Dane Farley
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Music Director
Dane is a guitar teacher, touring performer, and music producer with over a decade of experience. He has played many styles of rock, metal, progressive, and indie music, experimenting with a wide variety of instruments including 7 and 8 string guitars. Beginning his musical journey at only nine years old, Dane began learning about songwriting alongside performance, touring with original music by the time he was sixteen.
Dane has played in a number of bands, both original and cover, and played over two hundred shows. Dane has also written and produced hundreds of songs and soundtracks, a number of which have had international listeners. As a teacher, Dane has worked extensively with instructing both technical skill on the guitar and understanding the concepts of music past simple song memorization. Dane has experience with students as young as five years old, and has worked with students on the spectrum. Dane is very excited to be working with students at School of Rock Beacon, NY, where he hopes to see the community of performance grow.
Alyssa Warner
Singing Teacher, Keyboard Teacher
Alyssa is a musical theater performer, singer, and dual degree graduate from William Paterson University in Music Business and Vocal Performance. She started studying music in elementary school within the Beacon City School District, playing both Trumpet and French Horn, and singing in chorus. She continues to explore various vocal styles including classical, opera, musical theater, rock, pop, jazz, and punk rock.
Alyssa has experience producing and directing shows, including projects with the Metropolitan Opera, the Concerts for Young People Series with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, and an 80s Rock Concert Fundraiser which featured Daryl McDaniels from Run DMC and MTV VJ Mark Goodman. Alyssa has taught voice and keys for several years and is excited to be a part of the School of Rock Beacon team!
Greg Enkler
Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher
Greg spent the majority of the last 20 years playing bass in various Hard Rock and Metal bands in Austin TX. Having had the opportunity to open for bands like Anthrax, The Misfits, Type O Negative, Slayer, Staind, Machine Head and many others over almost two decades, he has ample experience performing live in front of crowds small and large.
Along with playing bass, his first instrument was drums, and he’s stayed with both instruments over the years. Learning in his basement and keeping up with drummers in bands kept him on his toes over the years.
Ryan Perrone
Keyboard Teacher
Ryan Perrone is a multi-instrumentalist with an extensive background of jazz theory and improvisation training. He has been playing the piano since he was 5 years old and has picked up trombone, trumpet, and sousaphone along the way. He received his degree in Jazz Performance at SUNY New Paltz. Ryan is in multiple performing groups with stylistic genres such as funk, R&B, jazz, rock, reggae, and countless others. Thanks to Ryan’s experience with many instruments, he brings a unique perspective to School of Rock Beacon NY students.
David Richman
Drums Teacher
David Richman is a graduate of Berklee College of Music, and has played professionally since 1989 on thousands of gigs with bands of all stripes: rock, jazz, heavy metal, lounge, punk, fusion and who knows what else. David is perhaps best known for his drumming with the Original Punk Rock Heavy Metal Karaoke band, a much-loved New York institution, enjoying a 15-year run. In his capacity as drummer for the group, Dave has backed up everyone from rank amateurs dragged onstage from the bar to Ryan Adams, Britt Daniel (Spoon), Jimmy Fallon, Craig Wedren (Shudder to Think), Robbie Williams, Ween, the Beastie Boys and more. An accomplished studio drummer, Dave has played on album projects with Century Club, Ghostbound and Witch Taint. He is currently writing and recording with doom metal band St. Bastard and performing with popular 80s tribute band Rubix Kube. In lessons, Dave stresses fun while instilling necessary technique and timekeeping knowledge, along with drum and music history.
Liam Leary
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Liam Leary is a guitar teacher, bass guitar teacher, and keyboard + piano teacher at School of Rock in Beacon, NY. He started playing the guitar when he was 7 years old and took up the bass guitar at age 12. Liam fell in love with playing music, especially on stage, when he was in his first band at the age of 10.
Some of Liam's favorite bands include Led Zeppelin, Rush, Pink Floyd, Alice in Chains, and Steely Dan, and they have influenced his playing style and musical taste. Throughout school, Liam always wanted to be involved with music, from symphonic band and marching band to jazz ensemble and pit orchestra. He loves expanding his musical knowledge and continues to grow as a musician, performer, and teacher.
