Bri Wischerman
General Manager
Bri was born and raised in southern California and developed a love for music early on. She started playing the violin in 4th grade and continued on with the flute, dabbled in the bass and drums in high school, and later moved on to the piano. She was also in show choir and various musical theater productions throughout middle and high school. Being from So-Cal she inevitably developed a love for ska-punk, classic rock, and metal, and her favorite band is The Interrupters. Bri is now learning the bass guitar in the School of Rock Adult Program, and having a blast.
A mother of 2 settled in North Richland Hills, she enjoys horror movies, concerts, eating out, hockey, and spending time with her family. Bri couldn’t be more excited to be with School of Rock, and loves helping kids explore the arts and find themselves.
James Malone
Music Director, Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Co-founder, singer, guitarist, and lead songwriter for Arsis, James has been involved in the technical melodic death metal scene for more than a decade. A lifelong musician, James grew up in Virginia and began his musical education at the Berklee School of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. In 2000, he co-founded Arsis and the band has released five studio albums and three EPs. In addition to his work with Arsis, he composed "A Diamond for Disease" for the Ballet Deviare, a contemporary ballet company in New York City, which was performed off-Broadway in 2005 to a sold-out crowd. "A Diamond for Disease" featured a 13-minute title track that took four months to write and was hailed as “a multi-movement death metal masterwork” by "Decibel Magazine." Last year, James started a side project, Necromancing the Stone.
Ariel Ditta
Assist. Music Director, Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Piano Teacher, Vocal Instructor
Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Ariel Ditta first discovered her passion for music at the tender age of two when she threw a big fit in front of a music store because it was closed. She began taking piano lessons at four years old, voice lessons at seven, and eventually started teaching herself guitar and bass at 13 years old. Fresh out of high school, she moved to Denton to study voice performance at the University of North Texas, where she earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Studies in 2018. When she’s not busy instilling a life-long love of music in her students, she enjoys writing tunes, drawing mutant creatures that hopefully don’t exist, spending money she doesn’t have on effects pedals and making ambient, art grunge noises in her various projects around the DFW area. She is a guitar teacher, bass guitar teacher, piano teacher and vocal instructor at School of Rock Southlake/Keller.
Beth Carter
Piano Teacher, Vocal Teacher
Beth was born in Springtown, Texas and was around music her whole life, growing up in a musical family. She always sung in church, choir and within her family. When she was eight she moved to Fort Worth and continued to sing in choirs and started to get into theatre. When she was 11 she started participating in musicals every summer. Then at age 14, she started attending School of Rock Fort Worth and making friends within the Fort Worth music scene. Throughout learning at School of Rock, she has picked up the piano, as well as ukulele, harmonica and bass guitar. In her last year as a student at School of Rock at age 18, she went on a summer tour and gained musical experience, as well as created everlasting bonds with the people she worked with. Currently she is studying music education at TCC and participates in their ensemble group. She still attends School of Rock as a part of the Fort Worth Adult Band, striving to broaden her horizons and become a better musician.
John McCoy
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
John McCoy is from a small town in North Texas. His exposure to music started when his mother, a Beatles maniac and also a fan of 80s new wave and pop music, supported his learning of music in school. Growing up, his older brother, who had been a gigging bass player in DFW, exposed him to metal, punk, alternative rock and jazz fusion bands at an early age.
John was in the children's church choir all through grade school and also was in musical theater in high school. He always had an interest in musical instruments and finally got a guitar at 14. When John was in high school he learned that his longtime neighbor was a monster behind a drum kit and soon started his first band with him. He still plays in a band with him to this day. John took classical guitar instruction while in college, as well as private lessons from virtuoso guitarists of notable progressive rock and metal bands.
John is the lead guitarist and key songwriter for Surrounded By Monsters, a metal band based in Denton, TX. They have released one EP independently, and after signing a record deal with Nuclear Blast Records they released a full-length studio album called "Novella." They have toured all over the US and in parts of Canada.
After being with School of Rock Southlake/Keller, John has realized that he loves to teach guitar but also still enjoys learning it. He is a guitar teacher and bass guitar teacher.
Billie Wigington
Drum Teacher
Billie Wigington is a professionally trained musician and specializes in drums and guitar. Billie is a graduate of Musician’s Institute in Hollywood, California. He has an appreciation of all genres of music, but rock n' roll is his specialty. Growing up, Billie has primarily been a drummer at heart with over 15+ years of experience playing, as well as multiple years playing in bands and performing on stage. He is very passionate about sharing his knowledge of music with upcoming musicians. He is a drum teacher at School of Rock Southlake/Keller.
Jana Branham
Vocal Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Growing up, Jana always had a passion for music. At 6 years old, she played piano by ear and loved to sing. Jana took piano lessons when she was 12 years old and she wrote and performed music for her church when she was 13. When she was 15, she continued writing songs and taught herself guitar and bass. Later in high school, Jana started an all-girl punk rock band called Neverland where she composed most of the music, sang backup harmonies, and played guitar.
Jana attended Walter State University in Sevierville, TN to study music theory. She took voice lessons, choir, acapella, ear training, piano, and guitar. In 2017, Jana performed "Jubilate Deo" by Dan Forest with her college choir at Carnegie Hall in New York City. After graduation, Jana started writing her own music and found a love for composing songs with her husband who writes all of her lyrics. In October 2022, Jana became the frontwoman for a gothic metal band called Infinity Vein where she continues to sing, write music, and play piano. Jana is now a vocal teacher and keyboard + piano teacher at School of Rock Southlake!
