Monica
Owner
Monica didn't know when she was younger that this was where she wanted to be but her life has led her to School of Rock Syosset/Oyster Bay. Monica grew up in a talented home where everyone had a musical talent except for her. Her dad, a self-taught musician, could play anything you put in front of him. Monica, on the other hand, was musically challenged. She would sing at the top of her lungs not really caring that she was pitchy and off-beat (and still does). Her parents sent her to piano lessons even though she really wanted to play the drums. After the second month of lessons, the instructor told Monica that he would pay her to stop going if she promised not to tell anyone she had been his student (true story!).
Monica's son, Michael, became interested in playing the guitar at a young age. She and her husband, Gene, encouraged Michael to play but quickly realized that taking lessons just wasn't enough. Coming home and practicing on his own wasn't fun. After some internet research, Monica learned about School of Rock.
Monica and Gene quickly scheduled an appointment thinking this was all just too good to be true. They had no idea that School of Rock would not only change her son's life but the lives of her entire family! Throughout Michael's years at School of Rock, Monica turned her photography to the concert world. She was fortunate to have met some incredible artists and is lucky to now call them her friends. They introduced her to the music business, teaching her about recording, managing, touring, and the list goes on. It was around this time that Michael's band, The Inoculated Canaries, started to develop into more than a garage band. It was also at this time that Gene told Monica he knew what her calling was, and he was right!
Monica and Gene started School of Rock Syosset/Oyster Bay knowing that it would change the lives of those who walked through the doors. School of Rock Syosset/Oyster Bay is a clubhouse for our students. They have a place to express themselves musically and are challenged by the incredible teachers that are here.
Dylan
Regional Manager, Music Director, Bass Guitar Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Dylan is a Long Island-based multi-instrumentalist and educator who has been working at School of Rock since 2015, shortly after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in music education from Five Towns College. Dylan is well-versed in many genres, having performance credits in various rock bands, jazz groups, chamber orchestras, theater orchestras, and more. He has performed at NAMM’s Winter Show in Anaheim, CA, and South by Southwest in Austin, TX, as well as several local venues including Revolution, 89 North, KJ Farrell’s, Fordham University’s Winterfest, and more.
In the studio, Dylan has played electric bass, upright bass, drum set, percussion, keys, ukulele, and laid down vocal tracks on many songs and albums across multiple genres. A lesson with Dylan means a lesson in theory, ear training, performance, and exposure to multiple genres of music. He is the Regional Manager and Regional Music Director at School of Rock Huntington, Queens, Rockville Centre, Roslyn, and Syosset/Oyster Bay.
Dorianna
Regional General Manager, Marketing Director
Dorianna has extensive experience working with children, including being an Assistant Director at a sleep-away camp for underprivileged children and adults with special needs. She has also worked at several local day camps, as well as after-school programs.
Dorianna is excited to be a part of School of Rock in Syosset, NY as the Regional General Manager and Marketing Director. She has a bachelor's degree in Psychology from Mount Saint Mary College and a master's degree in Social Work from Adelphi University.
Amber
Studio Coordinator, Vocal Teacher
Amber started singing at the age of 10 and has not looked back since. As a graduate of School of Rock Rockville Centre and a multi-year member of the School of Rock House Band, Amber is determined to provide the life-changing experience that she had to students. She has performed at venues such as The Bitter End in New York City, Revolution in Amityville, the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn, the Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland, and more. She currently attends Five Towns College, pursuing a degree in Vocal Performance. She is a vocal instructor and Studio Coordinator at School of Rock Huntington, Queens, Rockville Centre, Roslyn, and Syosset/Oyster Bay.
Anthony
Drum Teacher
Hailing from Long Island, Anthony is a drummer and multi-instrumentalist focusing on songwriting. He started his musical journey at age 9 by learning saxophone, drums, and piano simultaneously. Anthony would then gain experience with bass, guitar, and vocals.
For over a decade, Anthony has been performing in various ensembles and bands in New York and greater Boston where he was a member of the third-ever cohort of Harvard-Berklee dual-degree students. As an undergraduate, Anthony studied drum performance and songwriting while also rehearsing for various musicals, concerts, and cover bands. Though trained primarily in rock and jazz, his stylistic capabilities and experience range from Latin to disco to funk.
Anthony graduated with a bachelor's degree in physics from Harvard University and a master's degree in songwriting and production from Berklee NYC. He is a drum instructor at the School of Rock in Syosset/Oyster Bay.
