Waldwick
School of Rock

Explore School of Rock

Waldwick

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Map
School of Rock Waldwick
152 Franklin Turnpike
Ste B
Waldwick, NJ 07463
(201) 444-4425

Location Specifics

Next to Madison Dog Resort, across from APC.

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Hours
  • Monday: 2 PM - 9 PM
  • Tuesday: 2 PM - 9 PM
  • Wednesday: 2 PM - 9 PM
  • Thursday: 2 PM - 9 PM
  • Friday: 2 PM - 7 PM
  • Saturday: 10:15 AM - 3 PM
  • Sunday: Closed

Music programs at School of Rock Waldwick combine one-on-one lessons with group band practices

School of Rock proudly serves Waldwick and the surrounding communities of Ridgewood, Allendale, Mahwah, Ramsey, Wyckoff, Saddle River & Upper Saddle River, Franklin Lakes, Paramus and more with quality music lessons from practicing musicians. We teach Guitar, Bass, Drums, Singing, and Piano. Our students perform live shows in real venues to develop their skills. We offer a large, supportive and encouraging learning environment. We have great parking and are completely handicapped accessible.

The Northern Bergen County area is home to many professional musicians and a strong music scene. Our students routinely play at The Shannon Rose, The Mason Jar, and Downtown Ridgewood and much more, making it a great place for budding artists. With lessons and practice, our students can perform at one of the many live music venues in the New York City/Northern New Jersey area, and the best of the best can audition to join our House Band and go on their Summer tour.

Programs we offer

Rock 101 music program in Waldwick for kids and beginners
Rock 101
Ages 8-13

Rock 101 is one of School of Rock Waldwick's top programs for kids and beginners. Students have one weekly group rehearsal where they learn to play classic rock songs that have been simplified for beginner musicians. Additionally, Rock 101 students in Waldwick have a weekly private music lesson with an instructor who helps them learn the concepts and skills behind their performance songs.

What To Expect
  • 1 WEEKLY PRIVATE LESSON
  • 1 WEEKLY GROUP REHEARSAL

The Path to Take the Stage

Our music programs for kids in Waldwick are designed to get students on stage performing, with the goal of building strong musical proficiency. Younger students at School of Rock Waldwick who have participated in the Rookies program can move to our Rock 101 music program once they’re ready. Additionally, students (typically ages 8 to 13-years-old) can begin Rock 101 without any prior experience. The goal of this rock program is to quickly develop a basic competence on students’ chosen instruments before moving on to our famous Performance Program.

Performance music program for teens in Waldwick
Performance
Ages 8-18

The Performance Program at School of Rock Waldwick is our hallmark music program, where tens of thousands of students enroll each year. It consists of a weekly group rehearsal where kids and teens learn by playing rock music's most iconic songs with a band composed of their peers. Students are assigned songs and parts that are tailored to them based on their age, experience and ability to learn new skills and concepts. Students then work through their parts in weekly private music lessons, refining the skills and concepts that those songs introduce. The goal of this curriculum is to prepare kids and teens for live performances. Every few months, School of Rock Waldwick Performance Program students take the stage and play at local Waldwick music venues in front of a live audience.

What To Expect
  • 1 WEEKLY PRIVATE LESSON
  • 1 WEEKLY GROUP REHEARSAL

The Path to Take the Stage

School of Rock Waldwick's music programs for kids and teens are designed to inspire by getting students on stage and performing. All of our other music education programs focus on readying students for our famous Performance Program. This is where students develop incredible musical skills. Performance Program students have often gone through our Rock 101 program first or have some previous basic music experience. These young musicians will have custom development plans outlined by their instructors with key concepts reinforced during private lessons and group rehearsals, all with the goal of performing live at a Waldwick music venue.

Rookies music program for children in Waldwick
Rookies
Ages 6-7

At School of Rock Waldwick, our music program for children with no previous musical experience (typically ages 6 to 7-years-old) is called Rookies. Rookies students have one weekly group music lesson where they learn fundamentals like chords, rhythm and song structure. Kids get to learn and experiment with multiple instruments so they can later decide which one they ultimately want to continue pursuing in Rock 101.

