Co-Owner, General Manager
Darek found and fell in love with the School of Rock concept over seven years ago. He started as a multi-instrumentalist instructor and soon became General Manager of School of Rock Boca Raton. After running the school for five years, Darek was promoted to partner and co-owner in 2020. He is excited to bring his experience and knowledge to Georgia.
Darek has been active in the music scene for over 15 years, performing around South Florida in several bands. Darek has performed at such venues as Meyer Amphitheater, West Palm Beach to High Dive in Gainesville, as well as Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, and more. Darek works diligently to create a welcoming, safe, and unique musical atmosphere at School of Rock. Darek loves to share his passion for music and performance to educate the future generation of young musicians!
Studio Coordinator
Shannon has a Master of Art from Florida Atlantic University and has taught writing courses at the college level. She has over 19 years of customer service experience. When she is not welcoming you into our School of Rock facility, Shannon spends the vast majority of her time reading, hiking, and hanging out with her weird dog, Olive.
Shannon grew up in South Florida on a healthy dose of classic rock and sunshine. She moved to Georgia in early 2024 and is very excited to be a part of the School of Rock Alpharetta team. While she admits to having zero musical talent, Shannon is an excellent “woo girl” at live shows and is eager to support all of the students. Now wearing the proud badge of studio coordinator at the school, she is interested in learning the piano and acoustic guitar.
Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Vocal Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Jeremy Keen has been chasing the wonder of music his whole life. While the first instrument he learned was piano, lots of '60s and '70s groups like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones inspired Jeremy to want to pick up his great grandmother's old beat-up Harmony guitar and learn to play. Growing up in Texas, it was impossible to escape the sounds of country acts like Willie Nelson and George Jones. As Jeremy got older and into '90s bands like Nirvana, Soundgarden, and The Smashing Pumpkins motivated him to get an electric guitar and a distortion pedal.
Later, in high school, Jeremy started a band with some friends and they played shows around the Houston scene. He also joined the jazz band in high school playing bass. Jeremy has recorded original music and led music weekly at church.
Jeremy still plays live music regularly both as a solo acoustic artist and with a band. Along the way, Jeremy has picked up the drums, banjo, and ukulele and he is currently trying to learn to play the fiddle.
Jeremy is excited to join the team at the School of Rock in Alpharetta to inspire kids and adults to pursue the lifelong joy of listening to, learning about, playing, writing, and performing music.
Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Chris Andrews is primarily an autodidactic jack-of-all-trades with a passion for learning and teaching others. At the young age of ten, Chris attended his older sisters’ school variety show. As the music swelled and the lights came up, he felt his soul come alive. He knew right then and there that he wanted to be a part of it. A few years later he found an old Casio keyboard and took it to his mother who showed him “Joy to the World”; straight down the C Major scale.
As a freshman in high school, Chris had his first audition. With zero confidence or experience, he got on stage for one song and dance and somehow made the cut. By his senior year, Chris was fully absorbed in the arts: dance, choreography, drama, band, choir, piano, guitar, music theory, orchestration, vocal arrangement, and directing.
At 20, Chris took his first steps into “the industry.” Rehearsals, concerts, festivals, managers, agents, contracts, labels, studios, DAWs, production, recording, and mixing. At 24, his passion took him to Los Angeles where he continued learning songwriting and composition techniques.
Chris is excited to share the magic and mystery of music with others. Whether your child dreams of joining the closest Phil-harmonic or simply finds joy in the meditative and healing nature of music, Chris believes we all have a talent of some sort and he loves to see another’s soul come to life the way his did so many years ago.
"Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent." - Victor Hugo
Drum Teacher
Hayden has always been a huge music nerd, having been behind a drum set since the age of three.
However, his real musical journey started a few years later when he began to take private lessons at School of Rock during middle school. During that time he was also very active in concert band, achieving first chair placements in all three years.
It was in high school that he learned more advanced techniques and rudiments through concert band and marching band, elevating his rhythmic skill to new heights. During that time he was also very active with jazz band after school and was working hard to discover and cultivate his personal sound and style.
During college, he shot up the ensembles to land a spot in the highest group available in his freshman year alone, playing many challenging pieces, and becoming a reliable percussionist.
Now, he looks to spread his acquired knowledge and experience to aspiring musicians everywhere, ensuring that their dreams and goals as musicians can be met!
Keep an eye out for his books, and he looks forward to seeing you at the School of Rock in Alpharetta!
Drum Teacher
Stanley was born and grew up in the Metro Atlanta area. Some of his earliest memories are of having an intense interest in watching drummers he would see on television. From early on, his favorite style of playing the drums has been rock and roll. His teachers were some of the greatest drummers in Rock and Roll. He accomplished this by spending countless hours after school, sitting behind his drum kit, listening to his favorite records with the headphones on, and playing along with his favorite drummers. Stanley’s hope is to inspire his students to see the joy of performing live with a group of other musicians.
Although he has had many careers in his life, from electronics technician to hardware and software engineer, to environmental activist, to High School physics teacher, his first love has always been music. For most of his life, he has been in at least one band. He currently plays in a local Atlanta band called Fisheye. He would love for you to come see them play if you get the chance.
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Vocal Teacher
Mackenzie’s musical journey began at 14 when her uncle gifted her a guitar. Mackenzie started by teaching herself songs through YouTube tutorials before taking formal lessons to master the fundamentals. What began as casual performances for family and friends soon blossomed into a deeper passion for music.
Inspired to expand her skills, Mackenzie borrowed a bass guitar from her uncle and added it to her repertoire. Along the way, Mackenzie also trained her voice, honing her ability to perform across several musical styles.
Violin Teacher
With 25 years of practice, Jason brings a rich and diverse background to violin instruction. Classically trained, Jason performed with the Clemson Symphony Orchestra before being featured with the Clemson University String Quartet. During college, he expanded his focus to include bluegrass, fiddle, and pop/electronic music.
Jason is passionate about sharing his expertise and experiences with students through private and group lessons.
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
When Gaby took her first piano lesson at 6 years old she found a passion for what she considers to be her first love. As she grew up she added more and more instruments to her repertoire, beginning with classical guitar and later taking an interest in finger-style guitar, as well as the bass, which she played from elementary school through her senior year of high school. Every Christmas from ages 10 to 18, Gaby would ask for new instruments to add to her growing collection. Gaby doesn’t just enjoy playing music, she also loves arranging and is learning how to tune pianos while she pursues a certification to become a registered piano technician. When she’s not playing one of her many instruments, Gaby can be found hanging in a coffee shop or skateboarding.
Drum Teacher
Born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, Todd Coleman grew up with drumsticks in his hands and a rhythm in his heart. Todd's passion for music is out of this world, driving him to explore and create beats that resonate with the soul.
Todd's background stems from gospel and blues to rock and everything in between. Todd is excited to share his passion for drumming, music, and soul with the future generation of musicians.
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
As a kid, even when it was a toy, Carlos always had a guitar in his hands. His passion for music began at the age of 12 when Carlos discovered the video game Guitar Hero 3. That gave him the motivation to start learning guitar. Carlos studied music in Venezuela, where he was born and raised, exploring various styles such as rock, pop, Latin music, and bossa nova, which allowed him to develop a broad and versatile vision of the instrument.
Carlos moved to Atlanta at 22, motivated to improve his music skills and to produce and record. He studied at the Atlanta Institute of Music and Media to follow his musical path and improve his technique. This experience further enriched his approach, allowing him to grow as a musician.
Today, as a guitar teacher, Carlos' passion is to share his knowledge and help others discover their own sound, transmitting the same passion that has guided his life since the first chord.