Brett
Drums Teacher
Brett is an experienced lifelong drummer with a strong background in musical performance. He spent most of his career as an investment banker and is also a family man and former business owner. Brett is finally at a place in his life where he can devote more time to his true passion of teaching and playing drums. He has extensive experience with various styles and techniques of drumming and possesses a creative and collaborative mindset in music education.
Brett enjoys working with students of all ages and levels of experience. He also plays in a successful band that writes, records, and produces original music which can be found on iTunes, Spotify, and other streaming services under GUMP Band. Brett is a passionate teacher and performer who is enthusiastic about sharing his joy of music with others. Brett is a drum teacher at School of Rock Syosset/Oyster Bay.
Danny
Drum Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Years ago when Danny decided to start sharing his musical knowledge with children he quickly realized how rewarding it would be. Now, looking back, he sees the accomplished musicians he has helped develop. Companies such as Sabian, Vater, and Drum Workshop have Danny on their education and artist rosters and retain his services to hold clinics and masterclasses for all three companies.
Danny studied music at Nassau Community College, Drummers Collective, and continues his education with the well known-instructors Joe Morello, Jojo Mayer, and Frank Bellucci. Danny has played with several national acts touring globally. His focus is drum set, snare drum, and mallets along with preparation of his students for NYSSMA.
Danny is a drum teacher at School of Rock Huntington, Queens, Rockville Centre, Roslyn, and Syosset/Oyster Bay.
Dave
Drum Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Dave has two decades of experience as a musician and specializes in drums, percussion, woodwinds, and piano. He got his start at the age of 10 when a chance meeting with a music teacher prompted him to start clarinet. He attended Laguardia High School of Music and Art and Mannes School of Music, performing with the Laguardia orchestra, the Mannes concert orchestra, and the ISO orchestra. After graduating high school, David attended Queens College where he performed with the senior orchestra for three years. He's taken lessons with some of the most famous clarinetists in New York City including Bonnie Sholl, David Glazer, David Weber, and Stanley Drucker.
After years of clarinet lessons, David felt he needed a change. Percussion was always a love of his so after transferring to Lehman College in the Bronx, he decided to take drum lessons. After four years of percussion lessons with Howard Hirsch, he began performing in various marching band groups and symphonic bands around New York City, trading the woodwind section for the percussion section. Currently, David gives private music instruction in all of his instruments, performs with various rock bands and cover band groups around the city, and writes original compositions in his spare time. David is a drum and keyboard teacher at School of Rock Huntington, Rockville Centre, Roslyn, and Syosset/Oyster Bay.
Jarryd
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Drum Teacher
Jarryd is a guitarist, bassist, and producer from Long Island, New York. Growing up, Jarryd had a fond interest in music and the inner workings of the business world and pursued a degree at Five Towns College in business and audio recording. Eventually, he went on to get a master's in business administration from LIU Post.
Jarryd has had the privilege of playing and touring with different bands as well as working with different clients as a producer. He currently is working on his solo project, Centrifuge, and producing for other clients as well. Jarryd is a guitar, bass guitar, keyboard, and drum teacher at School of Rock Huntington, Rockville Centre, and Syosset/Oyster Bay.
Jesse
Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Jesse is a multi-instrumentalist hailing from Long Island. He is a classically trained pianist and is currently studying solo jazz and classical piano. Jesse has studied classical and jazz music theory for over a decade and is a certified audio engineer/session musician working with some of the top recording studios New York has to offer.
Jesse has played for many groups ranging from bebop, modal jazz, and orchestras, to art rock, psychedelic and electronic. He currently records and performs with a jazz fusion band called Little Umbrellas, and also writes and records a plethora of his own compositions. Jesse is a keyboard + piano teacher at School of Rock Syosset/Oyster Bay.
Joe
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Drum Teacher, Vocal Teacher
Joe is a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter born in Flushing, NY. While first learning music playing at church, Joe eventually went on to study and graduate from the Musician's Institute in Los Angeles, CA with an associate's degree in Guitar Performance.
Joe has over a decade's worth of experience in teaching and his philosophy has always been about helping build the next generation of musicians. Joe has also been performing since the age of 10 with all different sorts of groups ranging from local bands to state choirs to touring musicians. His taste in music widely ranges from hip-hop to metal. Joe is a guitar, bass guitar, keyboard, drums, and vocal teacher at School of Rock Rockville Centre, Huntington, Roslyn, Queens, and Syosset/Oyster Bay.
Karol
Drum Teacher
Karol is a drummer from Slovakia. His first steps towards music were studying the piano from the age of 7. When he was 15, he started to play the drums. After high school, Karol auditioned for the Jaroslav Jezek Music Conservatory in Prague and was accepted. It was the first time he received an education focused on Jazz music. He was fortunate to study under the direction of well-known Czech Jazz musicians Martin Sulc, David Doruzka, and Jaromir Honzak.
