Owner
Don's love of music was passed down from his parents at a very young age. Whether it was car rides with his dad listening to The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Elvis or accompanying his mom while she played songs on guitar by Neil Young, the Eagles, and Cat Stevens—the music was never-ending.
When Don was about 13 years old, he discovered bands like Green Day, Blink-182, Rise Against, and Yellowcard and it launched an entirely new drive of inspiration. Don had dabbled in guitar since the age of 9 but it was at age 14 that he picked up his first electric guitar, got up on a stage in front of hundreds of people, strummed some chunky power chords, and tasted the life of a rockstar—the rest is history.
Don has been performing at venues such as The Knitting Factory, Sullivan Hall, Trash Bar, Paper Box, Don Hill's, and The Bowery Electric with various bands, ever since he was 17 years old.
One of his favorite memories was working in the Rock Shop at the sleepaway camp he went to as a kid. He was tasked with giving one-on-one lessons to children ages 6-18 as well as working with bands that would ultimately put on a rock show for the entire camp. While seeing his campers successfully perform was rewarding in itself, the real reward came almost a decade later, when some of his old campers reached back out to him to express their gratitude for everything he had taught them. At that moment he thought to himself, "I wish I could have a career that gave me the same rewarding feeling that working at camp gave me..."
After working various inside sales jobs in Manhattan, the pandemic pushed Don to pursue something that he was more passionate about, and eventually discovered the wonders of School of Rock! Don began his School of Rock career by owning and operating the School of Rock in Rockland, New York and after almost 3.5 years in Rockland, life again pushed Don in a new direction, and the Florida sun was calling his name! Don is very excited to begin this next chapter of ownership in St. Petersburg, Florida!
General Manager, Rookies Program Director
Since the age of 10, Jae Hughes has had a passion for teaching music and working with children. Her career began as a music tutor for percussion instruments at her high school in Rayland, Ohio. To further her career, she moved to St. Petersburg after graduation and has spent her time teaching band instruments, percussion, and piano, and working in the music industry. With experience in sales and lesson coordinating, she enjoys working with people and spreading the joy of music to everyone she meets.
Assistant General Manager, Studio Coordinator
Sydney Snyder is the assistant general manager and studio coordinator at the School of Rock in St. Petersburg, Florida. Born and raised in St. Pete, Sydney earned a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of South Florida, before working as a field organizer and event coordinator on numerous political campaigns and nonprofit initiatives, where she recruited and managed dozens of volunteers. She has several years of administrative experience under her belt.
Sydney is passionate about her community and excited to work alongside the rest of the School of Rock team to create a fun and inviting atmosphere for all of our students.
Music Director, Guitar Teacher, Bass Teacher, Keyboard Teacher
Melbourne "Mel" Walsh picked up his first guitar at 15 years old. Inspired by his father's love of guitar, Mel's natural musical aptitude ensured local success in his hometown of Marathon, Florida. He started his formal musical education in Gainesville, Florida at Santa Fe Community College but was quickly lured away by the opportunity to study at The Players School of Music. There he took part in weekly jazz ensembles with the inimitable Jeff Berlin, studied theory, harmony, scales and chord tones, learned to read chord charts and sheet music, received one-on-one guitar lessons and ear training, and a multitude of other musical concepts. He has played a myriad of venues from Florida to North Carolina, including Hard Rock Cafe and Jannus Live. Mel's musical background includes rock, blues, jazz, fusion, progressive rock and funk.
Music Director, Guitar Teacher, Bass Teacher, Vocal Teacher
Zach Short is a guitarist and vocalist of 13 years from Tulsa, Oklahoma. He has written and recorded two albums with cog and lantern recordings, both of which have been released on iTunes and other music platforms. Zach has played multiple venues, ranging from small sizes such as restaurants, bars and weddings to larger venues that host national acts like Cains Ballroom in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He has toured the Midwest, playing in multiple bands either as a hired guitarist, session guitarist or permanent member of the band, and has performed at festivals such as SXSW in Austin, Texas playing showcases and opening up for artists including Leon Russel and The Nixons. Zach has eight years of experience teaching students of all ages, both in group settings and private lessons. He currently plays guitar for the Safety Harbor-based band Viewers Like You and is regularly gigging throughout the Tampa Bay and St. Petersburg areas.
Drum Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Bass Teacher
Growing up in a military family and moving frequently, Ian relied on music as a creative outlet and source of entertainment and solace. He started out playing the piano and guitar, but it wasn’t until his family settled east of the Tampa area that Ian found a love of percussion. He quickly joined his middle school orchestral program and became interested in jazz and classical percussion. Ian continued to hone his skills as a member of the Indoor Percussion Group at his high school, where he was chosen to compete in the WGI Indoor Percussion World Championships Scholastic Open Division and was recognized for visual and technical performance.
