Jessica Yafanaro
Vocal Teacher
Jessica Yafanaro is a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist based out of Cleveland, Ohio. Influenced by jazz, gospel, and R&B, Jessica draws from the greats to create an original sound. Born on July 5th, 1991, Jessica had a natural ability for music, discovered at an early age.
Jessica was able to hear any song, and recreate it on a keyboard. Seeing her ability to do so with no prior music experience, at the age of seven, her parents decided to enroll her in private piano lessons. In those lessons, Jessica discovered that she had perfect pitch, a rare ability of a person to identify or re-create a given musical note without the benefit of a reference tone . This knowledge was a determining factor in Jessica’s desire to pursue music on a serious level. She began to study saxophone in fifth grade, and upon entering middle school, taught herself flute, clarinet, bass guitar, electric/acoustic guitar, and drums. With this knowledge, Jessica started playing multiple instruments at her home church, Christian Assembly in Richmond Heights, Ohio, and eventually became the music director for eight years. At the same time, Jessica studied classical voice at The Cleveland Music School Settlement on a vocal scholarship, under the guidance of Kimberly Lauritsen.
Upon graduation from Mayfield High School in 2009, Jessica became the assistant director of the show choir and theatre program at her alma mater. Jessica studied music education at Baldwin-Wallace University for one year. But her love for music would truly awaken when she heard through a friend about a jazz school in the heart of downtown Cleveland. She transferred to the metropolitan campus of Cuyahoga Community College, where she studied jazz through Berklee College of Music’s articulate program, working with world renown artists and producers such as Diana Krall, Janis Siegel, Tommy LiPuma, and many others. In 2014, Jessica became the bassist and soon transitioned to the role of assistant director at South Euclid United Church of Christ for seven years.
Along with her experience during her school years, Jessica has been a professional vocalist and musician in the Cleveland Music scene for over ten years. You can hear her singing and playing with many bands and artists such as Dan Wilson, “Collin Miller and the Brother Nature,” and many more. Her debut album is set to be released in fall of 2022.
Lauren Greer
Vocal Teacher
Lauren is from Painesville, Ohio, and grew up immersed in Motown, '90s R&B, and video game soundtracks. Inspired by legends like Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, and Billy Joel, she developed multi-instrument skills through private lessons, school groups, and musical theater camps. From 2015 to 2019, Lauren performed with The Singing Angels Chorus, showcasing her talents across Northeast Ohio, on TV, and during tours.
Lauren earned a music education degree from Cleveland State University, studying under Dr. Brian Bailey and Amanda Powell. She gained teaching experience in Solon and Berkshire schools and graduated in 2023 with a K-12 music teacher’s license. Lauren is skilled in guitar, piano, trumpet, and French horn, and attributes her diverse music taste to her family, chorus participation, college education, and work at a record store. Now, she brings her talents to the School of Rock in Highland Heights and the School of Rock in Cleveland West, teaching vocals.
Sophia Price
Vocal Teacher
Sophia was born in Hudson, Ohio, and started her music and songwriting journey at the age of 12. She taught herself how to play guitar, piano, and bass, as well as being classically trained on the flute. Sophia began performing at local coffee shops and community music festivals when she was just 14 and later attended Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan where she received intensive singing and songwriting training. This led her to study at Loyola University of New Orleans where she majored in Commercial and Popular Music with a concentration in singer/songwriting as well as music production, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Music.
In New Orleans, Sophia was fortunate enough to not only have performed at legendary venues such as Tipitina’s, The Howlin’ Wolf, and Zony Mash Beer Company, but she also started teaching at School Of Rock Metairie. Post graduation, Sophia has moved back home where she is beyond excited to be working as a vocal instructor, getting to teach even more students between the Highland Heights, Strongsville, and Cleveland West schools.
Chase Franklin
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Chase has been working in the local music scene in Northern Ohio for over a decade. A completely self-taught musician and multi-instrumentalist, Chase’s musical journey began at 12 when he got his first guitar. By the age of 15, Chase had joined his first band and has since shared the stage with artists such as Drake Bell and Aaron Carter, as well as major personal influences Ekoostik Hookah and Rumpke Mountain Boys.
Today, Chase is active in the jam band and string band circuits. He serves as vocalist and lead guitarist in Grateful Dead tribute bands Bosco Jigs and Pack Of Strays and plays banjo in the bluegrass/folk band Lea Marra & The River Boys.
