Richie
Show Director, Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Richie began playing guitar at age 8 and fell in love with music. At first, he was plucking his way through '90s rock songs that came on the radio and tapes that his parents had. Before he knew it, he was able to play along with more difficult songs and became inspired by classic rock groups like Led Zeppelin.
The guitar continued to be Richie’s first love, but since there was no place for him to play with others at that time, he joined the school orchestra in the sixth grade and learned to play the violin. Richie continued to play violin in school until the eleventh grade when he decided to try and pursue other musical interests, such as drum-line and jazz band. He then started a rock band with some classmates before the group eventually went their separate ways after graduation.
Richie began working for School of Rock in 2017 as a substitute instructor for the Dallas and Plano schools. He continued to work at School of Rock for over four years as the assistant music director, until making the move to School of Rock Rockwall as music director. School of Rock is the most fulfilling and fun job that Richie has ever had and you won’t find anyone who believes in the program more!
Glenn
Drum Teacher
Glenn started playing drums when he was 9 years old after seeing a performance at his elementary school talent show. A student played a blue drum set along to a KISS song and he was hooked. Glenn played on everything that he could get a tone out of with a pair of sticks his dad made for him out of wooden dowels.
After a few years of books, pots, and pans, Glenn got his first real drums at the age of 14. He started playing along to every song on the radio, learning all he could about every style of music he listened to. After playing house parties with different garage bands he and his friends put together, Glenn got a call from a real working band in the club scene. They spent the next couple of years playing every club and venue in north Texas and southern Oklahoma that would let them play. Eventually, that led to Glenn’s first tour with a “road” band.
After touring the Midwest for a while, Glenn got an audition with Vince Vance and the Valiants and toured most of the southeastern U.S. with them. After leaving the Valiants, Glenn freelanced with many artists, including two-time Grammy nominee and CMA Female Vocalist of the Year Janie Fricke, and got a gig with former Head East lead guitarist and solo recording artist Ricky Lynn Gregg. Glenn is currently the touring drummer for Texas recording artist Tom McKelvain and the Dirty Pesos.
Brandi
Vocal Teacher
Brandi's vocal talents range from Country to R&B, Pop to Alternative Rock. Brandi began her musical career at the age of 10 singing and dancing at numerous opries throughout North Texas. During her years in the opries, she had the privilege of sharing the stage, and even singing a duet, with the now famous Leann Rimes. In 1991, while continuing to perform at opries, Ms. McComb gained notoriety when she became one of the top 12 finalists in the Garland Music Association Scholarship contest.
In 1992, Brandi joined the nationally-renowned show band, Vince Vance & the Valiants, where she toured extensively across the US and internationally as the group's lead Valianette, Victoria. This popular, high-energy musical revue allowed Brandi to shine as a professional singer, dancer, and actress. Not only has she shared the stage with well-known celebrities (Huey Lewis, James Brown. Harry Connick, The Four Tops, Chubby Checker, and many more), she's performed from the Superdome to the Superbowl and the Waldorf Historia to the White House. Brandi can also be heard singing the opening theme song to the cartoon, Blue Gender, as seen on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim.
In 2001, Brandi joined forces with ex-members of Vince Vance & the Valiants to start one of the hottest variety dance bands in Dallas, TX: ZuZu Peddals. She retired from the band 18 years later to focus on wedding photography and her girls. Now she's excited to teach all she knows to students at School of Rock!
Jon
Drum Teacher
All it took was a single visit to the home studio of a church friend to cause Jon to become infatuated with drumming. After roughly two years of banging on boxes and coffee cans to his favorite albums and radio songs, his parents took the hint, and he finally received his first bona fide set of drums as a surprise gift on Christmas shortly following his 13th birthday.
Primarily a self-taught drummer, Jon only took about three months of formal drum lessons before the music shop sadly closed its doors. He then spent eighth grade and ninth grade in the school band, performing in talent shows, the pit ensemble, and occasionally the marching field. Away from school, he bounced between a handful of garage bands with friends and played his first show at the age of 16.
