Abby K.
General Manager
Abby fell in love with rock n' roll when she first heard Elvis Presley at age 5 and played guitar as a child. As an adult, she worked as a dental office coordinator before switching to part-time work at School of Rock. As a studio coordinator, she combined her office coordinating experience and love of music.
Abby quickly joined our Adult Program, refreshing her guitar experience while learning bass and vocals. After falling in love with the school, she became determined to make it the best community possible for the kids who fell in love with music just like she did. You'll probably see her and her daughter around the school, helping in every way they can! She's now thrilled to be a part of the management team at School of Rock in Oak Park, helping the next music generation grow while refreshing her skills at the same time!
Adam B.
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Adam started performing in bands at age 14. He continued to do so throughout his teenage years and later went on to study music in college. His background and education have equipped him with proficiency in several musical styles, including metal, blues, alternative rock, traditional jazz, and fusion. He is prepared to share his knowledge with the next generation of rockers!
Adam I.
Regional Director
Adam is a self-taught multi-instrumentalist and songwriter. Hailing from the NW suburbs of Chicago, Adam first picked up a guitar around the age of 12. After mastering the art of the power chord, he devoted most of his free time to learning every song on every album he had. As a child of mid-90s punk, those first albums consisted of Green Day, Rancid, Offspring, Weezer, etc. Adam started his first band in the eighth grade and never looked back. He has since learned how to sing, play bass and drums, played countless shows with many bands, spent four years in Los Angbeles and toured the country. Adam also studied Audio Recording and Production at The Recording Workshop in Chillicothe, OH. He is the Regional Director at School of Rock Oak Park and School of Rock Glenbrook.
Al
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Al has been playing and performing music almost since he was old enough to walk. From playing the bass for gospel artist Inez Andrews in the early 70s at the tender of age of 10, to performing in the Chicago all-city jazz ensemble with fellow School of Rock instructor Rafe Bradford in the 80s, his music career began at a young age. Al toured and recorded with Grammy award-winning choir, Rev. Milton Brunson and The Thompson Community Singers. He worked as a Nashville session musician in the 1990s. He has performed with Michael McDonald, Patty Austin, Ali Woodson, Jamie Foxx, Billy Paul and Aretha Franklin. He was formerly the guitarist for The Dells and is now touring and performing with The Isley Brothers.
Amber
Little Wing & Rookies Director, Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Amber is a multi-instrumentalist from Indianapolis, IN. After pursuing a degree in music history and flute performance at Butler University, she relocated to Chicago to teach music.
Amber has been playing flute and guitar for 14 years and has taught private music lessons since 2015. Amber teaches guitar, bass, and oversees our Rookies and Little Wing classes at the School of Rock in Oak Park.
Amy
Owner
Amy is a rocker mom and corporate marketer and the owner of School of Rock Oak Park. Amy has spent most of her work life 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 the 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 converted a 50-year-old combination warehouse and office building into the vibrant home of School of Rock Oak Park.
Annette
Guitar Teacher
Annette grew up in a music loving family and has no earlier childhood memories than of The Beatles, "A Hard Days Night" and Sundays spent cruising the streets of Logan Square with three teenage uncles to the sounds of the British invasion, Motown, Jim, Jimi and Janis. It was to no one's surprise that most of her boyfriends had a guitar strapped to them, and, eventually weary of watching, she picked up an instrument and began playing herself. She has an extensive background in theatre, both performing and producing. Together with her director husband, they founded, built and operated one of the first commercial venues in the Bucktown area- a 100-seat performance space and art gallery. Annette organized and directed a fundraiser concert for her daughter's second grade class performing hits of the 60s, including a medley from "Hair" and was immediately offered a position teaching guitar. Over the past seven years, she has developed her own technique to get even the youngest guitar enthusiasts playing. She's taught hundreds of kids through Park District programs she initiated in Oak Park, River Forest and Elmwood Park as well as privately in her home studio. Annette is the creator of Guitar Cat and has been seen over the years performing with her band of students, The Cat Pack. She couldn't be happier to join School of Rock Oak Park.
Christina
Vocal Teacher
Christina is a vocal teacher at SOR Oak Park. She grew up on 70s classics, R&B, and gained an appreciation for classical music through her grandparents. 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 and local games. Her classical voice also found her singing in the church choir for 10 years. She also currently serves her as a sound healer.