While studying Jazz, Karol was also exposed to a variety of styles of music. Karol graduated Conservatory with a Diploma in Music in 2012 and remained in Prague where he collaborated with artists in the Czech music scene. In 2014, Karol decided to grow his musical knowledge and applied to study at Berklee College of Music where he was honored to receive a scholarship award. At Berklee, Karol studied a Music Performance Major. His main focus was to perfect his Jazz language. He studied with top musicians like Ralph Peterson, Neal Smith, and Darren Barrett who helped him improve his musicianship.
In 2017 Karol had an opportunity to record with Ralph Peterson’s Gen Next Big Band. The live album, I Remember Bu, was released in October 2018 and includes special guest Donald Harrison. Karol graduated from Berklee in December 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in Music Performance. During his studies in Boston, Karol unceasingly sought a performance experience not only within the college campus. He has worked with many talented musicians while constantly developing his musical knowledge, strengthening his dedication, and fulfilling his passion for music. Karol is a drum instructor at School of Rock Huntington, Queens, Rockville Centre, Roslyn, and Syosset/Oyster Bay.
Kevin
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Drum Teacher
Born and raised in New York, Kevin began his musical studies on guitar when he was 18 years old. While attending the State University of New York at New Paltz, Kevin began to take an interest in jazz. He pursued a bachelor’s degree in Jazz Studies studying with Mark Dziuba, Vinnie Martucci, John Menegon, and Jeff "Siege" Siegel. After graduating, he started his career as a sound engineer at the ShapeShifter Lab in Brooklyn, NY, where he studied with bass virtuoso Matthew Garrison.
Kevin has performed with many musicians such as Aaron Parks, David Savitsky, Rachel Therrien, Dean Sharp, Sean Wayland, Mark Ferber, Andrew Atkinson, Ira Coleman, Jeremy Powell, and many more. Continuing his journey, he has played at ShapeShifter Lab, Bowery Electric, Shrine, Highline Ballroom, Muchmore's, Silvana, Williamsburg Music Center, The Falcon, Tomi Jazz, Pianos, Mohegan Sun, Garment District Art Festival, and a myriad of bars and restaurants.
In 2018, Kevin released his first record titled "Paramedic" featuring some of his original compositions. The jazz publication All About Jazz quotes "'Paramedic' introduces an emerging guitarist with something to say. His compositions are thoughtful, and his playing is focused. Joined by a stellar cast, the ensemble cranks out a succinct program of memorable performances." Kevin plans on finishing and releasing his second record Fading Light summer of 2021.
Kevin is a guitar teacher at School of Rock Huntington and Syosset/Oyster Bay.
Michael
Guitar Teacher
Michael was born in Whitestone, New York. His parents introduced him to music while in utero, listening to Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Zappa—the classics. It was his grandfather who handed him his first guitar and that one Christmas gift forever changed his life. Guitar Hero was fun to play but when he actually held a guitar he knew the game wouldn’t be enough. From that moment on his passion for the instrument began his journey into songwriting.
Michael was attending classes at School of Rock by the age of 10. He felt at home there with other kids just like him. It was School of Rock that introduced Michael to performing. The school had such a profound impact on him that he is now one of the top instructors and directors at three (3) New York area School of Rock locations in which he is also the co-owner. He is presently using his teaching skills to create an instructional video series in partnership with ESP Guitars, one of his musical instrument endorsers.
At the age of 13, Michael formed his band, The Inoculated Canaries. He was in his science class when the instructor mentioned inoculating canaries during the bird flu. The band’s first EP, The Blue Laws, was soon followed by their single “Don’t Be Late” and an acoustic version of the song “Jericho.” Their second EP, Trying Times, was also followed by singles “Count Me Out,” “Who Are You?,” “The Lawyer’s Wife,” “Sneakers,” “Donna,” and “Hypocrite.”
Michael formed a second band, King Falcon. They released their debut single “Shake!, Shake! Shake!” in early 2020. Both bands are actively writing, recording, and performing.
Today, Michael is endorsed by ESP Guitars. Matt Masciandaro, President and CEO of ESP Guitars comments: “ESP works with many of rock’s leading guitarists, and Michael’s amazing technique, stylistic range, tone, and phrasing make him a welcome addition to our team.” Tony Rauser, Director of Artist Relations, adds: “We are happy to welcome Michael of King Falcon to the ESP artist family! Michael’s unique and melodic playing style is showcased perfectly in his first ESP video lesson series.”