Susan Marlett
CEO, Owner
Susan Marlett started on Flute in the 4th grade and by the 7th grade she was using a special woodwind pick-up and guitar pedals for her flute. She was hooked. She 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 and Roll. Returning to teach music with the 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 Sept of 2010. Susan became General Manager in 2017 and owner in 2020.
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.
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).
Michael Kozma
Guitar Teacher
“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.
Eric Cohen
Guitar Teacher, Show Director
Eric is a fantastic example of what School of Rock can do for a budding musician. He started with School of Rock in South Hackensack. He played many shows there. He became a valuable part of their House Band and made it into All Stars in 2006. Some of the memorable places he played include: BB Kings, World Cafe Live and Royal Oak Theatre. He plays out regularly and is a great addition to our staff. He 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. And he plays with several Grateful Dead tribute bands.
Ginny Lackey
Singing Teacher, Show Director
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 on a regular basis in our area. Check out her band, Ginny Lackey and the HiFi band.
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.
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.
Ian Morel
Drum Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
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.
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.