Jim
Piano Teacher, Vocal Instructor
A chance encounter with a ukulele at the tender age of nine launched Jim on a life-long rock and roll adventure. Teenage garage bands in the Arizona desert led to years of touring and recording in musical styles that ranged from rock, blues and R&B to cumbia, salsa and musical theater. Along the way, he has been privileged to work with a number of great artists, including Bonnie Raitt, John Mayall, Bo Diddley, The Four Tops, Bobby 'Blue' Bland, Delbert McClinton, Dallas Taylor, 'Gatemouth' Brown and Luther Allison. During his musical travels, Jim took de-tours to study classical piano, music theory and earn a Masters in Choral Conducting at Arizona State University. Having invested all that time and money in higher education, he switched tracks to a career as a high school and college instructor (though he continued to gig in every city between Tucson and Seattle, as well as in Chicagoland, Europe, Australia and New Zealand). After toiling valiantly for 25 years in classrooms from Berwyn to the border of Mexico, Jim retired from the Latin School of Chicago, and he is thrilled to be returning to his rock roots as a member of the amazing staff at School of Rock Oak Park. In addition to teaching here, he records and performs with his roots-rock band The Hurtin' Kind. His favorite bands are The Beatles and Los Lobos. He loves teaching music to young people.
Ethan
Production Teacher, Drum Teacher
Born in Rhode Island and raised in Oak Park, Illinois, Ethan grew up to rock n’ roll classics and found his place behind a drum kit at 10 years old. While soaking up information from drum magazines between school and private lessons, Ethan began playing in performing bands at the age of 13.
With experience from indie rock to thrash metal to funk grooves, Ethan has a broad range of drumming in several rock bands. He wrote, recorded, and toured with indie rock outfit India By Rail for a couple of years.
After graduating from Columbia College Chicago in 2013 with a degree in audio design and production, Ethan’s career as a music producer and audio engineer has been diverse and has taken him from Chicago to Los Angeles and back. As a producer/DJ, he has worked in all styles of electronic music, hip hop, and pop, and played famous venues like The Metro, Lincoln Hall, and Bottom Lounge.
Ethan served as our Music Director for about three years, while also teaching drum and production lessons. He is currently teaching with us one day a week while he pursues his master's degree in post-production audio at Northwestern.
Hannah
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Vocal Teacher
Hannah is from Minneapolis and has been playing guitar for over a decade. She is a graduate of Columbia College Chicago with a music degree in instrumental performance. Since coming to Chicago in 2018, Hannah has been performing original music and has been playing guitar for artists across a wide variety of genres.
Jennifer
Vocal Teacher
Jennifer is a veteran music director whose imagination and curriculum expertise have helped School of Rock Oak Park become the largest school in the international system. She is a four-time School of Rock AllStar director and has served on content and innovation boards at the corporate level over her many years with the company. Jennifer is a voice teacher who loves coaching students of all levels to perform at their personal best through personalized training, biodynamics and stage prep. As a director, Jennifer challenges players to step out of their comfort zones and develop the skills needed to be free and authentic on stage. Jennifer served as School of Rock Oak Park’s Music Director and developed programming, show seasons and touring groups, and oversaw the artistic direction of the school. As Music Experience Director of the new AMP (Awaken Musical Power) program for team-building, Jennifer aims to offer non-musicians the opportunity to experience the magic of group music through learning to spark breakthroughs of their own. Jennifer holds an M.Phil in Irish Theatre from Trinity College Dublin and a BFA in Acting from Kent State University. She performs regularly with the band 1976 and has a long performing resume that includes musical theater, jazz, roots, rock and punk. She lives in Oak Park with her husband and two kids and spends her free time volunteering and engaged in social justice. She is a vocal instructor at School of Rock Oak Park.
Joe
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
"Smoking" Joe has been a mainstay on the Chicago blues scene. He has played with local, national, and international legends such as Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, Koko Taylor, Lurrie Bell, Carrie Bell, Otis Clay, Mojo Buford, and Elvin Bishop. For 22 years he served as the music director for The Underground Wonder Bar. Joe, as bassist, has toured with the Mandingo Griot Society in the countries of Germany, France, Greece, Finland, Amsterdam, and the entire continent of Europe. He has toured, as bassist, with the Kinzey Report throughout the state of California during the period of 1995-2005. Joe also played and toured worldwide with the world-renowned Buddy Miles (drummer for Jimi Hendrix).
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.
Max
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
As a Columbia College Graduate, Max has gone on to become a fill-in touring guitarist for the rock group Remada. Along with being a singer-songwriter, he is also the frontman and manager for Chicago's hard rock quartet UnderFire. He has played various venues such as House of Blues, Metro, Bottom Lounge, Toads Place and Webster Theatre. Max has also shared the stage with notable acts such as Saving Abel, Cavo, Lights Alive, and Three Years Hollow.