What To Expect
  • 1 WEEKLY GROUP LESSON
  • USE OF SIMPLIFIED ROCK INSTRUMENTS TO TEACH KIDS TO PLAY MUSIC

The Path to Take the Stage

All of our music programs are designed to inspire students to learn and develop a strong musical proficiency. At School of Rock Waldwick, younger students who are not ready for a more comprehensive program like Rock 101 can start in Rookies. Additionally, students who have completed the Little Wing program will progress into the Rookies music program. No prior musical experience is needed for Rookies. Once your child is ready for private music lessons (typically older than first or second graders), they will graduate into our Rock 101 program.

Songwriting
Age 12 and over

Our Songwriting program for kids and teens teaches the fundamentals of songwriting, arrangement and music theory, and helps students compose original works.  At School of Rock Waldwick, songwriting students receive one weekly private lesson where they learn concepts, technique and theory on an instrument of their choice. These principles are then applied in a weekly group lesson where students work together on songwriting exercises and lyrical workshops.  Every few months, Songwriting students take the stage to perform or band together to record their original songs.

What to Expect
  • 1 weekly private lesson
  • 1 weekly group lesson

The Path to Take the Stage

Our Songwriting program for kids and teens in Waldwick is designed to create musical proficiency through the creation of original music. Students at School of Rock Waldwick who have completed our Rock 101 program can move to our Songwriting program once they’re ready. Additionally, new students who have prior experience with and basic knowledge of an instrument can also begin Songwriting. The program culminates with a live showcase where students perform their original compositions in bands at a local music venue. Students taking the Songwriting Program online will remotely record their original songs to produce a demo of the class's music.

Remote student playing guitar
Online
All Ages

At School of Rock Waldwick, our students can take online, one-on-one music instruction from the comfort of their homes. We call this program School of Rock Remote. This online music program contains weekly one-on-one instruction conducted by our expert School of Rock instructors in a safe virtual lesson room.
 
Students will receive their training using our proprietary education program, The School of Rock Method™, which couples live video lessons with our proprietary Method App™, SongFirst Approach™ and Method Books™. 

What To Expect
  • ONE WEEKLY 1-ON-1 LESSON
  • LESSONS CONDUCTED USING SECURE VIDEO TECHNOLOGY

THE PATH TO TAKE THE STAGE

All of our music programs for kids, teens, and adults are designed to help students gain amazing musical proficiency. School of Rock’s online music lesson program is no exception. Online guitar lessons, online piano lessons, online drum lessons, online singing lessons and online bass guitar lessons are all offered through the School of Rock Remote online program.

Adult music program in Waldwick for students over 18
Adult Program
Ages 18+

School of Rock Waldwick's Adult Program is for students over 18 years old who are looking to either improve their musical proficiency or pick up an instrument with no prior musical experience. As with most School of Rock music programs, the Adult Program uses a performance-based music education approach. This means the curriculum focuses on learning music concepts and applying them in a live performance setting. Our Adult Music Program includes one weekly private music lesson and a weekly group rehearsal. Every student at School of Rock Waldwick is placed in a band of fellow adults and then assigned specific songs as a way of learning key music concepts and skills. Adult students then take the stage to play at a live show in Waldwick.

What To Expect
  • 1 WEEKLY PRIVATE LESSON
  • 1 WEEKLY GROUP REHEARSAL

The Path to Take the Stage

All of our music programs are designed to inspire by getting students on stage and performing, with the goal of building strong musical proficiency along the way. The School of Rock Waldwick Adult Program is open to all experience levels and each student will follow a customized learning plan developed by their instructor. Adult students will work together during rehearsal to prepare for a live performance at a real rock venue in Waldwick.

House Band program for gigging at local venues in Waldwick
House Band
Age 17 and Under

The School of Rock Waldwick House Band music program gives students under 18 the opportunity to join a gigging band composed of fellow musicians from their school. These students perform additional live shows throughout the year. All students in the Performance Program have the opportunity to audition for a spot in School of Rock Waldwick's House Band. Once selected, House Band members become leaders in their School of Rock community and perform live shows at NJ rock venues throughout the year.

What To Expect
  • A GIGGING MUSICIAN'S EXPERIENCE
  • FREQUENT LIVE PERFORMANCES IN COMMUNITY

The Path to Take the Stage

Performance is the core of School of Rock's educational approach. Therefore, we create additional opportunities for students to perform on stages throughout Waldwick and the rest of NJ. The House Band music program allows each school's most talented students the opportunity to join a band and play routinely in front of live audiences. Once a member, students will gain real music experience associated with gigging musicians and will become leaders and mentors inside the School of Rock community.

