Our Experienced Music Teachers
All of School of Rock Folsom’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.
Joshua Conanan
General Manager
Joshua Conanan is a non-binary music composer from the Bay Area, and now residing in Sacramento. He is a multi-instrumentalist, DJ, and producer with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music for Visual Media. He is influenced by music ranges of all different genres and eras.
Joshua has worked as a sound designer and music composer for video games and short films. He got his start taking private piano lessons at 7 years old, picked up the guitar at age 12, drums at 16, and bass at 30. He has played in a few bands locally in both the Bay Area and Sacramento.
Joshua's most notable experience was playing bass with his current band Rest Assured at Ace of Spades. He has been with School of Rock since February 2020 and is now currently the General Manager at School of Rock Folsom. He continues to still teach at other locations. The journey of being an instructor and performance director has been an amazing experience for Josh. His passion for teaching and performing grows every day.
Carl Valdez
Drum Teacher
Returning back to the School of Rock team after a brief hiatus, Carl brings over 45 years of musical experience to this unique performance arts school, focusing on the development of students of all ages from the lesson rooms to the stage. Carl was a founding member of the legendary hardcore punk band Ill Repute. Through the years, he has worked alongside famed pop/punk record producer Jerry Finn (Green Day, Blink-182, Rancid). Ill Repute was inducted into the Ventura County Music Awards Hall of Fame (along with Chuck D from Public Enemy) in 2014. Ill Repute's music is heard worldwide, including songs featured on the Netflix programs "Glow" and "Stranger Things."
Carl's drum experience expands into other genres, including orchestral, community concert band, Dixieland swing, and Scottish Pipes and Drums. He has performed and competed with the Silicon Valley Pipe Band, an award-winning competitive Scottish bagpipe and drum group based out of Saratoga, CA.
Carl also has experience performing with other instruments including clarinet, saxophone, mandolin, and guitar.
Alice Jones
Studio Coordinator
Alice started singing when she was born, according to her mother. Alice can remember a tune after hearing it once and she is a one-woman band in the car!
All jokes aside, Alice started taking singing seriously in the 5th grade after a music teacher in summer school encouraged her to follow her dreams. From then on you couldn't stop her, taking choir in school, honor choirs, and solos for end shows in high school all the way to college.
Now Alice works at School of Rock Folsom and can't wait to see where this takes her.
Derek Dozier
Singing Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Derek grew up singing in ensembles and was president of their high school chamber choir. Derek has worked every job involved in live theatre and played a variety of roles on stage like Collins in Rent, Jim in Big River, and Sr. Hairy in Once Upon a Mattress.
Recently Derek sang in a backup chorus for Andrea Bocelli and performed in the Sacramento Philharmonic production of the opera La Boheme.
Derek regularly performs with the Sketch Group TransSketchual, as well as produces and plays in a monthly Improvised Music show at STAB Comedy Theater.
Xander Roberts
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Xander grew up in Folsom and music has played a huge part in his life. He discovered his love of music through singing in choir groups from junior high to college, performing in high school theatre productions, and forming his own original band when he was in college. His biggest inspiration for getting into music was The Beatles.
Xander has recorded music at Skywalker Sound, performed with the Folsom Symphony Orchestra, and played at venues from the Boardwalk to Ace of Spades to Cal Expo State Fair. Xander has been singing for over 15 years, playing guitar for over 13 years, and playing bass guitar for over three years. He can pick up most instruments fairly quickly as well.
Xander was a Behavioral Technician who worked with those on the spectrum of autism prior to joining School of Rock Folsom as a guitar and bass guitar instructor.
Xander recently graduated from Sacramento State with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies in May 2023. He is passionate about music and loves helping others. With his knowledge of music and experience working with kids, Xander is honored to be a part of School of Rock Folsom and excited to inspire students to grow and become amazing, talented musicians.
Maddy Vine
Singing Teacher
Maddy is a recent college graduate and now working towards a master's degree. During her undergraduate studies, she majored in voice per her music scholarship requirement which she applied for on a whim.
Participating in choir, jazz ensembles, and as a classical soloist, Maddy was introduced to a multitude of vocal new genres. Here she fell in love with the Estill vocal method of training which focuses on the anatomy and physiology of the voice. This method has allowed her to have a free stylistic range with her voice and performances throughout her time in college. This method also allowed her to protect her voice and left her with a knowledge of how to isolate certain vocal mechanisms to produce any sound desired.
After graduation, Maddy was unsure of the next steps on her journey in life until she stumbled into School of Rock out of curiosity and found how gratifying it is to pass on the love of singing and making music for the world.
Randy Miller
Drum Teacher
Randy is thrilled to be a part of School of Rock Folsom! Music education and performance have been big in his life throughout the years, and he is so happy to be taking this next step in a lifelong journey of helping others discover all the joy and excitement that music has to offer.
Randy has been playing drums since he was 11 years old. Now, at the age of (much older…), he seeks to share all that he has learned along the way. Randy has played in concert, jazz, and marching bands, earning all-state honors in high school. He also played in a few garage bands and recorded an album in his early twenties.
Playing was always fun, but teaching is where Randy's passion lies. He has helped instruct large, award-winning music ensembles, and worked in smaller settings, teaching kids how to play drums in a rock band.
Randy lives in Orangevale, is married, and has three sons.
Jessa Lamkin
Singing Teacher
Jessa earned her BA in Music from Saint Mary’s College of California. With a focus on vocal technique and performance, she took part in the glee, chamber, and vocal jazz groups alongside working on her solo technique and putting on her senior recital in the spring of 2023. She also took piano classes and strengthened various techniques, both classical and contemporary, in order to supplement this.
Jessa has loved music and performing for a long time, but her exposure to Estill Voice Training during her time at Saint Mary’s has allowed her to explore the full potential of the voice. Previously a voice and keys instructor at School of Rock in Walnut Creek, she is ready to continue her journey at School of Rock Folsom. She is excited to work with students as they discover what they are capable of and to help them achieve their goals!
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.