Max is currently working on session work and is the guitarist for the Detroit rock band A War Within. A War Within has toured with bands such as Bless The Fall, The Word Alive, Ded, The Plot In You, and many others. Max looks forward to inspiring students, along with sharing his love and knowledge of music with them. He is a guitar teacher and bass guitar teacher at School of Rock Oak Park.
Michael
Music Director, Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Vocal Teacher
Michael has been curious about music ever since he first heard his parents' vinyl copy of "Pet Sounds." While being trained in classical piano as a child, Michael eventually found himself drawn to Billy Joel, Ben Folds, and rock operas. He studied music, theatre, and voice at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI before moving to Chicago with his indie pop/piano rock band Common Shiner.
In his 12-year tenure with that project, Michael charted nationally in the AC format (thanks to major support from Midwestern radio stations), toured the continental U.S., and made a slasher movie parody music video that went viral across the globe with over 85 million views. Michael has also voiced radio commercials and characters nationally and won a Kennedy Center Special Award for Theatrical Sound Design in 2006. Current musical endeavors include Otter Finn, Front Runners, and solo project Jen Dressed Ridiculous.
Michael teaches keys and voice, and recently took up the mantle as Music Director after almost 10 years on our team.
Mike
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Mike has been playing music for over nine years and has roots in The Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, and Stevie Ray Vaughan, but loves all kinds of music genres, such as jazz, funk, rock, blues, classical, metal, folk, bluegrass and lots in between! He believes there is always more to learn when it comes to music and strives to keep improving as a musician and a teacher.
Mike has been in almost every role School of Rock has to offer from teacher to general manager. He recently stepped back from the GM position to focus on his own music endeavors. We are thrilled to keep him as part of our school!
Steve
Guitar Teacher, Piano Teacher
Steve began playing piano when he was 5 years old and began studying guitar at age 11 after hearing a classical guitar recital at his church on Easter Sunday. Since then, Steve has concertized throughout the United States and Europe as a recitalist, chamber musician, and soloist. After receiving his bachelor's degree on a scholarship to DePaul University, where he studied with legendary guitarist Leon Borkowski, he pursued his master's degree at DePaul under the instruction of Mark Maxwell.
Steve has studied and worked with such world-famous guitarists as Pepé Romero, Christopher Parkening, Denis Azabagic, Douglas Niedt, and Robert Guthrie. An exceptionally talented classical guitarist, Steve received the distinguished honor of runner-up in the Society of American Musicians Guitar Competition. A versatile chamber musician, Steve's preeminent performance career has included collaborations with many notable artists, including flamenco guitarist Carlos Montoya, legendary jazz pianist George Shearing and violin virtuoso Gidon Kremer. Recordings of Steve have been featured on national broadcasts by Chicago's fine arts radio station, 98.7WFMT, as well as on Radio France. He has devoted a lifetime of experience to performing and has appeared in concert with Dave Mason, Buddy Guy, and George Shearing. Steve is a prolific composer and arranger for film and live theatre. His compositions on Guitarra Azul's debut CD "Mariposa" have received great acclaim as well as enthusiastic reception from audiences nationwide.
Thomas
Drum Teacher
Tommy is a young professional drummer, experienced in all genres from Rock to Orchestral. Having recently completed his bachelor of music in Jazz studies at Elmhurst University, Tommy is primarily playing with the Beyond Standard Trio, as well as developing his compositional skills with various side projects. As an educator, he offers fourteen years of formal training and a diversity of musical knowledge which can give insight to all drummers and percussionists no matter their age or skill level.
Tim
Guitar Teacher
Tim first picked up the guitar over 20 years ago at age 13 and hasn't put it down since. In 2001, he earned a BA in Music Business from Elmhurst College. He has been teaching private guitar and bass lessons consistently since 2000 in the western suburbs and running rock band programs for kids since 2010. When outside of lessons, Tim evenly divides his time between practicing, rehearsals and a plethora of varying live performance situations, including everything from Chicago street festivals to weddings, large events like Riot Fest, big and small club shows and performing on the street. Trying to stay as busy as possible, he has held tenure in countless bands. This constant real world performing experience enriches every lesson. In addition to several original projects that Tim has in the works, he also currently performs extensively in and around Chicago with The Student Body (party rock covers).