Jake Tarpley
Drum Teacher
Jake loves rocks—minerals, gemstones, metals, and, of course, MUSIC! Being one of the first School of Rock students in the DFW metroplex, Jake started rocking in 2008 at the age of 11. His long red hair made him stand out as he mastered his skills on the kit. Not satisfied to keep the beat in the background, Jake picked up the guitar in high school and quickly joined the ranks of those who stand and perform. He has fond memories of all of his teachers, so he knows the important role a teacher plays in the development of a student.
Jake attended the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, CO, to indulge his interest in earth science and he earned a Bachelor of Science in Geological Engineering. Not entirely ready to trade his sticks for the pick axe, the musician in him found a like-minded group of students and started gigging around Golden, playing mostly funk-influenced improvised “jams.” While his foundation was set in the classic rock bands of the ’60s and ’70s, with Red Rocks Amphitheatre a mere 10 miles away, Jake discovered jam bands The String Cheese Experience, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Twiddle, Phish, and Uhmphrey’s McGee who all trace their influences to the likes of The Grateful Dead.
Regarding his current creative endeavor, Jake creates electronic music as a solo artist characterized by unique sound design, intricate grooves, and a strong influence on multicultural instrumentation.
Jake lives with his cat, Yosi, who tolerates his passions.
CJ Cotton
Guitar Teacher
C.J. Is the lead guitarist and primary composer for DFW metalcore band December Screams Embers. He is currently working on degrees in both music education and music composition.
C.J.’s grew up in a small town southwest of Ft. Worth. In his childhood home there wasn’t a time when the radio wasn’t on or music wasn’t being played. His parents were big fans of Classic Rock, Classic Country, and 80’s Pop. C.J.‘s dad always had instruments lying around and encouraged his sons to play with them even if they just made noise.
When C.J. was thirteen, he began taking music seriously and “borrowed” his dad’s acoustic guitar. He spent all of his free time practicing, and bought every book, VHS, and DVD he could find that he felt would help him become a better musician.
C.J. Moved to DFW in 2014 with his childhood friend and formed December Screams Embers, focusing his time on writing, releasing, and performing music. In 2021, he decided to go back to school and set his goals on obtaining doctorates in both music education and composition.
Brandon Wildman
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher
Brandon was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and was a fixture in the Maryland music scene until he relocated to Texas in 2014. His interest in music and performance began as a child singing and dancing to James Brown, Motown, and doo-wop classics. His love for drumming began at age 7, followed by guitar and bass at age 12.
Brandon has performed at major venues, festivals, and conventions across the country with bands Telesma (psychedelic world music), Contra (instrumental progressive rock), Entertainment System (video game covers), and large-scale productions with the Baltimore Rock Opera Society.
Brandon realized his passion for teaching at age 17 when he began volunteering as a youth coach and has continued to teach and mentor since. Brandon is the father of two boys, both musicians. His youngest son performs in the Honors Orchestra of the Suzuki Strings program, in which Brandon remains involved by assisting teachers and students alike. As a lifelong student himself, he continues to learn and study music theory under the tutelage of famed bassist, John Ferrara. In his spare time, he enjoys working in his garden and painting.
Natasha Pascetta
Guitar Teacher, Bass Teacher
Natasha has been a student of School of Rock for almost half her life. At 14, she started taking guitar lessons and participating in group performances at the very first School of Rock in Philadelphia, PA. When she moved to Texas, she joined the adult program at School of Rock Southlake where she continued her musical journey and met a ton of friends! Natasha’s favorite artist is Alice Cooper, and some of her musical influences include Nita Strauss, Dio, The Beatles, and Meatloaf. She loves all things spooky including scary movies, and even ran her own haunted house! She currently teaches beginner and intermediate guitar/bass and plays bass in the band Party of Darkness.
Graham Abernathy
Drum Teacher
Graham was born in Grapevine and has lived in Keller his whole life. He has always had a passion for drumming—on old shoes, books, pans, and anything he could get his hands on. Graham got his first drum kit at 6 years old and has had a huge passion for drumming ever since.
Starting with the classics such as Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Dio, etc., Graham developed a passion for groove, thrash, death, and nu-metal. Once he reached the fifth grade, he was in the wind ensemble for percussion until high school. With over 15 years of experience, Graham specializes in double bass and heavier music but also has a strong connection to '70s classic rock.
Graham’s first time performing in front of a crowd was at his talent show in the fifth grade, where he performed a medley of death metal songs. He has had many projects, but his main band is a metal band called KÜDÜ. They perform all over the DFW area. Graham enjoys spreading his love of drumming to a new generation of musicians.
Daniel Salgado
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Vocal Teacher
Daniel was immersed in music for as long as he can remember. His first memory, at the age of 1, is playing rhythm alongside his family members at a New Year's celebration, keeping to the beat with a guiro as members of the family danced and sang to Latin jazz and cumbia. No stranger to the arts, Daniel performed in theater shows from the age of 3 through his high school graduation, played both trumpet and trombone in band, and sang in his church choir. But the most formative and impactful of all was the pursuit of playing and writing music.
Growing up in Bedford, TX, Daniel was a self-taught pianist by 12, learning by ear some of his favorite tunes by Coldplay, Radiohead, or the Beatles. At 13, picking up the guitar brought the passion to a new height. Connecting with friends, Daniel wrote two EPs and two full-length albums with the groups Tastes Like Victory and The Galaxy Atlas, a pop-punk group and a progressive metal project, respectively. Along with his time pursuing various arts, Daniel has regularly involved his time with teaching others; having taught vocalists proper technique and guitarists the basics and to play their own music.
He is ecstatic about joining the School of Rock team in Southlake to teach music regularly.