General Manager
Chris started playing drums/percussion at the age of 11 and has not looked back since. He possesses a love for teaching, and even taught in public schools for several years. Never turning down the opportunity to learn something new, Chris has studied under local greats such as Jeff Babinski (Maura Rogers and The Bellows) and Andy Herrick (Chimaira). He has studied and performed many different styles/genres of music, such as rock, metal, country, hip-hop, rap, jazz and more. Chris currently plays with local cover band Pop Fiction. He encourages you to take a chance and try something new because you never know what will happen.
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.
Director of Staff Training and Development
Playing drums since the age of eight, and playing in rock bands steady since the age of 11, Joe has been a part of the music scene for 20 years. Dabbling in all genres, he 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 marching band. He has played in various groups such as Detagoh, The Recent Vintage, Drop Notion, Switchbladd Scarlett, The Stereo Riot, Surrounding Cities and many more. One of the original staff members at both the Cleveland West and Highland Heights School of Rock, Joe loves teaching music and giving students every bit of knowledge that he can.
Studio Coordinator
Hailey is a lifelong lover of all things art and music. She grew up loving the film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, and eventually, it pushed her to see her first real-life musical, Annie. A week later, she signed up for theater classes at the Beck Center and continued doing lessons, classes, and shows for many years. She was in Beauty and the Beast, Pride and Prejudice, Almost Maine, Music Man, Bye Bye Birdie, and was cast as Ursula in The Little Mermaid before the 2020 shutdown. She participated in a few local vocal competitions, several chorale ensembles accompanied by the Parma Symphony Orchestra, and got to sing the national anthem at the Cleveland Monsters game with her choir in 2017.
She then chose to shift her path towards her original love within the arts, film. She had been making her own little videos her entire life, but she wanted to start directing. Hailey studied Digital Media Production and Arts Entrepreneurship at Kent State University, graduating early in December of 2023 and receiving her Bachelor of Science. Over her time, she directed and produced two short films, was General Manager of the University’s radio station, Black Squirrel Radio, worked cameras for the TV station, and had a 2 & ½ year radio show called Common Coffee Grounds. This show helped her discover her love of storytelling through sound design.
All of this led her to School of Rock as Strongsville's Studio Coordinator! She loves all things theater, 2000s emo, indie, 70s, and new alternative. Feel free to pick her brain about all things film and music.
Director of Marketing, Studio Coordinator
Allison grew up around Sandusky, Ohio. She gravitated toward music early on, using pots and pans as a makeshift drum set and singing along to Spice Girls, Shania Twain, and 90s 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 karaokes almost weekly. She’s excited to be in a community where she can continue to learn and perform whenever the opportunity arises!
Studio Coordinator, Rookies Teacher
Mia has been surrounded by music her whole life and grew up listening to various genres from new wave to jazz. If you asked her, she’d say her music path began when she sang in front of her family for the first time (but it really started when she became a Hannah Montana mega fan and saw her in concert at age 5!). From that moment on, Mia immersed herself in everything music, from performing songs for her family and friends to listening to music all night and stealing the auxiliary cable in every family car ride.
Mia became a School of Rock student at 13 and her passion for music and performing only grew. As a student, she picked up keys, drums, and bass in addition to singing. Here is where she found her deep love for singing and playing bass
After graduating, Mia took a gap year and decided to pursue music as a career. She now works at the School of Rock in Strongsville, Ohio as a Studio Coordinator and instructs our Rookies program. In her roles, Mia has found a new passion for teaching and showing kids music. You can catch her performing vocals and bass with her band Berry Box!
Rookies Director, Vocal Teacher
Elise began her singing endeavors and discovered her love for music at 7 years old. She dabbled in songwriting and put on performances for her family, friends, and stuffed animals. Elise started vocal and keys lessons at the age of 12 and began picking up personal gigs at private and church events, talent shows, and so on. She went on to be in choir, her high school musicals, and bands of her own. Elise specializes in singing the National Anthem, having done so for college and upper-level sports events and Veterans Day ceremonies. She performed the anthem at the Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery for five years. Before graduating high school she was invited to audition for The Voice in Nashville and made it to the final set of auditions in Hollywood before being let go in May of 2019.
