Juliet Cable
Studio Coordinator
Juliet took her first singing lesson at the School of Rock Boston when she was 7 years old. 15 years later Juliet is an NYC based singer-songwriter, excited to be working at the School of Rock Brooklyn. Growing up in Newton, MA, Juliet was lucky to be surrounded by teachers, mentors, and family who supported and encouraged her musical endeavors. After attending Berklee College of Music as a Songwriting major, she moved to New York to pursue a career in music. Juliet knows firsthand how much of a difference a strong community can make to your artistic and personal growth. She is thrilled to be joining the SoR Brooklyn community to continue the impact of those who led her here.
Kolby Koczanowski
Music Director, Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Singing Teacher
Kolby Koczanowski, MME, MT-BC is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, composer, and board-certified music therapist from Overland Park, KS. In 2014, he graduated from the University of Central Missouri with a Bachelor of Music degree in Percussion Performance and went on to complete his Master’s of Music Education & Music Therapy degree from the University of Kansas.
From 2012-2019, Kolby was a member of the professional NFL drumline of the Kansas City Chiefs, Chiefs Rumble. In 2013, Kolby won 1st place at the University of Central Missouri Concerto Competition and in 2014 won 1st Place in Collegiate Marimba Division at the Mid-Missouri Percussive Arts Trophy Competition. In 2015, he traveled abroad to Thailand to study music therapy at Mahidol University.
In 2019, Kolby released three albums and three EPs worth of original, self-produced music under the artist name Pair of Sloths. His original compositions can be heard on the Mushroom Revival Podcast, the Men of Doozy Podcast, and the parody web series, Chewie Chats. Most recently, Kolby can be heard playing drums on the live WXPN radio session with singer-songwriter Naheemah Maddox.
Ethan Sass
Show Director, Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Ethan Sass is a NYC-based guitarist and songwriter who has been playing for over a decade. He received a bachelor's degree from Berklee College of Music, where he studied with some of the top musicians in the country and immersed himself in diverse styles of music. After Berklee, Ethan moved to NYC, where he is now a dedicated teacher and plays in a few different bands as a songwriter and guitarist/bassist. As a guitar teacher, bass guitar teacher, drum teacher, and piano teacher at School of Rock Brooklyn, Ethan teaches a variety of students. He is also our show director and group band leader. He keeps his lessons fun, informative, and relevant.
Cory Sterling
Guitar Teacher
Originally from Portland, OR, guitarist Cory Sterling moved to New York City in 2010 to attend The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. Cory has performed with Dave Weckl, Melvin Davis, John Stowell and Scott Whitfield, and has appeared at the Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival, Port Townsend Jazz Festival and Mount Hood Jazz Festival. In 2009 Cory won the Berklee College of Music Battle for Berklee guitar competition in Boston, MA, and performed at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica, CA as a finalist in the 2010 Yamaha Six String Theory International Guitar Competition. In 2011 Cory won first place in the jazz category at the 2011 Yamaha Six String Theory International Guitar Competition, an all ages/genres event whose judges included Lee Ritenour, Steve Lukather, Gary Tallent and Scott Goldman of the Grammy Foundation. Cory is a guitar teacher at School of Rock Brooklyn.
Brielle Liebman
Show Director, Singing Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Brielle is a singer-songwriter originally from New Jersey. She graduated in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in music from William Paterson University where she studied performing, songwriting, music theory, and ear training. While in school, she ran ensembles nearly every semester and worked on arrangements and performances with these ensembles. Brielle has been writing melodies and lyrics ever since she can remember but started taking her craft seriously around age 13. She has been a dedicated singer and guitarist since then and has been playing professionally (with bands, and solo) for around 10 years. Brielle has held residencies at restaurants as well as playing at The Stone Pony in New Jersey to New York City venues including Rockwood Music Hall. Most recently, her focus has been collaborating with other songwriters and co-writing as much as she can with other writers and producers to make various kinds of music.
As a teacher, Brielle has taught at five School of Rock locations throughout the years, as well as private schools and private lessons. She has worked as an instructor, ran Little Wing, Rock 101 programs, and Rookies, as well as being a show director. Her main focus is working with her students to develop knowledge and skill on their chosen instruments as well as cultivating creativity so that her students may one day become artists as well. Brielle loves finding out what inspires each student, and meeting them there to build their musical foundations.
Micah Prussack
Bass Guitar Teacher
Micah (they/them) has been playing in bands around NYC for over a decade. They believe that playing music with other people is one of life's greatest pleasures. Though primarily a bass player, Micah has branched out over the years to multiple instruments including drums, piano, and guitar. Through careful exploration of a myriad of genres and collaborating with some of the best musicians the city has to offer, Micah has a versatile and enthusiastic approach to playing and teaching all kinds of music.
Jada Preston
Singing Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Jada is a Houston native who began her journey into the arts from a very young age. She grew up listening to her grandmother sing and record herself every night, and this eventually led Jada to do the same. After enjoying and thriving in dance and art throughout her youth, she soon began her musical theatre journey in high school, advancing to Nationals with perfect scores. Jada also had the opportunity to perform at the Tommy Tune Awards. After much hard work and experience, she decided to perfect her craft at Howard University. There she began her love for music theory and expanded her range for music! An avid Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Zappa listener, Jada enjoys learning and teaching all sounds.
