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BRYAN RESENDIZMusic Director & Drums Teacher Bryan Resendiz is a Music Director at the Highwood IL School. He will be teaching drums, and manage the ensemble rehearsals. Bryan is from Evanston, Illinois. His path through the world of rock 'n' roll began when Bryan got his first drum set in the 3rd grade. Bryan's musical inspiration came initially from his older sister's record collection of "The Police" and "Led Zeppelin." By age 12 and throughout his teens, Bryan performed live in bands and in studio settings. In the summer of 1995 as a part of the Hello Dave band, Bryan played in venues from San Francisco and New York to Key West, while also headlining at the House of Blues, Park West, and the Vic Theater in Chicago. The band also performed on numerous radio and television programs including WGN-TV, WXRT, and WCKG. In 2002, Hello Dave was asked by the U.S.O to entertain American servicemen and servicewomen overseas. Between 2002 and 2005, Bryan played rock 'n' roll in the Pacific Islands, Asia, Europe, Africa and across the Middle East, culminating in an intense tour across Iraq. Bryan recorded a full-length album for Hello Dave's "Perfect Day" in 2003. An opportunity to work closely with producer, Don Gehman (John Mellencamp, REM, Bruce Hornsby) and engineer Mark Dearnley (Paul McCartney, ACDC, XTC) made a lasting impression on how to create powerful music and capture great performances. Bryan left the Hello Dave band in 2005 in order to focus on freelance music projects and a successful teaching practice at Kevin Connelley Drum Instruction in Skokie. Bryan continues to maintain a busy gigging schedule with a number of Chicago bands.
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GORDON PATRIARCAMusic Director & Bass TeacherBassist Gordon Patriarca has been a lifetime resident of Chicago. As a child in the 1960's a transistor radio was a constant companion (under the pillow at bedtime) this radio would be tuned to one of the AM powerhouses WLS or WCFL and the gloriously diverse Top-40 sounds were the soundtrack of his childhood. The physical relationship with the electric bass began at age 16, this was fueled by the inevitable sibling rivalry with a younger brother who had become an above-average guitarist in only 3-4 years of playing. Not to be outdone (and using Cream bassist Jack Bruce as a role model) Patriarca picked the 4-stringed instrument and circumnavigated any comparisons with his junior kin. High School bands followed (now the radio was tuned to FM, Hard- Rock, Blues-Rock, Prog-Rock etc. it was the '70's) There was a bit of formal study with (now L.A. studio bassist) Paul Zibits. |
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GRANT CARLSONGUITARGrant Carlson has been playing guitar for almost 20 years now. He started taking piano lessons from his church’s organist around age 5. At age 8, he received his first guitar, which was a classical acoustic guitar. 3 years later, he got his first electric guitar, and has been obsessed with electric guitars ever since. At this age, he was teaching myself songs by Nirvana, Jimi Hendrix, Deep Purple, the Beatles, etc. When he first heard Metallica and discovered the distortion knob on his amp, he was blown away. He cranked up his amp, turned the gain on 10, and became a heavy metal enthusiast, which he still is to this day. He has been teaching guitar for about 4 years now. He has played in several bands over the years, mostly in the hard rock / heavy metal genres. He teaches mainly guitar and bass- all types of music, but specializing in the blues, classic rock, hard rock, and heavy metal. He believes in loud fast guitars, fast drums, high gain, staying in tune, and staying on time.
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IAN WESTERFERVocal and Bass InstructorIan Westerfer believes that nothing compares to a great rock show. Musicians and audiences connect, sharing an amazing experience and creating great (if fuzzy) memories. As a guy who makes his living from these awesome experiences, Ian strives to pour all the insights he has gained from these shows into his teaching method. Ian has been playing bass all over the midwest with Rod Tuffcurls & the Bench Press since 2008. He originally hails from Philadelphia, PA, where he recorded a full-length album with the future-rock outfit Chemistar (check it out on iTunes!). As a former day-camp counselor, Theatre & Performance major, and of course bass player for 18 years, he is ideally suited to get kids excited about playing that wonderful (and occasionally overlooked) instrument called the Bass Guitar, and to pass on the skills needed to blow people's minds at a rock-and-roll show. And the School of Rock is so integral to that training: instead of students learning to play in isolation (which can actually be detrimental to a child's musical education), School of Rock gets them playing in bands together, learning conflict resolution, learning how to communicate effectively in a group, and above all, gets them playing those great rock shows mentioned above.
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BOB WOLKOTTEGuitarBob has been playing guitar for over 30 years and professionally since the age of 12. He teaches all styles of music from jazz to classical to world music and of course, ROCK!! "I love all kinds of music but rock music is great because there?s so much you can do with it. Groups from Yes to Elvis to the Sex Pistols to the Police all fit under that banner. It?s a great palette from which you can paint all kinds of interesting pictures." Bob has toured the US and Europe with punk-metal buffoons, TORG, performed all over the Chicagoland area with groups as diverse as the eclectic cover band, Off High Road, to pop-music professionals, the Lisa Rene Band, and is the musical force behind the art-rap duo, Central Ave. "I like being able to use what I?ve learned over the years to act as a musical chameleon, changing and adapting to whatever the situation needs." Currently, Bob is part of the jazz duo, Now and Then, performing sets of modern and past standards with a soothing yet vibrant jazz flavor. Bob’s highly successful style of teaching is very informative yet approachable with a lesson plan that is specifically designed with the student’s goals in mind. "I can teach the student whatever he or she wants to learn. If you want blistering chops, I can get you there. If you want tasteful economy, I can get you there. No matter what your skill level, I can get you there and make you the player you?ve always wanted to be."