It wasn’t until she entered School of Rock and was selected to be in the Headliners group that Elise developed a love for helping others discover their musical passion. She had the privilege of being a student alongside kids younger than her and realized she wanted to help mentor them the same way that she was mentored and inspired by her instructors. She is more than grateful for her time at School of Rock as a student, and now as an instructor!
Elise is currently going to school at Cleveland State University and majoring in Music with a focus in Vocal Performance. You can catch her playing gigs around Cleveland with her bands Rose Collective and Classic Friday.
Vocal Teacher
Jessi Nemeth grew up in Akron and Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. She had a love of music from a very young age, and even though her parents weren't musicians themselves, they exposed her to an eclectic mix of different types of music. Always gravitating to singing, Jessi started private voice lessons at the age of 14. From then on, throughout her teens and twenties, she became extremely passionate about performing many different genres of music including rock, musical theater, choral, and classical. Jessi went on to attend the Kent State School of Music where she majored in vocal performance in classical voice. During that time she was introduced to The Cleveland Orchestra and Chorus. She performed with the Blossom Festival Chorus with The Cleveland Orchestra over the course of five years.
In 2009, Jessi moved to Columbus, Ohio, where she and her sister formed their rock band, The Rubicons, in early 2012. In 2013, she moved to Cleveland where the world of the local music community opened wide for her. Along with singing in The Rubicons, Jessi has joined many other artists in the Cleveland music community in one way or another; singing lead, backup, and joining recording sessions at various recording studios in NorthEast Ohio. She also formed an acoustic rock duo called Jessi Rose and Fabián, and sings in multiple other projects as well.
In December 2021, she joined School of Rock Cleveland as a vocal instructor and is thrilled to help current and future musicians find their voice, and confidence to perform in whatever capacity they desire.
Vocal Teacher
Lacey Farina grew up in Schenectady, New York, and started their journey as a performer at the age of eight years old when taking part in her school’s choir. With guidance from their music teacher, at the age of ten, they auditioned and were cast in their first production Ragtime with a local community theater. From there on out, they caught “the bug”. Still at the age of ten, they began private vocal lessons and various dance classes, with a couple of years of piano lessons sprinkled in. Throughout the years Lacey continued voice and dance, took part in every choir they could, and has been fortunate enough to be in over 35 shows, consisting of musicals and plays, some credits including The Wizard of Oz (The Scarecrow), Little women (The Great Aunt March), and Beauty and The Beast (Mrs. Potts).
Upon high school graduation, Lacey attended Youngstown State University, where they graduated with a BFA in Musical Theatre. During their time there, they were fortunate to work with people such as jazz musician Kate Reid and got to work on various styles and genres of music outside of musical theater, including jazz, rock, R&B, contemporary, pop, country, and classical. Some of their performance credits at YSU consist of The Last Five Years (Cathy Hiatt), Little Shop of Horrors (Urchin), and Elegies a Song Cycle (featured soloist).
After graduation, Lacey made the decision to move to Cleveland in hopes of finding their footing in the flourishing music and performance scene. They are now gladly here, still auditioning amongst the theater scene and working on their own craft as an artist. Working on songwriting, working with others in recording studios, and taking any chance they can to perform at various open mics throughout the area and singing with and for other groups and their shows. It was through the open mic scene that they found out about and were guided to the School of Rock. Instantaneously, they fell in love with the place, the people, and their message. They hope to create a welcoming and safe environment where they can share knowledge on music, the arts, and life itself. To teach and be taught. To inspire and be inspired.
Show Director, Drum Teacher
Julian is from Akron, OH, and has been drumming since he was 3 years old. He grew up playing music with his dad, mostly blues and rock. At 16, Julian marched with the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps. From there he started teaching high school drumlines in Akron. Julian marched a total of three years with the Bluecoats, aging out in 2007. He also marched for three years with Matrix indoor percussion ensemble, which opened the door for him to teach at Youngstown State University. Later, Julian moved to Texas to teach drum lines and work at Promark, the drumstick manufacturing company. During this time, he also taught the Glassman Drum and Bugle Corps until 2010.
Since then, Julian has moved back to Ohio where he teaches out of Brunswick High school and Marion Harding High School. In 2015, Julian was hired by the Cleveland Cavaliers to create a bucket performance ensemble. From there he started writing and performing with the QStix, which would later change to the 216Stix and you can see them perform at home games. Julian has played drums in many bands from many different genres. Currently, he plays in a band with his dad, The Immortal Porpoises. Julian lives to teach and perform!