The AllStars national tour features the best child and teen musicians
AllStars
Age 17 and Under

The School of Rock AllStars Tour takes the very best students from around the world and sends them on a nationwide summer tour across the United States. Less than 1% of School of Rock students are selected each year to represent School of Rock as an AllStar. All Performance Program students are eligible to audition for this prestigious program. The intensive audition process starts off with video submissions followed by live auditions. Once selected, AllStar students will have an authentic touring experience including traveling on a tour bus, doing tour publicity and starring in nightly performances at famous venues and festivals during a two-week tour.

What To Expect
  • A MULTI-CITY, COUNTRY-WIDE MUSIC TOUR EXPERIENCE
  • PERFORMING ON SOME OF THE BIGGEST AND MOST FAMOUS STAGES IN THE WORLD

The Path to Take the Stage

Becoming an AllStar is the highest level of achievement for a School of Rock student. They play on legendary stages large and small, including The Knitting Factory, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, The Troubadour and Lollapalooza. AllStar students often go on to have accomplished careers in the music industry. Former AllStars have gone on to become touring artists, star in Broadway musicals, get signed to record deals, become finalists on talent competitions like "The Voice" and "American Idol" and have other notable roles in the music industry.

Music Lessons in Waldwick

Kid learns to play guitar at School of Rock Waldwick

Guitar Lessons for All Skill Levels

Beginner Guitar Lessons for Kids

At School of Rock Waldwick, we offer beginner guitar lessons for kids. Our expert guitar instructors guide your child from start to finish with private instruction and weekly group band rehearsals. Every instructor at School of Rock Waldwick is an experienced musician, and they emphasize foundational music theory and technique when teaching guitar lessons to kids. Unlike other Waldwick guitar lessons and programs, School of Rock is designed to get students performing in a band.

Beginner Guitar Lessons for Adults

It’s never too late to learn to play the guitar. Similar to our kids guitar lessons, School of Rock Waldwick's beginner guitar lessons for adults utilizes a performance-based curriculum. Our experienced instructors teach adult students through popular rock songs, and teach students to play guitar in a way that’s challenging and fun. We believe the best way to learn is by doing, which is why we combine weekly private guitar lessons with group band rehearsals. At School of Rock Waldwick, we teach beginner guitar lessons for adults in our Adult Program. This program gets students performing onstage at a local Waldwick venue.

Key Concepts
  • Technique
  • Solos
  • Chords
  • Theory

Intermediate to Advanced Guitar Lessons

As students gain skills and experience, we move them along to more challenging programs at higher skill levels. Intermediate and advanced students take the skills they learned in beginner guitar lessons, and layer on more difficult techniques and concepts. School of Rock Waldwick offers advanced guitar lessons for kids and adults that teach by playing challenging classic rock songs and emphasize playing the guitar in a real music venue. Our Waldwick guitar teachers will work with each student to develop a custom learning plan.

Kids learn to drum at School of Rock Waldwick

Drum Lessons for All Skill Levels

Beginner Drum Lessons for Kids

School of Rock Waldwick is the best option for anyone looking to learn the drums. Our beginner drum lessons get kids behind the drum kit and on their way to taking the stage. That’s why at School of Rock Waldwick we combine private drum lessons for beginners with weekly band rehearsals—it prepares students to perform live. With years of experience teaching drums in Waldwick, our drum instructors teach beginner drum students core techniques, including how to groove, play rudiments and more.

Beginner Drum Lessons for Adults

Our drum lessons for adults are designed to accommodate all skill levels. At School of Rock Waldwick, our beginner drum lessons for adults are built for musicians with little to no experience. We teach adults using the same core performance-based education philosophy as our drum lessons for kids—performing with a band accelerates the learning process. Adult students will perform live at a venue in Waldwick. Unlike other Waldwick drum lessons for beginners, School of Rock combines private drum lessons with weekly band rehearsals so students are ready to play in front of real, live audiences.