Tracy
Drum Teacher
Tracy is a professional drummer and instructor based in Chicago. He has over 20 years of stage and studio experience covering all styles and eras, from swing to rock, blues to Latin, and country to dance/pop/R&B. A Chicago native, Tracy was raised in a musical family. With a father and older brother who were both drummers, his passion for drums and music has been literally life-long. Tracy majored in Music in college and, starting at age nine, has studied under several great teachers, including renowned NBC staff drummer Max Mariash, the late, great Chicago drummer, teacher and band leader Tony Caselli, and classical percussion studies with Mike McLead. Additional private lessons followed with masters such as Rusty Jones and Johnny Rabb.
Tracy’s earliest professional experience started at 13, playing for local Chicago area church and school musical productions. Since then his music career has taken him to venues large and small, from the east coast to Las Vegas and throughout the Midwest, including the Surf Ballroom, Chicago's Orchestra Hall, Metro, Vic Theater, Arcada Theater, Shuba's, House of Blues and many others. Tracy’s playing/recording credits include work with many great Chicago bands and artists. He has also shared the stage with such notables as The Samples, The Radiators, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Edwin McCain, The Grassroots, Jazz is Dead, Buddy Holly’s Crickets, Edan Don Everly, Remembering Ricky Nelson featuring Gunnar and Matthew Nelson, Johnny Rivers and others. In addition to a busy live performance schedule, Tracy is very active in drum education and studies piano and voice in his spare time. He is a drum teacher at School of Rock Oak Park.
Maurice
Drum Teacher
Maurice (or Reese) is a drummer and producer with over three decades of experience, Reese has had the good fortune of performing, recording, and touring internationally. He has even played in West Africa with his world roots band, Brown Rice Family. Reese has also performed at South By Southwest, Lincoln Center, and The Apollo Theater.
Steve H.
Bass Guitar Teacher
Steve H, or Hash, has been a professional musician in the Chicago music scene since 1969 (that's the year he got his first musicians' union card, and it's still paying off!). He has performed with countless bands and artists at almost every venue in the Chicago area, playing jazz, rock, funk, folk, country, Latin, avant-garde, cabaret, bluegrass, blues, R&B, reggae, Cajun, Brazilian, African, and theatre music.
Steve has appeared at The Chicago Jazz Festival, The South Shore Jazz Festival, Taste of Chicago, ChicagoFest, and Chicago’s Asian American Jazz Festival. He has anchored the late-night jam session at The Green Mill for over 22 years.
Matt T.
Assistant Music Director, Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Matt is a Chicago-based artist, guitarist, composer and instructor. He has been dedicated to performing solo and in bands for over a decade. Matt composes music for a Solo Stick record, tours, and works on multiple recording/performing collaborations (metal-math-prog-experimental). His current musical leanings are in the vein of the technical death shred of Blotted Science and the rhythmic madness of Frank Zappa, the interlocking poly-rhythmic spiderwebs of King Crimson, and the stark, overwhelming beauty of Arvo Part.
Dave
Regional Music Director
Dave began his musical journey playing in concert and marching bands throughout grade school and college at Western Illinois University. His passion for rock music started when he bought his first drum set at age 12. Shortly after he started a punk rock band with fellow School of Rock instructor Adam Instefjord and never looked back. Dave is currently playing in a handful of bands in Chicago. He is the founding member of the female-fronted alt-rock band Lights Alive, as well as the drum player for the Chicago punk rock outfits The Mizzerables and The Student Body (a cover band that features rock tunes from the 50s up to today). Dave briefly left the Oak Park school to open the Glenbrook School of Rock alongside Adam and Amy. He has now returned home to the Oak Park location, now overseeing both schools as the Regional Music Director.
Pat
Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Pat grew up with music and studying music production directly. He is fascinated by the diversity of contemporary music, whether music composition, music arrangement, sound recording, musical performances, or experimental music. Pat has been at the forefront of the music and production industry with over a decade of experience in Thailand.
Pat is currently the co-founder and director of the contemporary music production of 28Production (Thailand) and works as a session producer for a film scoring orchestra with the recording studio Studio28 (Thailand). Pat was a member of the Thai band Chanudom as a guitarist, composer, and arranger for the album Third World in 2019.
Katie
Vocal Teacher
Katie is a vocalist, guitarist, performer, and songwriter originally from Salinas, California. She studied Jazz Voice at the Jacob’s School of Music before earning a BFA in Musical Theatre at Indiana University in 2023. She has performed as a vocalist at various venues and festivals such as the Monterey Jazz Festival and San Jose Jazz Festival.
