Bob Jones
Owner, Director of Operations
Bob Jones is a composer, multi-instrumentalist, and music educator based in New York. He received a bachelor’s degree in double bass performance from Michigan State University and has built a career spanning rock, classical, folk, electronic, and jazz. With performances on dozens of albums and extensive touring across the United States and Europe, Bob’s musical footprint is broad and diverse.
His School of Rock journey began as a guitar sub in 2010, today he is owner and director of two franchises in Brooklyn and Manhattan, where he applies his two decades of teaching experience to mentor students and staff. His students have gone on to performing arts high schools, colleges, and careers in music. He loves The Kinks, Aphex Twin, Arco Part, Napalm Death, cycling, and food-based adventures.
Brandon Rhodes
Drum Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Brandon has been playing music his entire life. Starting on drums, he then found his way to guitar and bass. Brandon loves ’60s and '70s psych rock, contemporary indie, country, songwriters, you name it! His favorite food is pasta, and he loves skateboarding and rock climbing when he's not teaching or producing music.
Brandon can't wait to inspire the next generation of musicians at School of Rock Brooklyn!
Studio Coordinator
Charlotte is a Native New Yorker, and lifelong musician of many genres, having learned various instruments and coming from a family of musicians, Charlotte was studying music theory from the age of 4, and writing original songs from the age of 6.
At 14, she began teaching herself to play electric bass, singing and playing bass in a punk band by the age of 16, where she would perform original songs with her band, as well as with the LaGuardia New Music Ensemble, at venues like Rockwood Music Hall, the Bitter End, Saint Vitus and Webster Hall.
Charlotte graduated with honors from LaGuardia High School, having majored in both Vocal and Instrumental Music. There she was able to further advance her knowledge of sheet music, sight-reading and music theory, as well as train in Opera, Band, Theatre, Orchestra, and Songwriting. After there, expanding her musical literacy, songwriting and performance skills across many genres, instruments and styles of training, Charlotte continued to sing and play bass in other rock and metal bands. She went on to work in music, television and film production for many years, having worked at venues like the Apollo, Crown Hill Theatre, and Carnegie Hall, as well as having worked on major projects under MTV and A24 Studios.
Now, outside of her administrative work at School of Rock Brooklyn, Charlotte is an active member of the NYHC scene, frequently attending local punk and metal shows, fronting her own up-and-coming band, and can be seen performing within the scene.
As a dedicated and lifelong songwriter and performer, Charlotte strives to inspire growing musicians and to remain always surrounded by music.
Drum Teacher
Cody Rahn is a New York-based drummer/producer/coffee enthusiast. He holds a B.M. in Jazz from Cornish College of the Arts and performs with artists and groups bridging myriad stylistic boundaries. You can see him regularly in the US and beyond with ensembles ranging from the introspective folk songwriting of Anya Marina and Mackenzie Shivers to the Spaghetti Western-influenced Justin Garcia Band and the psychedelic roots Americana of Echo Bloom. In addition, he hosts the internationally renowned percussion education YouTube channel ‘Sounds Like A Drum.’
Cory Sterling
Guitar Teacher
Originally from Portland, OR, guitarist Cory Sterling moved to New York City in 2010 to attend The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. Cory has performed with Dave Weckl, Melvin Davis, John Stowell, and Scott Whitfield, and has appeared at the Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival, Port Townsend Jazz Festival, and Mount Hood Jazz Festival. In 2011, Cory won first place in the jazz category at the Yamaha Six String Theory International Guitar Competition, an all-ages/genres event whose judges included Steve Lukather, Lee Ritenour, Gary Tallent, and Scott Goldman of the Grammy Foundation. Cory’s latest album “August 15” is available on streaming platforms.
Danielle Johnson
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Danielle Johnson is a bassist, composer, and educator. Originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, she is now based in New York City. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Jazz Performance from The City College of New York, graduating Summa Cum Laude. Danielle plays upright and electric bass as well as guitar and has experience in a wide variety of genres such as jazz, rock, hip-hop, salsa, folk, and experimental music. She has performed at venues such as The Bitter End, Nublu, and The Sultan Room, as well as the Toonerville and Big Lawn music festivals. Her influences include Ron Carter, Jimmy Garrison, Scott Lafaro, Esperanza Spalding, Jaco Pastorius, and Thundercat.