Key Concepts
  • RUDIMENTS
  • TIME SIGNATURES
  • TECHNIQUE
  • GROOVE

Intermediate to Advanced Drum Lessons

More experienced to advanced drum students need a drum lesson curriculum that builds upon foundational skills and continues to grow musical proficiency. That’s why at School of Rock Waldwick, our drum lessons are customized for each student and his or her goals. Our Waldwick drum instructors integrate more complex techniques and concepts—intermediary grooves, shifts, meters and more—into a student's individual lessons and group band rehearsal, and will also select more difficult songs for his or her live performances.

 

Kid learns to sing at School of Rock Waldwick

Singing Lessons for All Skill Levels

Beginner Singing Lessons for Kids

School of Rock Waldwick offers beginner singing lessons for kids. Our unique, performance-based approach develops students' musical proficiency by preparing them to perform live. At School of Rock Waldwick, our vocal coaches are practicing musicians who integrate key music fundamentals—breathing, posture and more—into a curriculum based on performing with a band. Each week, beginner singing students participate in a private singing lesson and a band rehearsal.

Beginner Singing Lessons for Adults

School of Rock Waldwick teaches adults how to sing in our innovative Adult Program. Students develop vocal skills at a challenging pace designed to help you see results with every singing lesson. Adult vocalists learn how to keep tempo, stay on-key and master advanced vocal techniques for a powerful and healthy voice. Our curriculum teaches students how to sing by using popular rock songs that emphasize key concepts. Each week, Adult Program students have a private singing lesson for beginners and group band rehearsal.

Key Concepts
  • TECHNIQUE
  • HARMONY
  • POWER
  • READING

Intermediate to Advanced Singing Lessons

At School of Rock Waldwick, our singing lessons for kids and adults are designed to help our students reach a high degree of musical proficiency. Intermediate and advanced singers take skills learned from previous singing lessons and layer on more difficult techniques and concepts. Our advanced singing lessons teach students to sing by performing popular rock songs that illustrate a specific vocal concept or technique. We pair weekly private singing lessons with weekly band rehearsals with the goal of getting musicians to perform live in Waldwick.

Kid learns to play bass at School of Rock Waldwick

Bass Lessons for All Skill Levels

Beginner Bass Lessons for Kids

School of Rock Waldwick offers beginner bass guitar lessons for kids that blend weekly private instruction with weekly band rehearsals. This performance-based approach results in a high level of musical proficiency because it engages and inspires students. Every School of Rock bass instructor is a practicing musician in Waldwick and teaches bass lessons for kids that get great results. Beginners learn to play bass guitar by using popular rock songs that illustrate key concepts and techniques.

Beginner Bass Lessons for Adults

Adults looking to learn bass guitar can enroll in School of Rock’s Adult Program. No experience is necessary in our beginner bass guitar lessons for adults. At School of Rock Waldwick, our experienced, local bass guitar instructors have the patience and skills to help adult students gain musical proficiency. As with all School of Rock music programs, our bass guitar lessons for adults ciriculum is performance-based, and include both weekly private instruction and weekly band rehearsals.

Key Concepts
  • GROOVE
  • TECHNIQUE
  • THEORY
  • TONE

Intermediate to Advanced Bass Lessons

Our intermediate to advanced bass guitar lessons teach Waldwick students the skills they need to become the backbone of a band. Students take skills from previous bass lessons and layer on more difficult techniques and concepts. At School of Rock Waldwick, our bass instructors use popular rock songs as a way of teaching students advanced concepts and techniques. We pair weekly private bass lessons with weekly band rehearsals to inspire and engage students throughout the learning process.

Kid learns to play piano at School of Rock Waldwick

Keyboard Lessons for All Skill Levels

Beginner Keyboard Lessons for Kids

At School of Rock we teach differently than other music schools in Waldwick. Our curriculum is performance-based, meaning that we prepare students to perform. Our piano lessons for beginners combine weekly private instruction with weekly band rehearsals. At School of Rock Waldwick, our beginner keyboard lessons for kids take key concepts and music fundamentals—finger placement, scales, key differentiation and more—and teach them through popular rock songs. This approach inspires and engages students, which results in attaining a high level of musical proficiency. Our piano teachers have years of experience teaching music in the Waldwick area, and know how to coach and motivate students of any skill level to play the keyboard.