Katie grew up in a musical household and began taking private lessons when she was 8 years old. Over the years she has played violin, guitar, clarinet, piano, and alto saxophone. Katie spent her time in college playing rhythm guitar and singing with various bands in Bloomington, Indiana. She has written for her former band, Middle Name Basis, and continues to write and perform her own solo work.
Matt W.
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Matt grew up in West Chester, Pennsylvania, and began playing music from a young age through private lessons and school band. He soon began as a student at the School of Rock in Downingtown, Pennsylvania, where he participated in the performance program, performed in the school's House Band, and was selected for the AllStars program.
Matt's time as a School of Rock student ultimately led him to study music, and more specifically, guitar, at Columbia College Chicago. Since graduating, Matt has been pursuing music on multiple fronts, from teaching guitar, bass, drums, keys, and general music theory at all different levels, to playing in multiple projects on multiple different instruments.
Judy
Keyboard Teacher
Judy was about five years old when she first saw a piano at a relative’s house; she was instantly hooked. She has toured with a variety of bands from genres like jazz to rock to blues to reggae and world music. Judy and her husband have a production company, Detinu Sounds where they produce and write for various projects. She plays some guitar and bass, and she learned how to sing from a job she had accompanying voice lessons. She is grateful for the opportunity to share what she loves to do.
Emily
Studio Coordinator
Emily is a Studio Coordinator for the School of Rock in Oak Park and a DJ at WRRG, Triton College Radio. She hosts a hard rock/classic rock show called Rock N Roll Rewind on Friday nights from 8-10 PM! She is super stoked to rock the front desk on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays.
Jacquez
Intern Drum Teacher
Jacquez grew up in a family of musicians, originally playing gospel in church. He enrolled in School of Rock Oak Park in 2016, where he grew exponentially as a musician over his 9-year tenure at the school. Jacquez spent several years in our performing bands, the highest accomplishment at our school.
Jacquez went on to become a two-time School of Rock AllStar, the highest level of achievement for all School of Rock students. During his final year as a School of Rock Oak Park student, he was part of the team selected to perform at Rock in Rio Lisboa, which traveled to Madrid and then Lisbon to perform at the iconic festival.
Currently a studio at Columbia College Chicago, Jacquez is thrilled to be giving back to the School of Rock community.
Stephen
Drum Teacher
Stephen has been a working professional drummer since the age of 12 when he played for a community theater revue in his hometown of Vicksburg, Mississippi. He found his footing as a kid playing along to records and forming neighborhood garage bands. In the Southern atmosphere of blues and humidity, Stephen mastered all the percussion instruments moving gracefully from the high school marching band drum line to playing at college bowl games around the country while getting his bachelor's degree in music and business at the University of Southern Mississippi. His continuing musical education includes lessons with Kevin Katich, Ryan McDiarmid, Alex Acuña & Dave Elitch.
Stephen has played in bands of various genres including pop, classic rock, new wave, indie, blues, and even a live nightclub act with a DJ. He believes versatility is a working drummer’s secret weapon. For the last several years Stephen was the drummer for the Hollywood, CA-based band Continuous Signal (a Pink Floyd Tribute), playing theaters all over Southern California and an annual show in Mexico.
Stephen has actively taught private drum students of all ages since 2017. His students are drawn to a teaching style that promotes a safe environment that is instructive and encouraging. He is experienced in teaching children with special needs, including ADHD and autism. After relocating to the Chicago area, Stephen teaches drums at the School of Rock in Northbrook, Illinois.
Ralph
Vocal Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Ralph has a passion for music that was passed on to him at a young age. He studied music performance for the saxophone, flute, and piano in college and then became a student of the local jazz artist, Joe Daily in Chicago. Ralph has been playing professionally for over 30 years.
Ralph teaches piano and voice at School of Rock Oak Park and continues to hone his skills by performing and practicing daily.
Will
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Will Dominici grew up in North Carolina playing, teaching, and recording professionally in the greater Raleigh area for many years. Will earned a Bachelor's in Music from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill with an emphasis in Jazz Studies. He specializes in jazz, progressive rock, funk, and R&B in guitar and bass styles. Inspired by his upbringing in jazz music, Will places a big emphasis on improvisation in his pedagogic approach which he attempts to apply across a variety of lead & rhythm play styles. Will works with each student’s unique needs, adapting to their interests and targeting the necessary skill sets to help an individual meet realistic goals. Will most commonly plays with his jazz trio but can also be seen performing with a variety of projects including shoegaze, jam bands, and many more.