Frankie Muriel
Owner, Director of Operations
From his hair band days on MTV to his 20+ years as a lead singer and front man of St. Louis based DRZHIVEGAS, Frankie has performed on stages all over the world. His experience of performing in venues, from intimate clubs to arenas, will bring a real world perspective to the St Porter’s school. When he partnered with School of Rock, Frankie instantly connected to the SOR philosophy of using group based music education to bring to the kids something that professional musicians have learned and understand that being in a band is how you learn the importance of group goals and supporting each other creating something greater than the sum of its parts.
As a lifelong performer, Frankie is excited to bring these lessons and his real world experiences to a new generation of rockers!
Frankie knows all aspects of the music business, writing, engineering and producing music in his recording studio. He travels whenever his schedule allows, loves to cook and knows the best restaurants all around the world!
Diane Mantovani
Owner
Diane is a residential and commercial interior designer who has established herself as a leader in the St Louis design community. She opened her award-winning design firm, Savvy Design Group, in 2009. She has a strong passion for design, a creative eye and finds inspiration in her clients and her many travels.
With a lifelong love of music and a background in special education, establishing a School of Rock checked all the boxes for Diane. She loves architecture, coffee dates, art galleries, and especially live music! She spends her free time with her close friends and family hanging around town. She also loves spending as much time as possible on the beach in North Carolina!
Ethan Jones
Music Director, Guitar Teacher
A native of Southern Illinois and SIUE alumnus, Ethan Jones is a recognized name in the St. Louis music scene. Whether it’s country, blues, 80’s, 90’s, (anything from Eagles to Earth Wind and Fire) he covers all the bases in a fun sing a long setting with his acoustic sets. While being known as the STL Troubadour, Ethan plays lead guitar for party band DRZHIVEGAS.
Ethan was a featured contestant AMERICAN IDOL making it to Hollywood Week! He has performed thousands of shows all over the country. In his free time, he likes watching movies and playing video games.
Sean Buchert
Assistant Music Director, Drum Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Singing Teacher
Sean graduated from Webster University as a communications major with a minor in audio production. He has worked as a musician and recording engineer/mixer and has been the focus of articles in the Riverfront Times “Best Local” band and song series for original music.
Sean has been playing music his entire life, starting with piano, then learning the guitar from his father, and eventually finding the drums on his own. He has been performing in various groups and styles for over a decade and has played on some of the area’s biggest stages.
Sean’s favorite part of being a music educator is figuring out what a student aspires to and providing them with the tools to achieve their goals. He hopes that sharing his experiences will help students unlock the artist and performer within them, not just the musician.
Jonathan ‘Louie” Dalton
Bass Teacher, Keyboard Teacher
Jonathan “Louie” Dalton was born and raised in St. Louis. A multi- instrumental performer, Louie began his musical journey playing electric bass in Francis Howell North’s Jazz band. He went on to play in St. Charles Community College’s Jazz ensemble. Louie has been a student at Lindenwood University since the fall of 2019. He is expected to graduate in the spring of 2022 with a BA in Music Business. He is a member of many ensembles at LU, including Endeavor, a free jazz group. Louie has also played with rock groups such as Falling with Style, Polysonikx, The Plums, and has performed at venues such as Brewskeez, Blueberry Hill Duck Room, Red Flag, and Pop’s Nightclub.
Ryan Hill
Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher, Singing Teacher
Born and raised in St. Louis, MO. Ryan went to high school at Francis Howell High, and graduated from Mizzou with a Bachelors in Psychology. Ryan was introduced to music at an early age, but didn’t begin playing until he was about 11 years old. His father, grandmother and stepmom all played and influenced his love of music, especially his step mom, Jenny. He also was inspired by The Guitar Hero and RockBand video games. That was when rock music became his passion.
Ryan has played in several bands over the years. He began performing as a bass player. He has written songs and in 2017 he formed his own band, Armenta.
Danielle Walters
Marketing Coordinator, Little Wing Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Singing Teacher
Danielle’s first real love was music. Her obsession started in elementary school, where she began to learn violin, upright bass, and saxophone, and it continued through her adolescent and adult years. In addition to playing music, she participated in live performances as a competition dancer and as a Muny Kid/Teen, where she gained more experience in live singing, dancing, and acting. Most recently, she formed her band, The Extra 3, where she is the lead vocalist and regularly plays around St. Louis.
Although Danielle struggled with stage fright through her adolescence, she found music to be a therapeutic outlet for herself and fell in love with performance. She is grateful for the opportunity to help mentor the next generation of live performers and musicians with School of Rock St. Peters.
Josh DeCamp
Studio Coordinator
Josh started playing guitar when he was 13 years old, inspired by bands such as Pink Floyd, Pearl Jam, and the Smashing Pumpkins. His passion for guitar led him to begin playing solo in 2015 at Two Shamrocks, Dog Prairie, and other local St.Louis venues. In addition, he has played with Granger Smith and Chris Janson at live shows.
Josh is a local band enthusiast and attends various local shows to support St. Louis bands in his spare time. His favorite bands include The Urge, Greek Fire, Pearl Jam, and Korn.
Pete Hilario
Drum Teacher
Pete's love for playing the drums began around 6 years old when his aunt took him to his first Kiss concert. In junior high, he sought out drum lessons from jazz drummer Luigi Waites, and from that point, he began to develop a deep appreciation for fusion rock drumming.
Pete's influences consist of Tony Williams, Billy Cobham, John Bonham, Simon Phillips, Alex Van Halen, and Peter Criss. With rock drumming as his primary area of strength, his heart is still in progressive fusion drumming.
Pete is ambitious and passionate about teaching others how to play the drums and knows how important it is to show up in a student's life. He can't wait to meet you!
Justin Watson
Guitar Teacher
Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, Justin graduated from Fort Zumwalt South High School and was introduced to music at a very young age. Justin began playing guitar when he was 10 years old and has never looked back. His family has always played music around the house, and his dad, who worked in the music world, drove his passion more.
Justin has played in various bands, creating a name for himself in the St. Louis music scene. Justin plays in a Kiss tribute band called Mystery - A Definitive Tribute To Kiss and his original band, The Breakdowwns. In his spare time, Justin loves to spend time in the woods and do outdoor activities.
Jacob Levy
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Jacob Levy is a passionate and down-to-earth guitar teacher who genuinely loves sharing the joy of music. Jacob discovered his fascination with the guitar from a young age and began a lifelong musical journey at the age of 4. Through dedicated practice, he was performing in local venues alongside his father by age 15.
With a diverse background in music, Jacob has had the privilege of being part of various bands, including Eagles tribute bands, a Van Halen tribute band, an AC/DC tribute band, and even an '80s New Wave cover band. These experiences have not only sharpened his skills but have also given him a deep appreciation for a variety of genres.
When Jacob isn't immersed in music, he enjoys simple pleasures like watching movies and exploring nature with loved ones and his furry companion.