Donny Ruckdeschel
Drum Teacher
Donny has been playing drums since he was 3 years old. He started playing in bands at age 13 and found himself touring his first summer out of high school.
Donny's favorite genres and musical interests are hardcore, punk, and heavy metal but he has played in different projects ranging from jazz, hip hop, R&B, and even some country. He absolutely loves the playing and technical aspects of drums, and couldn’t imagine his life any other way!
Dominic Minasi
Guitar Teacher
From the time Dominic was little, music has always been part of his life. Dominic’s father, Dom Minasi was and still is a jazz and Avant Garde musician with his concentration in guitar. Despite his fathers hatred of Rock and Roll, as often happens Dominic found his way into rock music at a young age through classic bands (Kiss) and the realization that rock stars impress the girls. After many years of instruction and practice Dominic eventually became involved in music at his church, performing at weddings, parties, and other events, as well as working with their children’s classes putting together different performances for the teenagers special Sunday services. Since 2001, Dominic has played in multiple bands, performing in local gigs, writing, recording, and continues performing at Church on Sundays. Currently, Dominic has been recording and performing with his current band Peregrination, and sharing his skills at School of Rock Beacon NY.
Christine Aliventi
Singing Teacher
Christine was born in Hell’s Kitchen, NY. She credits her aunt and uncle for exposing her to many genres of music and also credits her father and uncle for taking her to Colony Records in Manhattan to buy various albums. At first “Chrissy” was a singer in various school choruses and all-state choirs and also hit the stage in many high school and college musical productions. She currently plays solo as well as in shows with her band performing in the mid-Hudson Valley, lending her talent as lead vocalist, keyboardist, and guitarist.
Christine is a high school and middle school Spanish teacher during the day with over 27 years of experience. In her class, she tries to incorporate music in her teaching practice as much as possible. Her philosophy of music is simple: all music evolves and comes from somewhere in the soul of the artist. It is how open you are to it that gives you love, happiness, and purpose.
Greg Johnson
Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Greg Johnson is a guitarist living in the Hudson Valley with over a decade of experience, originally starting on bass and picking up the guitar about a year into playing. He began playing piano around 6 years old, being mostly self-taught for a number of years. Greg formed a band during high school, playing his first show at a school-organized open mic. He played numerous open mics around the area as well as a set at the Relay for Life.
Greg joined a jazz ensemble while attending community college, helping him to learn extensively about improvisation. He pursued a bachelor's degree in audio production at SUNY Oneonta and played in several bands during his tenure there including playing guitar and lead vocals in a Nirvana cover band. His favorite bands are Black Sabbath, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, and the Meat Puppets. Greg enjoys listening to a wide variety of music ranging from harsh noise to classical with a particular fondness for ’90s music. In his free time, he is an avid fan of Dungeons and Dragons, modular synthesis, and he builds circuit-bending guitar pedals.
Logan Richmond
Singing Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Logan Richmond has been teaching music for over eight years and also teaches K-6 General Music and Chorus at Oak Grove Elementary School. Logan went to Hofstra University for an undergraduate degree in Music Education and got a master's degree from Queens College in Music Education.
In his spare time, Logan loves to sing, play piano and ukulele, and is a part of performing ensembles, choirs, and a cappella groups in the surrounding community. He also loves karaoke and rocking out!
Xander Cox
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Xander Cox is a musician hailing from New York City whose musical journey began at the renowned School of Rock in Manhattan, where his love for the guitar was ignited. With previous experience on the guitar, Xander was able to pick up bass guitar quickly and played in his middle school band class. In high school, he showcased his skills as an electric guitarist in Brooklyn Tech's jazz band and also contributed his talents to the pit orchestra for school musicals.
Xander's passion for music led him to Oberlin College and Conservatory, where he continued to refine his craft as a member of various bands, including The Fishermen and Family Picnic. Xander's expertise extended beyond performing at Oberlin, as he excelled as a concert sound production head. He lent his talents to shows featuring esteemed artists such as Kurt Rosenwinkel, Sammy Rae & The Friends, and Hailu Mergia.
Xander is not only a dedicated guitar and bass teacher but also an active participant in the local music scene, collaborating with fellow musicians and recording captivating tunes.