On days when Chase isn’t teaching, he gigs around Ohio and tours regionally. When he isn’t teaching or gigging, you’ll likely find him wherever the next Dead & Company or Phish show is…
Chris George
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Multi-instrumentalist Christopher George was born in Cleveland, Ohio. Chris was educated in the Euclid City School District and began playing drums in church at the early age of 5, and later started learning guitar at the age of 12. Because his mother loved saxophone, Chris played saxophone in the marching and concert bands in high school. Following high school he attended Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) where he majored in recording arts and technology and took music and live sound courses.
Chris is now a trained sound engineer. At age 21, Chris began playing music professionally. He has played for many artists including Marvin Sapp, Martha Munizzi, Jonathan Dunn, Jonathan Nelson, Ginuwine, and Chrisette Michelle. Chris has his own band called The Funkyard Experiment also known as FunkyardX. Chris is able to play many genres ranging from hip-hop to gospel to rock to R&B and finds joy playing in bars and music venues locally and nationally.
Cían Liaskos
Bass Guitar Teacher
Cían has been surrounded by music his entire life, beginning his musical journey at 7 on a Paper Jamz musical toy. Cían is a jazz bass performance student at Cleveland State University and a lover of hardcore punk with many musical styles in his bag. He is the bassist for the alternative/heavy rock band Whiffler and the vocalist of the hardcore band DDT.
Cían has toured nationally as a bassist and worked internationally with Canadian DIY emo band Arms Length and Ohio DIY pop punk band Heart Attack Man. Cían is overall just happy to be able to spread his love of music and the bass to prospective students of the instrument.
Dan Molina
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Vocal Teacher
“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything.” - Plato
While his personal tastes in musicality didn’t start to truly take shape until college, Dan was introduced to his first stringed instrument—the violin—in Solon, OH at 8 years old. After four years of “fiddling” around with more traditional orchestral strings, he deemed it necessary to further his music career and look like less of a nerd when he picked up his first acoustic guitar at 12 years old, and the rest is history.
Since first picking up the guitar, Dan went from acting in high school and being in show choir to going to school at the Butler School of Music in Texas for operatic and contemporary vocal performance. After learning about his voice and dabbling in music production with friends and fellow artists, Dan had a brief stint back in Cleveland to regroup and then relocated to Miami, FL to chase more studio/production opportunities. Seven years later, he’s back in the CLE to further bolster his musical resume and acumen.
Dan has worked with incredible artists in and out of studio sessions for the past nine years including Kent Jones, Takeoff, Kris Kollins, That Dude Stu, Robot Disco Puma, Rey Richh, Karlos Slimm, and more.
Ed Sotelo
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Though he played in a few bands during my college years, it wasn’t until the late 90s that Ed connected with Cleveland’s thriving punk rock scene. Ed's experience being around so many creative people taught him that rock music is an art, a craft and an essential part of his life. In the early 2000s, Ed connected with Cleveland rock band Cobra Verde. They toured, recorded a few albums and even found themselves on the soundtracks of "The O.C." and "True Blood."
Since then, Ed has played in a bunch of original bands. Currently he's busy with groups like The Jack Fords, Mike St. Jude and the Valentines, and Brazilian folk ensemble Chamba Music. Ed considers himself a student of musical history, and a big fan of music from around the globe, made by people from times and places very different from our own.
Eric Thompson
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Eric is a guitar and bass guitar instructor from Youngstown, Ohio. Outside of School of Rock, he tours with his band Madame Marlowe and does various session guitar work.
Eric attended Dana School of Music in Youngstown, Ohio where he studied guitar under Francois Fowler and obtained his Bachelor of Music Performance with an emphasis in Music Production.
Gary Dacanay
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Gary Dacanay has over 30 years of professional playing and teaching experience. He earned a bachelor's degree in music from DePaul University and a master's degree in guitar performance from Cleveland State University.
Gary has led solo music projects as well as performed and recorded with various rock, blues, jazz, and hip-hop artists including Louie Bellson, Joe Henderson, Pete Cosey, Bob Fraser, Bob Ferrazza, Brad Goode, Paul Samuels, Dave Morgan, Kip Reid, John Perrine, Hamid Drake, Sugar Blue, Public Enemy, Snoop Dogg, and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. He released an original blues rock EP in 2023 titled "Random Road" and also has several singles out.