After moving to St. Pete in 2018, Ian participated in the Music Industry Recording Arts (MIRA) Program at St. Pete College, focusing primarily on recording, mixing and production. Around that time, he also helped form the alternative rock band The Opportunists, and began gigging around St. Pete, writing, recording and producing original music. In 2020, The Opportunists released their debut album, including the track "Mr. Take It Slow," a collaboration with the Florida Orchestra.
Ian’s passion for music and love of teaching make him a perfect fit for drum instruction at the St. Pete School of Rock.
Keyboard Teacher, Bass Teacher, Guitar Teacher
Austin Llewellyn is a multi-instrumentalist with 25 years of experience. Starting off on guitar at age 10 and quickly picking up the bass shortly thereafter, he finally settled on keyboards as his primary instrument in college. With a musical background spanning from Rock and Funk to Reggae and Jazz, Austin is currently playing in 4 local bands including Row Jomah, with whom he toured the Southwest, playing in Georgia, North Carolina, and numerous locations in Florida. He has also played notable venues like the Hard Rock and Jannus Live, as well as participated in the Clearwater Jazz Festival. With decades of performance experience and a love for teaching, Austin has come on board as a guitar, bass, and piano teacher here at the School of Rock St. Pete.
Drums Teacher, Bass Teacher, Vocal Teacher
A consistently gigging and touring drummer for over 14 years, Vincent plans to use his additional experience in songwriting, guitar, bass, vocals and percussion to help strengthen students’ understanding and appreciation of music. He knew that being a musician was his calling when he started playing guitar at age 10, but it wasn’t until age 13 that he realized he felt most comfortable behind a drum kit. From that point, he began taking drum set lessons and also joined the Countryside High School drum line, where he would spend the next four years developing and honing his drumming skills.
Vincent continues to use his multi-instrumental experience in his two current bands, for which he writes and arranges music. With his comprehensive skill set, he hopes to create a unique lesson plan that caters to each student’s individual musical aspirations.
Guitar Teacher, Bass Teacher, Keys Teacher, Vocal Teacher
Nico picked up the guitar at the age of fifteen and never put it down. Quickly developing a taste for blues and folk music, he fell in love with artists like Simon and Garfunkel, The Beatles, and Hozier, and decided to pursue his passion for music and music education through his high school’s band, choir, and theater programs, before pursuing a degree in music education at Toccoa Falls College and later the University of South Florida. During his time in college, Nico picked up piano, bass, and vocals, and performed in various Manhattan choir productions at venues like the Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall. Nico teaches guitar, bass, piano, and vocals to the students here at the St. Pete School of Rock.
Vocal Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Bass Teacher, Keyboard Teacher
Chris’ varied background includes church choirs, musical theatre, and live stage performances as a solo act as well as part of a band. A native of St. Pete, Chris is a Gibbs High School graduate where his focus was musical theatre and performance. He joined the LA music scene after high school, honing his songwriting, production, and engineering, and playing as part of “All Day Breakfast,” an indie rock band which toured throughout the Southern US in 2019. Upon moving to St. Pete, he also began playing as a solo act under the name “Topher Kinney.” In addition to vocals, Chris is also a talented multi-instrumentalist, proficient in guitar, keys, and bass.
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Johnnie D. is a songwriter and musician. He began playing guitar in the 7th grade and is an alum of the School of Rock of New York City and of the School of Rock in Chatham, New Jersey. He started writing his own songs from the start and formed bands with friends during high school. He attended Elon University in North Carolina where he received his B.S. in music production. After graduating, he moved to California where he collaborated and performed with a variety of artists ranging in genres from hip hop, alternative rock, and jazz, and composed for multiple films, for which he was awarded best original score on two short films.
His primary instruments are guitar and bass guitar, and he also enjoys playing the piano and mandolin. He records and engineers his own music in Logic Pro X, performing the guitar, bass, and vocals, and producing the drums. His main influences growing up were the Red Hot Chili Peppers, U2, Nirvana, Jimi Hendrix, blink182, and Led Zeppelin. More recently, he has been listening to Animals as Leaders, The Grateful Dead, John Coltrane, Penguin Cafe, and TOOL.
He moved to Florida in 2021 where he has continued to pursue his passion for music. He performs live in the St. Petersburg area and releases his own music which can be found on all music platforms.
Bass Teacher, Drums Teacher, Keyboard Teacher
Vinny Svoboda picked up his first musical instrument, the violin, when he was 10 years old. Shortly after this musical introduction, he received his first bass guitar. In his early teens, after a few years of being a part of his school's orchestras and bands, Vinny became intrigued by the mechanics of percussion and overall rhythm. He immersed himself in learning how to play any percussion instrument he could get his hands on.
His education progressed when he was accepted into the Music Performance program at the University of South Florida. Studying under the principal bass player of the Florida Orchestra, Vinny received his Bachelor's Degree in Music Performance with an emphasis in Classical Upright Bass in 2013. Since graduation, Vinny has made great strides within his local community and abroad as a live and studio musician for many musical acts. He's also an active audio engineer who specializes in full-band tracking, mixing and mastering. He is a bass guitar teacher, drum teacher and piano teacher at School of Rock St. Petersburg.