As a teacher, Danielle has a strong passion for nurturing musical development and sharing the joy of music. Over five years of professional experience has taught her the importance of making lessons fun and engaging while tailoring to each student’s individual needs and goals. She employs a patient and encouraging teaching style and believes in fostering a supportive
learning environment where students feel empowered to explore their creativity and develop their unique voices.
Jada Preston
Vocal Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Show Director
Jada is a Houston native who began her journey into the arts at a very young age. She grew up listening to her grandmother sing and record herself every night, and this eventually led Jada to do the same. After enjoying and thriving in dance and art throughout her youth, she soon began her musical theatre journey in high school, advancing to Nationals with perfect scores.
Jada also had the opportunity to perform at the Tommy Tune Awards. After much hard work and experience, she decided to perfect her craft at Howard University. There, she began her love for music theory and expanded her range for music! An avid Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Zappa listener, Jada enjoys learning and teaching all sounds.
Marey Steffansson
Vocal Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Show Director
Marey Steffansson is a singer, keys player, songwriter, and producer. Originally from Finland, Marey moved to the United States to pursue her master's degree in Songwriting and Production at Berklee NYC, graduating in 2023.
Marey is one of our band directors and teaches vocal lessons and keyboard lessons. She strives to create a safe space for kids to explore their passion for music and artistry. With her bachelor’s in music education, she centers her lessons around kindness and meeting kids where they’re at in their skill sets as well as their interests and passions. Every student's day should feel a little brighter after band class.
When she isn’t teaching at School of Rock Brooklyn, Marey is an independent artist and DJ who writes and produces music for herself and others.
Megumi Toyama
Vocal Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Megumi Toyama is a vocalist, musician, vocal coach, and sound healer. Raised in Japan until the age of 19, she began playing piano at 3 and studied classical music and voice in high school before moving to NYC to further her musical journey. She holds a Master’s in Music from City College of New York, where she specialized in jazz vocal performance.
Megumi has performed on prestigious stages, including as a soloist at the United Nations Youth Assembly and as a finalist at the McDonald’s Gospel Fest. She also placed third at the legendary Apollo Theater’s Amateur Night. As a member of the Harlem Japanese Gospel Choir, she contributed to their first-place win at McDonald’s Gospel Fest and performed at the National Action Network’s “Keepers of the Dream” Gala, closing the night after a speech by President Obama.
She has released original music under Meg Bless including her debut single Swirl, which reached #4 on iTunes’ R&B chart, and her EP Gravity.
As an educator, she has helped students gain acceptance into prestigious programs such as LaGuardia High School and The High School Jazz Academy at Lincoln Center. She believes in fostering deep connections with her students, helping them connect with themselves and discover their true artistic expression.
After completing her master’s, she studied tuning fork therapy and practices sound healing using various frequencies such as planetary tones. She also hosts sound bath events that incorporate these frequencies along with ancient Japanese chants.
Nic Everaert
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Show Director
Nic Everaert is a former student and longtime friend of the School of Rock family. A versatile guitar and bass skill set allows him to fall into any style or genre he wants to tackle, always keeping an open mind to musical exploration. He loves to push new players towards their goals, no matter the size, and specializes in improvisational techniques and fingerpicking. He studied digital media and audio engineering at Ithaca College and loves to dive into the technical aspects of music production from the stage to the studio. Inspired by music from film, television, and games, Nic's musical tastes are wide and ever-changing.
Sam Russo
Drum Teacher
Sam Russo is a jazz drumset player currently residing in Brooklyn, NY. Originally from Phoenix, AZ, Sam had the pleasure of studying under the direction of Dom Moio and Lewis Nash. He has adopted both of their senses of tradition and history, which are always at the forefront of his own performances. Sam has spent countless hours enjoying the music of Bud Powell, Charlie Parker, Elmo Hope and many others.
In addition to studying the master drummers such as Philly Joe Jones, Billy Higgins, Kenny Clarke, and Kenny Washington, Sam holds a Master’s Degree in Jazz Performance from Arizona State University where he had the great privilege of performing with both Dick Oatts and Jim McNeely with the ASU Concert Jazz Band, as well as both Harold Mabern and Joel Frahm as a part of his ASU Jazz Combo. He’s also performed a number of times with Jane Monheit, Michael Weiss, Bruce Forman, Jason Palmer, Howard Alden, Gunhild Carling, Billy Stritch, Mike Kocour, Nick Manson, Eric Rasmussen, Jeff Libman and many others. Since moving to Brooklyn in October 2024, Sam has been enjoying performing, teaching and being a member of the vibrant music scene.