Gary loves teaching any style at any level with an emphasis on technique and theory to allow your message and story to be expressed with full inspiration.
Mike Kearns
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Mike Kearns was born and raised in New Jersey. Early influences include a massive family record collection covering everything from Stravinsky to Springsteen, violin lessons, a life-changing viewing of "A Hard Day's Night" on a tiny TV set and New York station WNEW-FM. He came to Ohio to study composition and guitar with Dr. Loris Chobanian at Baldwin-Wallace, graduated with honors and has lived in the Cleveland area ever since. Mike's range of musical activities have included rock, classical, jazz and musical theater, including appearances with Cameo Theater rock musical productions of "Godspell," "Rent" and the world premiere of "Macbeth: A Rock Opera." Currently he performs with Shadow of Doubt: a Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers tribute, Mike, Jim and Bill Do the White Album, and AT33. Recorded output includes collaborations with local area musicians Chris Tuma, Elvis Manson, Derek DePrator and Rhys Miller. For over 20 years Mike worked in IT management while maintaining a highly active musical career. He is thrilled to be with School of Rock Highland Heights as a guitar teacher and bass guitar teacher working with the coolest staff and students.
Noah Knoblock
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Noah Knoblock began playing guitar at 10 years old and fell in love after banging out his first classic rock riffs. He is a former School of Rock student and participated in all show seasons at his school. After graduating from Strongsville High School, Noah went on to pursue a degree in recording arts from Cuyahoga Community College.
Noah continues to pursue his passion for recording, production, and live performance playing in groups such as Salty Roads Band as well as recording whenever he is able. He primarily plays guitar although also dabbles in drums, keys, bass, and vocals.
TJ Maclin Jr.
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
TJ Maclin is a former School of Rock student who embraces the performance-based music education approach. After graduating high school, he started recording and touring with his band Thaddeus Anna Greene. They shared the stage with the likes of Welshly Arms and a host of other local and regional powerhouses. TJ then attended Tri-C’s famed jazz studies program where he studied with musicians like Joe Hunter and Dan Wilson. He went on to earn a bachelor's degree in music production.
Going by the moniker Peachcurls, TJ is currently writing, producing, and releasing his own music. It can be heard on TV shows like the Netflix series Freeridge and HBO’s Rap Sh!t. He is also a voice actor, comedian, and comedy writer. TJ wrote on the animated miniseries Daytime Noir, which premiered on FX and is available to stream on Hulu.
TJ's youthful spirit and creative expression make him a welcome addition to our roster of teachers at School of Rock Highland Heights.
Wes Cespedes
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Wes is a passionate guitar teacher who began their musical journey at age 12. Initially self-taught, Wes quickly developed a deep love for the guitar and decided to further their skills at School of Rock. As a School of Rock student, Wes progressed through all the programs offered, from regular shows to headliners, and was even selected for the prestigious School of Rock AllStars program.
Wes draws inspiration from many artists including Earth, Wind & Fire, The Police, John Mayer, Michael Jackson, and Childish Gambino. Wes brings a unique and eclectic approach to their teaching. With a relaxed and cool demeanor, Wes leverages their extensive experience to help students of all levels find their groove and enjoy making music. When he’s not teaching or playing the guitar, Wes enjoys savoring a delicious bowl of pho, his favorite noodle soup.
Whether you're just starting or looking to enhance your skills, Wes is here at the School of Rock in Highland Heights to guide you every step of the way.
Aaron Smith
Drum Teacher
Born with an extraordinary gift for music, Aaron Smith (he/they) emerged as a true musical prodigy at the tender age of 2. With an innate talent that couldn't be ignored, it was clear that music was not just a hobby but a calling. At the age of 10, Aaron took their first step into the world of professional music, setting the stage for an incredible journey ahead.
With a focus on drumming, Aaron honed his skills over the years to reach a professional level that was nothing short of remarkable. This dedication led them to the renowned Berklee College of Music in 2012, where he immersed himself in the world of musical theory and performance. Two years later, in 2014, Aaron continued his musical education at Indiana University, adding depth and diversity to their musical repertoire.