Beginner Keyboard Lessons for Adults

The School of Rock Waldwick Adult Program puts beginner keyboard students in a band. Adult Program students in the Waldwick area learn to play piano through a combination of weekly private beginner piano lessons and weekly band rehearsals. At School of Rock, our piano lessons give adult students the chance to perform in a band at local Waldwick music venues, taking them out of the classroom and onto the stage.

Key Concepts
  • TECHNIQUE
  • TONE
  • THEORY
  • READING

Intermediate to Advanced Keyboard Lessons

At School of Rock Waldwick, our keyboard lessons for kids and adults are designed to help students get results. Intermediate and advanced students take skills learned from beginner keyboard lessons and layer on more advanced piano techniques with concepts. Our local keyboard instructors are all practicing musicians in Waldwick, and use popular rock songs as a way of teaching complex skills. We pair weekly private piano lessons with weekly band rehearsals to inspire and engage students throughout the learning process.

Our Experienced Music Teachers

All of School of Rock Waldwick’s music teachers are experienced musicians devoted to helping students attain musical proficiency. Our instructors guide students one-on-one to personalize learning, inspire confidence and build social skills.

Owner, Show Director Susan Marlett
Susan Marlett
Owner, Show Director
Susan Marlett started on flute in the fourth grade and by the seventh grade she was using a special woodwind pick-up and guitar pedals for her flute. She was hooked.

Susan has a degree in Fine Art, Art History, and Archaeological Anthropology from Parsons School of Design and the New School. So of course she does music! After running a successful nonprofit gallery in NYC, she launched a small internet start-up.

Susan never forgot her roots in rock & roll, though, and joined School of Rock Waldwick in 2010 as a voice and keys instructor. She was hooked on their innovative approach to teaching with her first show in September 2010. Susan became General Manager in 2017 and owner in 2020.
COO, Owner Kurt Haller
Kurt Haller
COO, Owner
Kurt took on the role of owner and COO for the School of Rock Waldwick after leaving a position as Manager of Strategy & Business Transformation Practice at The Hackett Group. Previously, he was in procurement and logistics for Mercedes-Benz in Montvale. Kurt is from Switzerland, where he earned several business degrees. He spent many years working for the Lucerne Blues Festival (Europe’s largest blues festival.) Kurt also has a passion for cars.
Andy Kerwin Studio Coordinator
Andy Kerwin
Studio Coordinator
Andy has been a part of our School of Rock family for a long time. He started with us as a young drum student and quickly rose through the ranks making it to House Band. He was interned with us for several summers before going to college and working in the film industry. Some of his favorite SoR shows include the Blues, Led Zeppelin, An Organ show, He credits the Blues show for teaching him the importance of listening to his fellow bandmates. And of course he loved rocking out with the House Band. He still plays out in several cover bands.
Drum Teacher Mike Klopp
Mike Klopp
Drum Teacher
Originally from Bergen County, Michael Klopp is a 1994 graduate of Ramapo High School, where he excelled in all things music and was even voted Most Musical by his fellow classmates. In 1998 he received his BA in Performance from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia with an emphasis on jazz studies and music history. Upon graduation Michael set sail for the open water and spent the following 6 years seeing the world as an orchestra drummer for different cruise lines, performing big band music, production shows and variety acts of all kinds.

In 2004 he was given the (extremely rare) opportunity to become a Guest Entertainer for Royal Caribbean as Drummer/Musical Director for multi talented performer Domenick Allen (Foreigner, Buddy Rich Band, Liberace, Broadway, London's West End) and continues to enjoy the MD chair to this day.

2004 was also the year Michael started working with Telarc/Concord Recording artist Tony Desare. With Tony, Michael has been able to travel all over the country performing jazz and cabaret music in various settings, including 2 Midwest tours as a trio and multiple Pops performances with various orchestras, including the Houston, Atlanta, Pittsburgh and Vancouver Symphonies. He has also performed at the 2015 San Javier Jazz Fest in Alicante, Spain, as well as the 2015 and 2016 Cape Cod Jazz Festivals.
Michael started with School of Rock in 2015 and has enjoyed every moment. When not in a lesson you will find him practicing often. His favorite method books are Stick Control (G.L.Stone), The Art of Bop Drumming (J.Riley), The Shuffle Drumming Workbook (C.Doboe) and Syncopation (T.Reed).
Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Show Director Michael Kozma
Michael Kozma
Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Show Director
“The Astronaut” consists solely of one musician at the helm. Michael Scott Kozma holds a B.S. degree in Music Industry & Technology for Audio Engineering and Music. He is a multi-instrumentalist and has been playing music since he was 13 years old. He was a band member with Jeremian Fraites of the Lumineers.