Colin Taylor
Show Director, Drum Teacher
Colin Taylor began learning the drums when he was 7 years old. Through his middle and high school years, Colin forged his ability in jazz bands and playing along with music at his home in eastern Connecticut. He had the honor of performing with regional jazz bands through school, as well as with local punk and rock bands throughout New England, often being the youngest member by a number of years.
After graduating high school in 2012, Colin moved to New York City and in 2013 he enrolled in the prestigious Drummers Collective, receiving merit and performance-based scholarships. Here, Colin developed dozens of drumming styles, giving him a broad spectrum of proficiency on the instrument. He was especially drawn to groove-based genres like funk and afro-Cuban and explored odd meters and polyrhythmic ideas almost obsessively.
Graduating from the Collective in the Fall of 2015 at age 21, Colin began making music and performing regularly with his colleagues and as a freelancer at popular NYC venues such as Joe’s Pub, Bowery Electric, Nublu, and Rockwood Music Hall. He has performed with jazz singer Kandace Springs at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC and Newport Beach Jazz Festival.
In 2017, Colin was chosen as the drummer for the first National Broadway tour of “On Your Feet,” along with the Miami Sound Machine.
Elijah Klein
Show Director, Guitar Teacher
Elijah Klein is a singer/songwriter and guitarist based in New York City. Originally from Marlboro, NJ, Elijah came to NYC to study music at The New School of Jazz. It was at the New School that Elijah developed his love and skill for songwriting.
Elijah has been playing guitar in the band, Mojohand, since its inception in 2016, and he has been the primary singer and songwriter of the band since 2019. Mojohand has released 9 singles, their debut album, “Songbook,” and played well over 100 shows all around the country since 2018 both as headliners and openers for national acts like Oteil Burbridge, Whitey Morgan, Jesse Daniel, and Taz Neideraur.
Eden Pacheco
Drum Teacher
Eden Pacheco (they/them) is a percussion focused multi instrumentalist and session musician from Providence, RI who has been performing/touring since 2014. Pacheco studied Music Business at Syracuse University and has been in NYC since May 2019. Current projects they are playing in, on either drums or guitar, are Dolly Spartans, Long Neck, Peter is Dead, Frost Children, and their own band Marblemouth.
Steven Zemanian
Drum Teacher
Steven grew up in Norfolk, Virginia, and was drawn to music from a young age. He listened to a lot of psychedelic rock during his formative high school years and played drums in bands with his friends. Steven graduated from Old Dominion University in 2012 with a major in Music Production and a minor in Percussion. At ODU, he was a member of the Drumline, Percussion Ensemble, and Pep band.
After college, Steven stayed in Norfolk and taught drums and keyboard, freelanced as a sound engineer, and played in bands for two years before moving to New York for graduate school at NYU. He was a member of the Computer Music Group at NYU and performed experimental electronic music with his friends.
Steven earned his Master's in Music Technology in 2016 and began working as a Sound Designer for Sunhouse, the company that makes Sensory Percussion.
Steven loves to teach and takes a non-dogmatic approach with his students, always trying to visualize the musical pattern through their minds and devise the best and most fun strategy to learn it.
Stephen Heller
Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Singing Teacher, Show Director
Stephen is a multi-instrumentalist and composer, originally from Rochester, NY. He graduated from New York University with a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance, Specialization: Music Theatre.
On stage, he has appeared in The Secret Garden, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, A Little Night Music, Green Day's American Idiot, Hairspray, Les Misérables, and Legally Blonde, among others, as well as in numerous cabarets featuring his original works.
Stephen recently released "The Hollow Symphonic," his debut metal opera concept album. He is currently hard at work on a new symphonic rock musical.
Stephen is thrilled to be a part of the School of Rock team, and can't wait to help students find their songs and tell their stories!
Vincent Blackshadow Braimes
Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Singing Teacher
Vincent is a lifelong rock musician and songwriter from Bellingham, Washington, who started teaching himself guitar and piano as a toddler. By the age of 10, he was playing semi-regular gigs around Washington state, belting out KISS, AC/DC, and Blue Oyster Cult covers as well as original material.
Since middle school, Vincent has played in rock bands and as a solo act. He graduated from Portland State University in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy. A prolific songwriter, he has independently released five full-length studio albums since 2016, with a sixth on the way. Currently, Vincent can be found playing lead guitar for Bald By Choice, bass in Swear Tapes, and keyboards with Shane Pi, as well as continuing to front his solo band. Outside of music, he enjoys making collages and reading philosophy.
Vincent has taught at three different School of Rock locations across the country. As a teacher, he strives to establish and grow the student’s independent love for and curiosity about music.
Joanna Quinn
Drum Teacher
Joanna (she/they) is originally from Portland, Maine and has been playing the drums since she was 8 years old. She enjoys playing a myriad of genres including rock, jazz, funk, folk, and calypso.
Since graduating from Oberlin College and Conservatory in 2019, Joanna has toured and recorded with many bands including Locate S1, Youbet, Deer Scout, and Vansire. In addition to the drums, she also plays the guitar, bass, piano, and tuba.
Joanna is an enthusiastic and inventive musician and teacher who is so excited to be a part of the incredible team at School of Rock Brooklyn!