Throughout his career, Aaron has had the privilege of collaborating with an impressive array of artists, leaving his rhythmic mark on the music industry. Notable names in their portfolio include The Williams Singers, Pop Ukrainian Superstar Tina Karol, and the incredibly talented Doobie Powell, among many others.
One of Aaron's significant milestones is the creation of their album "765," a project that showcased their versatility and creativity. Now, they're embarking on an exciting new venture with his upcoming project, "1991," promising a fresh musical journey that's bound to captivate audiences.
Aaron is also the driving force behind the dynamic jazz/fusion band, Aaron Smith & RDAA, where their drumming prowess and musical leadership take center stage, creating an unforgettable fusion of sounds that resonate with audiences of all backgrounds.
With an extraordinary musical journey spanning from childhood prodigy to a seasoned professional and collaborator with some of the industry's finest, Aaron Smith continues to push boundaries, redefine genres, and leave an indelible mark on the world of music.
Chris Walker
Drum Teacher
Chris Walker began teaching himself to play the drums at the age of 5. He took piano, guitar, clarinet, flute and cello lessons as a child, so naturally he ended up following in his dad’s footsteps and became a drummer. His solos landed him in the Guitar Center Drum-Off store finals when he was 13 years old, he competed in the competition for years and eventually became a judge. His musical tastes range from Hip-Hop and Live Electronic music to Jazz and Heavy Metal (and of course Rock n Roll!!!) - and he has been an avid concert goer for his entire life. He played in the jazz and jazz improv bands throughout high school before moving to New Orleans to begin his college career in 2005. After spending a few years in Louisiana he returned to Cleveland and started a band, Broccoli Samurai, in 2010. The project grew from a local improv trio to a nationally touring entity, playing in over 30 states for several years, and continues to play reunion shows sporadically at both festivals and venues today. He has been privileged to play on stage and in the studio with artists such as DJ Logic and The Sugarhill Gang, while his band grew from a basement jam band to playing at legendary venues around the country and at major festivals like Euphoria Festival in Austin, TX and Electric Forest in MI. Chris also played with other bands — The Lorax Tree, Jones for Revival, EP3, Octopus Prime and his DJ/Drum project Chris/Tucker. He has been an intern and volunteer at the Bop Stop Music Settlement, and is honored to have had the opportunity to play music for so many people over the years. Chris enjoyed teaching fourth grade students in East Cleveland through a program called We the People at John Carroll University, where he eventually graduated from in 2019 with a degree in Integrated Marketing Communication. Now he is excited to begin his journey as a drum instructor at the School of Rock, having begun teaching at the Highland Heights, Strongsville, and Westlake locations.
Devin Gilbert
Drum Teacher
Devin has been teaching for over a decade and is passionate about inspiring the youth. His love for music started at an extremely young age; he’s been a drummer for most of his life and has learned to play 32 instruments.
During his college years while attending the University of Toledo, Devin became the center snare in the Marching Band program. He went on to tour professionally and was involved in several successful bands. Devin was one of the guitar players, producers, and founding members of the original hip-hop band Red Rose Panic.
Currently, Devin composes and produces music for artists and you might even catch him on the big screen if you’re ever at a Cavs game as he plays for the extremely popular 216Stix!
Devin hopes to positively impact his students by reminding them that anything is possible with hard work, determination, and fun!
Grady Wessollek
Drum Teacher
Grady has had a love of music from a very early age and was always mesmerized by the drums in any song he listened to. When Grady turned 9, his parents got him his first drum set, and from there, his passion and dedication to music expanded and grew.
Rock and roll and metal were his first loves, but after discovering the wonderful worlds of jazz, funk, and blues in high school, Grady decided to pursue a career in Jazz drumming and studied for 2 years at CSU. After moving to Cleveland full-time to attend school, Grady explored the vastness of the Cleveland music scene. Since then, he has quickly worked his way into being one of Cleveland’s up-and-coming session players for live gigs, lessons, and recording sessions.
Now, Grady is the touring and recording drummer for the legendary Cleveland metal band, Ringworm. When he is not touring, Grady can usually be found at any given venue in Cleveland on weekends playing or recording with artists of all different styles!