In his first year of college, Jon joined a metal band, Resigned to Fate, with whom he released an EP and an album on a small record label. Playing with this band also afforded him the opportunity to play dozens of shows and tour Texas, the Midwest, and the West Coast. After that band dissolved, Jon would go on to self-release several EPs and singles, as well as play dozens of shows with a handful of local punk, indie, and alt-rock bands throughout the 2000s.
Highlights from this time include earning awards and nominations for “best punk band” and “best drummer” from such prominent local music blogs as The Dallas Observer and The Ghost of Blind Lemon. In 2019, Jon’s garage rock band The Delzells had the opportunity to open for legendary surf rock band, The Ventures at Amplified Live.
Currently, Jon performs and releases music with three bands: John Falvo & His Daggers (classic country), Ex-Regrets (alternative/punk), and The Duck Creeps (pop punk/hardcore). He also performs weekly in the worship group at his dad's congregation in Dallas. An avid collector, restorer, and window shopper of musical equipment, Jon owns eight drum kits, 20 cymbals, and 50 snare drums! In his spare time, he enjoys recording drum tracks and creating drum loops and samples at his best friend’s home studio. Jon is happily married to his wife of 13 years, Heather, with whom they have a son, Will.
Sophie
Vocal Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Guitar Teacher
Sophie is a singer/songwriter from Sunnyvale, TX. She started as a School of Rock student at the age of 8 and participated in the School of Rock program until she aged out as a high school senior.
Sophie was selected twice to the School of Rock AllStars program, which is the highest honor bestowed on a School of Rock student. She has toured the country multiple times with some of the most advanced students in the School of Rock community. Sophie started her first rock band at the age of 12 has performed at more than a hundred events, has won the Battle-of-the-Bands contests, and has played high-profile music festivals including The Wildflower Festival, Summerfest, and Lollapalooza. She is a versatile vocalist who sings within many genres and is a multi-instrumentalist who plays guitar, bass, and keys.
Sophie loves manatees and can recite every US president in order. Her musical interests range from Dolly Parton to Bauhaus to Moondog. She releases music under a solo project called 80 Pound Baby.
"I think quotes are very dangerous things." - Kate Bush
Dalton Rapattoni
Music Director, Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Vocal Teacher
Dalton Rapattoni is a pop-rock singer/songwriter from Dallas, Texas, and is known for being one of the Top 3 finalists on the 15th and "final" season of the Fox television hit show, "American Idol."
Dalton began performing at the age of 12 when he formed his first band, Fly Away Hero, which released two EPs. At 14, he was contacted by a casting director who discovered his band through YouTube and was asked to audition for a new act called IM5. The principals were Simon Fuller, Perez Hilton, and Jaime King. From over 30,000 nationwide auditions, Dalton was chosen for the group. Over the next four years, Dalton worked with many well-known producers, songwriters, and choreographers including Toby Gad, Harmony Samuels, Rock Mafia, Nappytabs, and Meghan Trainor.
At 18, Dalton reunited with his childhood band, Fly Away Hero, who landed themselves at #17 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart after releasing a new EP titled "Lost and Found" that debuted at #22 on the Alternative charts and included their song "Hercules," written by Dalton, which remains the bestselling song on the EP. Dalton's solo album, "Nobodys Home," reached #5 on the iTunes chart in September 2017.
Dalton teaches vocals, guitar, bass, and keyboard.
Sophie Rapattoni
Vocal Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Sophie is a singer/songwriter from Sunnyvale, TX. She started as a School of Rock student at the age of 8 and participated in the School of Rock program until she aged out as a high school senior.
Sophie was selected twice to the School of Rock AllStars program, which is the highest honor bestowed on a School of Rock student. She has toured the country multiple times with some of the most advanced students in the School of Rock community. Sophie started her first rock band at the age of 12 has performed at more than a hundred events, has won the Battle-of-the-Bands contests, and has played high-profile music festivals including The Wildflower Festival, Summerfest, and Lollapalooza. She is a versatile vocalist who sings within many genres and is a multi-instrumentalist who plays guitar, bass, and keys.
Sophie loves manatees and can recite every US president in order. Her musical interests range from Dolly Parton to Bauhaus to Moondog. She releases music under a solo project called 80 Pound Baby.
"I think quotes are very dangerous things." - Kate Bush