Michael is a descendant of the great Evelyn Danzig Levine, who wrote the classic 1949 song “Scarlet Ribbons,” and renowned New York Times sports writer Allison Danzig who coined the phrase “The Grand Slam” in tennis. Michael was bestowed with the gift of songwriting passed down through generations. At 15, he attended the National Guitar Academy for one summer and returned as one of the foremost exceptional and dedicated players at such a young age. He later went on to be an acclaimed self-taught musician in other instruments, including drums.

Michael uses the moniker “The Astronaut” as something more introspective. Not only just a songwriter, Michael's ability to play each instrument into a formula within his songs is something that sets him apart from most songwriters. Everything you hear is created by his hands and mind. Along with music, Michael also directs and shoots all his own music videos. “The Astronaut” will be constantly writing, recording, and playing his music to as many listeners as possible.
Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher Eric Cohen
Eric Cohen
Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Eric is a fantastic example of what School of Rock can do for a budding musician. He is a former School of Rock student, was part of his school's House Band, and successfully auditioned for the School of Rock AllStars in 2006. Some of the memorable places Eric has played include B.B. King's Blues Club, World Cafe Live, and Royal Oak Theatre.

Eric truly understands the School of Rock Method. Today he is part of several touring groups including an Allman Brothers Tribute Band called A Brother's Revival. You should see him play the pedal steel guitar! He also plays with several Grateful Dead tribute bands.
Vocal Teacher Ginny Lackey
Ginny Lackey
Vocal Teacher
Ginny has a long history of singing and started studying privately at the age of 8. Ginny then found School of Rock and she was hooked; she is a product of our school! She excelled quickly in bands, going on tour with our Show Band.

Ginny studied at William Patterson and performs regularly in our area. Check out her band, Ginny Lackey, and the HiFi band.
Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Guitar Teacher Charlie Mezini
Charlie Mezini
Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Guitar Teacher
Charlie’s musical knowledge and devotion are deeply rooted in his early childhood when he was exposed to tons of the greatest classic rock hits and artists through listening to his father’s collection of CDs. Cutting his teeth on over a decade of meticulous classical piano training and many performances at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, Charlie got more involved with rock and roll music during high school when he co-founded his first band with a close friend. He transferred his musical knowledge from the piano to the electric guitar and even began to forge his abilities as a vocalist. Since then, Charlie has relentlessly pursued greater knowledge and experience in the art of music through countless hours of practice and study, as well as involvement in an abundance of projects, studio work, and live performances across the Greater New York area. He sings and plays rhythm guitar, bass, and keyboards for studio tracking sessions with his rock band, The Vespids.
Drum Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Vocal Teacher, Show Director, Rookies Director Ian Morel
Ian Morel
Drum Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Vocal Teacher, Show Director, Rookies Director
Ian got his first taste of live music from Mardi Gras parades in his hometown of New Orleans. A few drum lessons, and some months of guitar, and he was off. Ian is a multi-instrumentalist with professional experience on the guitar, bass, drums, vocals, and keys.

He grew up listening to his parents’ favorites (Journey, Marc Anthony, Prince, Billy Joel), and he got heavy into the punk scene in high school. Playing drums for one band, and guitar for another, Ian scrapped his way through garage gigs and church basements to understand what it means to speak this language. In college, he studied musical theater and had the chance to receive classical voice training.

After college, Ian started a company called Neptune Guitar Co. that does repairs, set-ups, and custom builds. With his music, he has been focusing on growing stronger as a rhythm guitarist and producer while working with some of the best-growing NYC artists in the game today.
Drum Teacher Kevin Lackey
Kevin Lackey
Drum Teacher
Kevin started drumming as a high school student. He played in the concert and jazz bands, as well as in an electric pep band for the football team. After graduating, Kevin went to RCC for music recording and spent much of the early '90s gigging across New York and New Jersey with his own band playing and recording all original material.

He took some time away from music to start a family, eventually enrolling his daughter as a School of Rock student. She went through the program and is now an instructor here as well.