Jeff West
Drum Teacher
Jeff started playing gigs when he was 15 years old. While in Cleveland, the notable area bands he played with were Strutter, Club Wow and the infamous Baloney Heads. All released records, were played on the then behemoth WMMS and opened for major touring acts. In 1978, Jeff moved to NYC to get deep into the punk rock scene. His punk band, Testors, toured and was on Bleeker Bob’s great punk label (punk fans, look this up!). With The Testors guitar player Gene Sinigalliano, they built and ran Ultra Sound Rehearsal studios for 33 successful years. It was one of the biggest, longest running rehearsal complexes in New York.
Some great musicians Jeff's had lessons with are Steve Smith, Thomas Pridgen, Marvin ‘Smitty’ Smith, Pat Petrillo, Neal Smith and Norman Grossman. Some great musicians he's hit with are Cheetah Chrome, Jimmy Zero, Walter Luhr, Johnny Thunders, Sami Yaffa, Billy Sullivan, Frank Secich and Sonny Vincent. Jeff recorded at most of the great NYC studios (like Hit Factory and Right Track) and was signed to Atlantic, Geffen and MCA Records.
Jonathan Fields
Drum Teacher
Jonathan Fields is a drummer based in Cleveland, Ohio, and known for his colorful and innovative sound. Jonathan was born in Zanesville, where his desire for music began in church. When he was a child, Jonathan practiced by playing the pews, couch, and all the pots and pans he could find until his parents recognized his relentless passion and bought his first full-size drum set. At the age of 9, Jonathan ended up in Cleveland, where it all started. Jonathan developed his unique style of playing drums by studying mentors including Marvin McQuitty, Dennis Chambers, Teddy Campbell, and his hometown heroes. As a result, Jonathan started playing drums professionally at the age of 16, receiving calls to play for many events, churches, and clubs in Northeast Ohio and occasionally San Francisco, CA.
Throughout his overseas touring, Jonathan emerged as an MD (Musical Director), becoming the youngest leader in the company. Returning to the States in 2014, he began to engage and teach children how to play drums. He urges the younger generation to be organic and stay true to the music. After a short time being home, Jonathan’s life changed once again after joining Red Hands, a nominated inspirational band that has touched many lives throughout the world with their music.
Jonathan went on to complete two seasons of NBC’s hit TV show Songland. He also performed with Grammy-winning artist Khalid, headlining Coachella in 2019.
Jonathan is recognized as a very humble drummer and when asked about his success, he gives all glory to God. “I believe that opportunities come from God and with hard work, practice, and patience you will go far in life.”
Associated Bands: Red Hands, Eladio Carrion, NBC Songland (Season 1 & 2), Khalid, Monica, Dave Stewart, 1500 Or Nothing, Elaine, Lil Duval, Tamela & David Mann, and Tia Ray
Sergey Dumphrey
Drum Teacher
Sergey Dumphrey has been dedicated to playing the drums for nearly two decades and shows no signs of slowing down. Hailing from the suburbs of Buffalo, New York, Sergey has been deeply involved in music, performing with jazz bands, jam bands, and prog bands throughout his upbringing. After graduating high school with a diploma in music performance, he pursued further education at Berklee College of Music, studying under renowned drummers such as Blaize Collard (Sonic Symphony Orchestra) and Dave Dicenso. Additionally, he has had the privilege of learning from jazz greats like Joe Ferrara and John Bacon Jr of Buffalo NY.
While sharing his knowledge as a drum instructor, Sergey firmly believes in the importance of continuous learning and growth for musicians. He continues to expand his skills under the mentorship of Anthony Taddeo (Alla Boara) and Mike Mangini (ex-Dream Theater, Annihaltor, and Extreme). Sergey can be found touring the country with various artists and is actively involved with three bands in the Cleveland area: Two Mile Moon (indie rock), Khandria (prog metal), and Stonebridge (’90s alt-rock).
Alex Sorboro
Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Alex grew up in a household that had a grand piano to use at his disposal and became interested in music at a young age. He started lessons at the age of 5, studying with various teachers for a decade and becoming well-versed in theory and different styles of playing.
Alex strives to further his knowledge of music and playing ability every day. He has gained experience playing the Cleveland music scene over the years with several original bands, as well as his current cover band, Pop Fiction. Alex hopes to pass his knowledge and passion for music and the piano to all of his students.
Kevin Sloan
Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Kevin Sloan is a songwriter, pianist, and multi-instrumentalist. He has been playing and writing music since the age of 5. Starting with classical piano, and continuing to any instrument he could get his hands on, Kevin's musical interests revolve around performing and recording original music written by himself and his friends. He has released five albums of original music, composed soundtracks for short films and commercials, and produced songs for fellow songwriters.