Aidan Forrey
Drum Teacher
Aidan Forrey picked up his first pair of drumsticks at the young age of 7 years old. Throughout his childhood, Aidan was part of many of his school ensembles. As he got older and continued his involvement in music, Aidan decided to pursue music as a career and graduated from Cleveland State University with a bachelor's degree in music performance.
Aidan has played with various local bands, who all have a strong passion for the creation of music. He primarily grew up on classic rock, but then found love for so many other styles including jazz, hip-hop, Latin, country, and metal. Any kind of music is welcome! Aidan loves teaching and showing everyone his love and passion for drumming. Every day is another step in his musical journey where he learns from not only peers but his students as well.
Aidan hopes that you love music as much as he does. You can check out Aidan in his main band, Whiffler, which tries to take something from every genre of music. Always remember that music is the one thing that connects us all!
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, NY, 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 (90’s alt-rock).
TJ Maclin Jr.
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
TJ Maclin is a former School of Rock student and 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 the School of Rock in Strongsville, Ohio.
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.
Mike Kearns
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 the New York rock station WNEW-FM. He came to Ohio to study composition and guitar with Dr. Loris Chobanian at Baldwin-Wallace, graduating 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, Dee 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 working with the coolest staff and students and there's no looking back!
Chase Franklin
Guitar Teacher
Chase has been working 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 the age of 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 currently 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 all 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…
Preston Murphy
Bass Guitar Teacher, Guitar Teacher
From the young age of 8, Preston Murphy has been musically inclined. Starting off on violin and acoustic guitar for a few years, he would later switch to bass and guitar after discovering School of Rock. Preston was a student for 6 years, as well as being involved with all the house bands, including the Junior Headliners, Headliners, and All-Stars. During his time at School of Rock as a student, he also picked up vocals, drums, and a bit of keyboard.
Once he graduated from high school, he attended the British and Irish Modern Music Institute (BIMM London University of Sussex), where he received his Bachelor's in Popular Music Performance (BMUS Bass). While in London, Preston performed with multiple artists from a wide range of countries and was an MD for them as well. He is very excited to bring his skills back to School of Rock in order to teach and inspire a new generation of musicians.
Eric Thompson
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Eric is originally from Youngstown, Ohio, and is a guitar teacher and bass guitar teacher at the School of Rock in Strongsville. Outside of School of Rock, Eric tours with his band Madame Marlowe and does various hired session guitar work.
Eric attended Dana School of Music in Youngstown where he studied guitar under Francois Fowler and obtained his bachelor's degree in music performance with an emphasis in music production.
Shane Sorboro
Keyboard Teacher
Shane has been banging the piano keys since before he can remember. His parents and grandparents both played piano as well so there was always one around. Growing up, Shane drew most of his inspiration from two keyboardists Andrew McMahon and Ben Folds Five... tho he loves all styles and genres of music. Over the years, he studied under multiple instructors and has become well versed in theory and proficient in different styles of playing. He loves writing and creating original music in his spare time as well! Shane began teaching at School of Rock in 2017. Nothing makes him happier than sharing his knowledge and passion for music with others.
Anita Ventura
Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Anita was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. A multi-instrumentalist, Anita plays keys, guitar, bass, vocals, and also produces her own music. She is a former School of Rock student, Headliner, and All-Star. Graduating from Kent State University in 2016, she has a degree in Business Marketing. She’s played in multiple bands over the years, most recently, Tim Moon’s Bohemian Rhapsody and Chris and Bethany Solyntjes. When Anita’s not playing music, you can find her behind a camera, photographing weddings, families, pets, and live events.
There’s nothing that makes Anita come alive more than seeing students make progress and succeed at School of Rock. Her goal is to challenge students to be the best that they can be as a musician and person while bringing their peers up along the way.
Steve Musichuk
Keyboard Teacher
Steve comes from a musical family and began piano lessons at the age 4. He studied classical piano performance at Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music when he was in seventh grade. Steve briefly studied jazz piano with Pat Pace in Akron and Music Theory at Tri-C. He got his first keyboard at 15 years old and immediately began playing in bands. He played in numerous original and cover bands throughout the Northeast Ohio area. Now retired, Steve still fills in with local area bands when called upon. He has been teaching the keyboard at School of Rock since 2012.
1 WEEKLY PRIVATE LESSON