Kevin has played in numerous rock, worship, and jam bands, and while he has a soft spot for '70s and '80s hard rock, pop, and blues, he is currently exploring traditional Celtic drumming for a local Irish pipe and drum band.
Drum Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Show Director Steve DeNola
Steve DeNola
Drum Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Show Director
Steve’s musical journey is truly impressive, from his start as a School of Rock student back in 2006 to managing multiple branches and now touring as the drummer for a prominent AC/DC tribute band called Back In Black. His dedication to music and education has left a significant mark on various communities.

Steve is thrilled to bring his passion and experience to the great community at School of Rock Waldwick.
Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Vocal Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher Dylan Needleman
Dylan Needleman
Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Vocal Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Dylan loves "very" alternative music and plays 10 instruments! He also has a black belt in Isshinryu Karate, is an Eagle Scout, and is a game master for multiple TTRPG systems. His personal musical journey includes making sounds and exploring how the art of sounds works to create harmony or better yet, discord.

Dylan graduated from Vassar College with a Computer Science degree and has experience in web development. He is interested in full-stack development and software development in general. He also has experience in Python, C, and Android Studio.

Dylan is excited to share his love of music and playing with the students at School of Rock Waldwick.
Drum Teacher Wayne Dunton
Wayne Dunton
Drum Teacher
Wayne Dunton is a New York-based drummer who has enjoyed a diverse career as a professional musician for almost 30 years. During that time Wayne has kept busy playing for numerous Broadway shows including Cats, Lion King, Music Man, Annie Get Your Gun, Hairspray, and Billy Elliot, among others.

Wayne also played for the National Tours of 101 Dalmatians and Hair. In the jazz genre, Wayne has performed and recorded with alto sax great Richie Cole’s Alto Madness Orchestra, appearing at such venues as The Jazz Standard in New York City, The Cape May Jazz Festival in New Jersey, and the Kristianstad Jazz Festival in Sweden.

Wayne can be seen performing with the New York ska band Mephiskapheles and is heard on their self-titled EP. A particular career highlight for Wayne was a 2014 performance at Carnegie Hall with Ladysmith Black Mambazo featuring bassist Bakithi Kumalo, and special guest Dave Mathews, in a celebration of South African music. Wayne hopes to continue on this musical journey by playing the many different styles of music that he’s fortunate enough to encounter.
School of Rock is where music and learning come together

For over twenty years, our amazing instructors have transformed hundreds of thousands of students across the world into skilled musicians. Become a musician at School of Rock.

Reviews

From a beginner drummer to a performer!

Within a month I was playing in a band, a few months later I started backup vocals and next month I’ll be the lead singer for a couple of songs, on top of playing drums in some more. It’s been a great experience! I love the adult band.

It's my daughter's Second Home.

She has been with the school since she was seven. Her biggest passion is vocals. We have had so many fabulous and diverse performance experiences thanks to School of Rock.

Great kids programs and birthday parties!

We just had his birthday party there and he and his friends had a blast. If your child enjoys music I would highly recommend checking out School of Rock.

My granddaughter loves it.

There is a variety of programs offered which gives the opportunity to learn about more than one genre. The faculty is very diverse which also means kids have the opportunity to learn from different perspectives.

School of Rock has helped my daughter improve and build confidence.

My wife and I are so pleased with the progress our daughter has made at your school.
Thanks to your school and your team, you helped her build confidence and I can only imagine how far she will take this. There has been a marked improvement when she started at School of Rock.

The staff is committed to helping children build confidence.

Everyone one who works there are is committed to helping children strive and build confidence in whatever path they choose. I have been referring people to School of Rock since we started there. We are so very grateful for all you do for our kids.

We love that the kids learn individually AND in a band.

We love that kids get to learn individually and perform in a band! They get to see how their individual work supports the bigger picture right from the start! And, they make new friends which is awesome.

The teachers are so dedicated and patient with our son.

I love how dedicated the teachers are to teaching the basics and allowing for fun in the process, and for their patience as our son navigates the music and his excitement for love for rock and roll!

School of Rock Waldwick has been a bright spot for my son

School of Rock Waldwick has been a bright spot for my son during this past year and its pandemic challenges! I'm sure it was not easy to organize, but Susan and Rich kept the environment safe, comfortable, and engaging.

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