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DANNY HOWARDDrums Danny started playing the drums at age 10. Having studied in America until the end of 7th grade, he continued his studies in the United Kingdom under the tutorship of Angus Honeyman. Having played in rock n roll bands like Johnny & the Checkers, and Indie bands like Twelfth Century Drawing Machine, Danny has played all around the UK, and throughout Europe with bands and ensembles. Danny lectured at the Royal Northern College of Music in High School Percussion music and has also taught at "Hogwarts" (aka Harrow on the Hill, in London). Currently a teacher at Merit school of Music and Sherwood Music Conservatory in Chicago, as well as working for Pulse Beat Music. Bands that Danny is involved with in Chicago include the Opposition Party, with current SOR teachers Bryan Resendiz, and Josh Therriault, as well as ToqueChicago.
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JOSH THERRIAULTKeyboards and Saxophone Instructor Josh Therriault grew up in Chicago, Bucktown to be exact. At an early age Josh loved music; he especially took a liking to blues men like Little Walter, Junior Wells, Little Richard and Ray Charles. Josh’s father, a well known Chicago based Luthier, helped to cultivate this interest in music and always encouraged Josh to be open minded and to listen to a variety of music. After graduating from Lane Tech High School on a music track, Josh went to Northeastern Illinois University where he quickly became a musical leader in all ensembles ranging from Varsity Big Band on Tenor Sax to Concert Band on Clarinet and saxophone with countless bands and combos where Josh performed on Sax, Keyboards and Clarinet in between. Josh has performed live at many Chicago venues beginning when he was just 15! Some of these awesome places include The Kingston Mines, Martyrs, Spot 6 and The Kinetic Playground. Here at the School of Rock, Josh can be found helping out managers, assisting with Rock 101, Show directing (he made his debut with the Blues show performed in Highwood in June 2009), giving his wealth of musical knowledge and performance experience to any student, and of course, teaching Keyboards and Saxophone.
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ZACH KRITZERGuitar Zach Kritzer is a guitarist and songwriter based in Chicago. He will be completing his degree in Guitar Performance at Columbia College in Spring 2011. Zach’s diverse gigging experience ranges from playing in local venues such as the Empty Bottle and Cole’s with original rock groups to solo acoustic performances to jazz combos. He has over seven years of teaching experience with students of all ages. Zach’s teaching philosophy is to help each student become the kind of musician that they want to be, and structures his lessons around each student’s individual taste in music and style of learning. He stresses the importance of ear-training and improvisational skills.
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CHRIS NEALKeyboards/Vocal I was born in the best city in the world, Chicago, and have been performing professionally for over 15 years. I was captured by music early by my mom?s glorious singing in church and my dad?s eclectic vinyl collection ranging from Mandrill to Miles Davis, Stevie Wonder to Ahmad Jamal, John Coltrane to Grover Washington and many others. I knew I had to be a part of all these beautiful sounds. Piano lessons at 5 years old, saxophone since 9, choirs since junior high, a music performance degree, a jazz studies degree and many amazing life experiences and encounters. I always have and continue to explore many avenues in music. Whether it be Schubert art songs, Al Green ballads, Beatles songs, or Wayne Shorter compositions, I am really just all about expression and evoking a feeling through my singing and playing. Since returning to Chicago after living in various cities in the mid-west, I perform regularly in the area as well as performing in Canada, Europe, and South America. I have had the pleasure to share the stage and perform with The Temptations, The O?jays, The Manhattan Transfer,Taj Mahal, Buddy Guy, Randy Brecker, Donald,Byrd, R Kelly, The Joffrey Ballet, Syl Johnson, Umphrey?s McGee and many others.
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MICHELLE HALLMANVocals Michelle Hallman performs, records, writes, and arranges songs; and tours with many different projects. She had been a working musician for a greater part of her life, and thrives in the live performance! She is a well versed singer perfecting a plethora of styles and genres. Even though she’s a rocker at heart, she has always loved choral music and is extremely knowledgeable in vocal harmonies. Michelle is also an accomplished percussionist. She plays congas, bongos, djembe and all kinds of assorted hand percussion instruments. She can whistle! She has played the piano since age 3, and took lessons for many, many years! She also plays the guitar and is striving to get better. Michelle has sung and played with the likes of Gregg Allman, Darryl Jones, Mr. Blotto, Umphree’s McGee , Richard Marx, Vince Welnick, Freddie Jones Band, The Bodeans... Her bands have opened for Kansas, Steven Stills and Jazz is Dead. She’s also been the voice of national commercial jingles. Michelle loves teaching at the School of Rock, and is thrilled to share her knowledge and experience. She is so excited to see what the next generation of talent will bring. Check out Michelle’s different projects: Chicago Groove Collective , Goodfoot, Ladies of the Canyon.