In his free time, Kevin enjoys running medium to long distances, cooking pretty good dinners, and finding great parking spots.
As an instructor at the School of Rock in Highland Heights, Kevin hopes to help all of his students achieve their potential as members of a band and as musicians and artists.
Allison Leckrone
Director of Marketing, Studio Coordinator
Allison grew up around Sandusky, Ohio. She gravitated toward music early on, using pots and pans as a make-shift drum set and singing along to Spice Girls, Shania Twain, and 90’s radio hits. Later, when Avril Lavigne hit the scene, Al was inspired to pick up her first guitar and began to write her own songs! In high school, she discovered punk bands like Dead Kennedys and Bikini Kill and figured out she could use art to say something important (or at least have a lot of fun trying to).
Al moved to Chicago to attend Columbia College for film and then pivoted to Shimer “Great Books” College where she read a bunch of old books and ended up with a degree in Social Sciences. While in Chicago, Allison also co-led an organization called Girls Rock! Chicago and fell in love with inspiring younger generations to use music as a tool for self-expression and connection.
Al tries to play a little bit of everything and sings karaoke almost weekly. She’s excited to be in a community where she can continue to learn and perform whenever the opportunity arises!
Joe Stefano
Assistant Music Director
Joe has been playing drums since the age of 8, and playing in rock bands steadily since the age of 11; he has been a part of the music scene for over 20 years. Dabbling in all genres, Joe is well-versed in funk, jazz, reggae, Afro-Cuban, and drum corps, and is deeply rooted in rock.
In high school, Joe was the recipient of the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award in 2001 and was the percussion section leader in the marching band. He has played in various groups including Detagoh, The Recent Vintage, Drop Notion, Switchblade Scarlett, The Stereo Riot, and Surrounding Cities. One of the original staff members at both the Cleveland West and Highland Heights School of Rock locations, Joe loves teaching music and giving students every bit of knowledge that he can.
Michelle Wehinger
General Manager
Michelle has been working with students for over a decade. Originally in school for engineering, Michelle began tutoring local band students and fell in love with teaching. She received a bachelor's degree in Childhood Studies in 2017 and a master's degree in Education in 2019, both from The Ohio State University. Before working with School of Rock, she had tenure working in traditional classrooms, museums, and educational administration.
Michelle was General Manager of the School of Rock in Dublin, a suburb outside of Columbus Ohio, for two years before joining the School of Rock in Highland Heights. Michelle played traditional piano for over 15 years and was drawn to School of Rock's performance element after seeing Dublin's House Band take the stage. Recently, Michelle’s musical expression lies within coordinating local meetups and tournaments for music and rhythm video games. She always welcomes a chat about gaming from students, families, and staff alike.
Michelle is thrilled to be working alongside both education and music in such an amazing and energetic setting. She considers it the perfect combination.
Tim Moon
Music Director
Vocal enthusiast, Pianist, writer and composer Tim Moon began his musical journey as a backup singer to his Mom at the ripe old age of 3. Soon, at 4 years old, he began playing piano, writing endlessly complex music by hitting random notes on the piano all while insisting all notes were musically intentional.
Tim started his first band and began playing in every high school show he could. Being an acoustic guitar rock singer was DEFINITELY in his future. Then, at the ripe age of 19, Tim saw Ben Folds play piano and decided that being in a piano rock band was DEFINITELY in his future. He obsessively read every theory book he could find in the learning of this process.
But as High School rolled into college, Tim continued his classical voice and piano development. College was boring and nothing happened….Until Tim started Don’t Fear the Sun and went on tour, had a stint on Warped Tour, quit his job, moved to Cleveland because of a national tour in support of this big band at the time but ultimately the tour ended in catastrophic train wreck which left him unemployed and living in a new city.
In his first stint at School of Rock, which lasted 7 years, he at one point had 44 students a week and developed a pedagogy teaching classical mechanics to sing contemporary music.
While this story can continue, the next chapter included a new band, working for an artist, writing for other artists, working with professional vocalists and being a Creative Director for a Warner Music Group Recording Studio.
But nothing was better than working with the kids at SoR, so he came back, proceeding the legend himself, Tommy Rich.
