and Sound Production.
Currently, Reeder is a freelance recording engineer, producer, and session musician working with artists from Bloomington, Indiana and Chicago primarily. He has played keyboards for Chicago based band "Westhead" consistently since 2022, and keys for Bloomington, IN based band "Slug Rug" since 2023. In addition, Reeder writes and releases his own music as "Brick Lancaster."
As an educator, he cares deeply about developing a students' voice on their instrument and sharing his love of listening to music. Reeder is a Keyboard + Piano Teacher at School of Rock Glenbrook.