Scott Chupp
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher, Show Director
Scott is a multi-instrumentalist and producer based in Brooklyn. Playing drums, guitar, and keys from a young age, he has trained in rock and jazz performance and theory, and he has a coexisting passion for experimental music and digital audio manipulation.
Scott studied music and history at NYU, deepening his understanding of a diverse range of musical traditions. He plays in bands around the city as well as doing production work for rappers, singers, and groups. In addition to his work as a musician, Scott is working on academic research in musicology and music history. As a guitar, drums, and bass teacher, Scott values inspiring students to harness their musical intuition and creativity at all levels of ability.
Shubh Saran
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Shubh Saran is a New York-based guitarist and composer who has performed extensively as a solo artist and with globally renowned musicians in the United States, India, Bangladesh, Canada, and Vietnam.
Shubh completed a Bachelor of Music in Music Performance (B.Mus.) from the prestigious Berklee College of Music, where he was awarded the Berklee Achievement Scholarship. During his studies at Berklee, Shubh had the privilege of honing his guitar playing skills under the mentorship of distinguished guitarists Tim Miller, Tomo Fujita, and Dave Fiuczynski. He has also performed alongside some of the most famous artists in the American and Indian music industries, including OMI, American Idol's Michael Lynche, A.R. Rahman, Clinton Cerejo, Prasanna, and Mohini Dey.
Stephen Vario
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Stephen Vario is a dynamic musician and educator with a rich background spanning a variety of genres, including jazz, rock, funk, blues, fusion, and metal. With a bachelor's degree of jazz from The New School, Stephen has a deep understanding of music theory, composition, arranging, and performance. He has honed his craft under the guidance of renowned musicians like Oz Noy, Rez Abbasi, Steve Cardenas, Andy McKee, and Reggie Workman. Drawing from a diverse range of influences, Stephen excels in teaching any concept related to music and offering expertise in any genre. Whether performing live or instructing students, Stephen brings a dynamic and adaptable approach to music, fostering a love for both technical mastery and creative expression.
Steven Zemanian
Drum Teacher
Steven grew up in Norfolk, Virginia, and has loved music since early childhood. Rock was the foundation of his musical interest, and through high school he played drums in psychedelic rock bands with his friends. He graduated class of 2012 at Old Dominion University, where he was a member of Drumline, Percussion Ensemble, and Pep Band.
In 2016, Steven earned his Master’s in Music Technology from NYU, where he was a member of the Computer Music Group. He then began working as a Sound Designer for Sunhouse, the company that makes Sensory Percussion.
He continues to compose, record, and perform music around New York. In 2024 he wrote and performed “Strange Things Have Been Happening to Scientists Lately”, a 20 minute melodic solo piece for Sensory Percussion. One of his professional passions is extracting as much electronic melodic control as possible from drums, which are traditionally thought of as un-pitched.
Steven loves teaching and takes a non-dogmatic approach with his students. He seeks to understand how each student processes music and devises fun strategies to aid their learning. He has taught drums at School of Rock Brooklyn since 2015, and absolutely loves the community!
Vincent Blackshadow Braimes
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Vocal Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Show Director
Vincent is a lifelong rock musician and songwriter from Bellingham, Washington, who started teaching himself guitar and piano as a toddler. By the age of 10, he was playing semi-regular gigs around Washington state, belting out KISS, AC/DC, and Blue Oyster Cult covers as well as original material. He has played in rock bands and as a solo act since middle school.
Vincent graduated from Portland State University in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy. A prolific songwriter, he has independently released six full-length studio albums since 2016, with a seventh on the way. Currently, Vincent can be found playing lead guitar for Bald By Choice, bass for Annie Collette, Swear Tapes, and Oxa, as he continues to front his solo band. Outside of music, he enjoys making collages and reading philosophy.
Vincent has taught at three different School of Rock locations across the country. As a teacher, he strives to establish and grow the student’s independent love for and curiosity about music.