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JARED RABINGuitar/Mandolin Jared Rabin is a guitarist and violinist from Chicago and a member of the prog-rock quartet, The Hue. Jared graduated from DePaul University in 2007 with a degree in Jazz Studies and Guitar Performance. He was a member of the Chicago Civic Orchestra’s violin section from 2006-2008 and has been recording and performing on guitar, violin and mandolin in a vast array of professional settings since moving back to Chicago in 2005. Since The Hue formed in 2007, the band has released 2 albums to critical acclaim and performed at major venues and festivals across the Midwest, including the 10000 Lakes Music Festival and Summercamp Music Festival. Jared's composition "Like Lines," from The Hue’s 2009 release, "Beyond Words," has been featured on WXRT and dozens of college radio stations across the country. Jared also performs regularly with The Gold Coast Allstars (wedding/event band), The Safe Haven Band (original blues/rock), Falldown (alt/country), Nebulous (original rocknroll) and The Frank Catalano Band (jazz/funk).
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JOHN SIEGLEGuitar John Siegle is a singer/songwriter who grew up in Peoria, Illinois. He learned to play guitar with high school buddies and was soon playing at dances and at local bars. John and some friends moved to the college town of Champaign-Urbana in the mid '70s. They formed the power-pop band SCREAMS. John started writing material for the group. SCREAMS was soon signed to MCA's Infinity label. They released an album and hit the road, headlining for national acts, at one point touring with Van Halen through most of the United States and Canada. The Infinity label was dropped by MCA as the band was in the middle of a tour of England, and SCREAMS went back to Champaign to regroup. John moved to Chicago after meeting singer/songwriter Gary Yerkins to play in the band GARRISON (a fine band, but didn?t pan out). John played a stint with local and regional favorites MIKE JORDAN and the ROCKAMATICS, a glorious rock and roll roadhouse band, before re-joining with Gary to form the INSIDERS. INSIDERS were signed to Epic Records and produced a successful album that featured the MTV hit, "Ghost On The Beach". Although the Epic deal only lasted for one album, the Insiders remained a Chicago mainstay for over ten years, self-produced three more albums and were regularly played on station WXRT 93 FM. John is still in Chicago, still playing with a couple of bands and still writing fine music.
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MIKE BRUNODrum Set Mike Bruno has been playing the drums professionally for nearly a decade. He has toured the United Sates with his original group Spare Parts for the past five years playing coast to coast. More recently he has played internationally at the Festival de Jazz in Peru and opened up for hip hop legend Snoop Dogg at the House of Blues in Chicago. Mike has also been featured in the January 2007 issue of Modern Drummer magazine for his touring accomplishments as well as featured in many other magazine and news articles across the nation. He received his BA from Southern Illinois Univeristy- Carbondale in Music Business and his Masters in Music from DePaul University for Jazz Performance. He currently resides in Chicago, Illinois where he teaches and tours with his group Spare Parts.
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MATT BERGERGuitar Chicago guitarist and composer Matt Berger demonstrates his technical prowess by featuring a unique blend of jazz, Indian Classical, rock and R&B styles. Although raised by a classically-trained family, he was initially attracted to heavy metal music. During high school, drawn further to jazz music, he decided to apply to Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he went on to study contemporary jazz performance, in addition to traditional composition and film scoring. Upon graduating, he became a student of tabla master Sandip Burman's, and had the great opportunity to tour and perform at over 180 venues and schools across United States, while learning about Indian Classical music concepts from a renowned master. After one year of touring, Matthew joined the T.G.E. publishing company to write and arrange pop music. As the co-founder of C.E.S.P., a fusion ensemble, Matt has pursued various educational projects. He is a current member of the Chris Searcy Band, Keith Harrison Band, as well as a free-lance session artist. As a clinician for young musicians, he has promoted the studies of counterpoint and composition, and how they can be applied to modern song-writing.
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STEPHANIE STAHLVocal/Songwriting/Guitar Originally from Milwaukee, WI singer/songwriter Stephanie Stahl, also known as Stella, is a vocal instructor, songwriting coach, and beginner guitar instructor. Her musical identity has a strong foundation in the mastery trombone performance. Being the idealist that she is, it wasn?t long before she decided to pursue a career as a music teacher. She is currently studying Music Education at Northeastern Illinois University. She has performed on several stages across the Midwest. For a brief month long mini tour; Stephanie, as a busker, sang in the streets and coffee shops throughout Spain, France and Switzerland. Stephanie has been a part of many musical projects but her recent coup is with the band the "Heat Birds." With the release of their first E.P. this year, the "Heat Birds" are a promising musical act based in Chicago. They also made their debut in Wisconsin, on the Miller stage on the summer fest grounds, as an opening for the legendary Etta James.
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© School of Rock, Highwood Maintained by Tony Rella