Drum Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Guitar Teacher
Joey started his career in the music industry as an AV/stagehand technician, doing audio, video, and lighting work for arena-sized events in Tampa. He then began teaching drums at Universal Rock School where he taught a diverse group of genres including rock, metal, punk reggae, jazz, Latin, and more.
Joey is a Rock 101 instructor and also teaches drums, guitar, and bass at School of Rock St. Pete!
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Drum Teacher
A native of St. Petersburg, Clarke credits local professional musicians Chris LeFever and Joe Braccio for spurring his journey to become a professional musician. He attended John Hopkins Middle School and then the Pinellas County Center for the Arts at Gibbs High School. Clarke was accepted to Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he continued with his formal study of music theory, performance, and production.
During this time, Clarke became proficient on multiple instruments including guitar, drums, keys, and bass. When Clarke left Boston, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue his professional music career. He joined the pop-punk band Sound Parlor and then later toured with All Day Breakfast, an indie rock-influenced band.
Clarke’s experience ultimately led him to St. Petersburg where he hopes to inspire his students to have a lifelong passion for music.
Vocal Teacher
Sydney is a college student at SPC and will soon transfer to USF. She went to school at Pinellas County Center for the Arts studying Musical Theater and continues to pursue her love for theater within the Tampa Bay Community. Sydney loves to sing, read, and be with her friends.
Drum Teacher
Brendan is a drum instructor with nearly a decade of teaching experience. He began teaching as a drum line instructor at Auburndale High School and later moved to School of Rock Tampa where he has taught for four years.
He studied at the Music Industry and Recording Arts program at St. Pete College where he completed his A.S. in Music Production. He is also a creative music technology instructor with Arts Conservatory for Teens, teaching audio production fundamentals to students at Pinellas County schools. He moved to St. Petersburg in 2020 and gigs locally, specializing in styles including metal and jazz.
Drums Teacher
Connor fell in love with drums at the age of 7, after spotting a drum kit in a music store window, and went on to join the Patel Conservatory’s rock band program at age 10, performing live on stage. His love for classic rock artists such as Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, and AC/DC propelled him into his high school marching band and subsequently to Berklee College of Music and SPC’s Mira program, where he learned from John Blackwell (the late drummer for grammy award winning artists Prince and Justin Timberlake). Connor’s experience in a broad range of styles and passion for teaching make him an excellent addition to the St. Petersburg School of Rock staff.
Vocal Teacher
Talia was born in Queens, New York, and raised in Florida for most of her musical career. Talia sang and started an interest in music at 7 years old by joining her school choir. Then, she continued schooling in Pinellas' exemplary art programs, such as John Hopkins Middle and Gibbs High School. This allowed her to learn other instruments, such as woodwinds, piano, and classical guitar.
Talia is a singer, composer, songwriter, choir section leader, audio technician, and emerging voice actor in Tampa Bay. She graduated from the University of Florida with a Master's in vocal performance in 2017. She has also pursued a musical interest in sacred church, gospel, and Christian music within the community. Talia has also collaborated with opera guilds, musical theater, and local choirs for 15 years. While in the community, Talia had studied pop/rock, jazz, and R&B styles for the past five years.
Talia's experience has led to workshops in vocal pedagogy, opera, musical theater, Alexander techniques, and numerous diction methodologies for improving speech. Her lessons give the students the experience to pursue what they want in their singing lessons. Talia is always willing to help the student's strengths and weaknesses. Giving her the edge to review what styles and genres they would like to work on, musical theory and sight-reading to improve, provide vocal health advice, and plan a routine to practice in future lessons. The goal is to create an environment for creative performance and find improvement within themselves.
Talia's recent focus is completing the St. Petersburg College (SPC) Mira Program for an Associate in Audio Engineering by Spring 2025. Talia will explore further levels in audio engineering for recording, live sound staging, and management and will be able to incorporate all aspects of her career in vocal performance.
Guitar Teacher
Seth Rodden is an Indiana native with deep family ties to the arts. His earliest influences included choral music (thanks to his choir director mother and grandfather) and Irish Folk music. Over time his interests have branched out to include the Great American Songbook, early country, bluegrass, blues, classic rock, and jazz.
Although guitar and voice are his primary instruments, Seth is also proficient on mandolin, Irish whistle and recorder, violin, bagpipes, piano and flute. He has appeared in over 20 musical productions, and competed in Barbershop singing with his group “On the Fritz.” Seth holds a B.A. in music business with a minor in voice performance from Anderson University, and an MBA from Ball State, both in Indiana.
Seth speaks German and has worked for German-based companies in the plastics industry for the last several years in sales and marketing roles. Teaching the awesome students at the School of Rock in St. Petersburg, Florida is the highlight of Seth’s week!