Alexa Gabriel Guitar Teacher
Alexa Gabriel is a musician from Northville, MI. She has an Associate of Science degree in Sound Recording Technology from Schoolcraft Community College and is currently attending Eastern Michigan University. Alexa is currently the lead singer and guitarist in her band, as well as the guitarist for another. She taught dance to kids from 2011 to 2017 and has been teaching guitar for two years. Alexa is a guitar teacher at School of Rock Canton.
Ana Gomulka Guitar Teacher, Keyboard Teacher, Singing Teacher
Ana is a songwriter, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist , and producer born and raised in Metro-Detroit. She grew up in a musical household where her mom taught piano and her dad played saxophone. She sang before she could say real words and began learning piano when she was very young. She picked up guitar and began writing songs when she was 13 and has been writing ever since.
Performing became a career when she formed Honey Monsoon, a local soul indie band featuring her original songs. The band releasing two albums in 2017 and 2019 (spotify.com/honeymonsoon)
She has studied with many great teachers including vocalists Athena Johnson and Jazzmeia Horn. Ana has been teaching for multiple years and finds joy in inspiring people to find their own voice and express themselves, no matter where they are in their musical journey.
Charlie Bonkowski Bass Guitar Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Piano Teacher, Drum Teacher
Charlie Bonkowski is a drum, bass, guitar, and piano teacher from Royal Oak, Michigan. He has been making music for over 12 years starting with trombone in elementary school then quickly progressing to drums and bass. He is pursuing a degree in Music Therapy from Eastern Michigan University. He specializes in music theory and fundamentals, as well as integrating classical ideas with modern rock and pop. Charlie is well versed in all styles of music from pop to metal to jazz and likes to spend his time jamming with other musicians in the community and recording and mixing his own music as well as others.
Eric Lauder Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher
Eric Lauder is a signed artist on Entertainment One with his metal band, Plague Years, alongside other acts like Ace Frehley, Zakk Wylde, High on Fire and many more. He has been touring for 6 years and writing music for 16. Aside from metal, Eric has been to school for jazz performance and been in various bands playing blues, R&B, and funk. Eric is currently working on writing a new EP following his latest LP release.
Jerry Heiss Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher
Jerry Heiss is a musician and songwriter from Ypsilanti, MI. A player of the guitar and drums since 2007, Jerry has over a decade of experience performing throughout the Southeast Michigan area. Jerry has experience playing a variety of different styles, including rock, metal and jazz. He received a certificate in Music Production from Washtenaw Community College. Jerry is currently performing as the vocalist/guitarist for his own band, as well as the drummer for another group. He is a guitar teacher, bass guitar teacher and drum teacher at School of Rock Canton.
Joe Jankowski Drum Teacher, Piano Teacher
Joseph Jankowski is a drummer/percussionist based in Detroit, MI. An active gigging and studio musician, Joseph has been on the scene since 2015. Joseph has experience in a wide variety of genres including, but not limited to, jazz, classical, country, R&B and rock. He has played on dozens of studio recordings and has experience as a touring musician. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Commercial Music Performance at the Detroit Institute of Music Education. He is a drum teacher and piano teacher at School of Rock Canton.
Jonathon Meyer TEACHER
Jonathon Meyer is a guitarist, bassist, synthesizer/keyboard player, and songwriter from Canton, Michigan. He got started playing music while attending Salem High School through forming bands by playing guitar and bass with peers and by playing bass for the schools jazz band. In 2018 he graduated from Salem and in the same year, formed a band called Read the Sun. The band has currently completed two projects with Jonathon playing guitar and synthesizer titled "Music for Birds" and "Living Thru" as well as one tour in summer 2019 at the time of Living Thru's release. Jonathon is versed in playing the styles of Classic Rock, Grunge, alternative rock, Punk/Pop-Punk, Blues, Jazz, as well as psychedelic, progressive, and experimental rock.
Jordan Smith TEACHER
As a multi-instrumentalist, Jordan Smith has spent the majority of his teen-years and adult life refining his skills as a live performer, composer, self-promoter and arranger for his groups. Specializing in Rock, Funk, Blues, Soul and Electronic music, he is well versed in many of the genres present in western popular music. Picking up the bass at age 10 and quickly adding guitar to the list of instruments that now includes piano, drums, synthesizer and vocals, he teaches all the instruments that School of Rock offers lessons in.
Jordan Khalaf Guitar Teacher, Keyboard Teacher, Singing Teacher
Jordan Khalaf is a singer, songwriter, actor, and all-around performer based in Canton, Michigan. He attended the University of Michigan where he graduated in 2019, receiving a B.A in Drama and a Minor in Music. Jordan is a songwriter and recording artist, releasing an EP in 2020 (https://ffm.to/blankpagesep/), and he is constantly writing and recording original work. As an actor, he has performed in a multitude of settings in the local theatre scene. Jordan teaches all instruments at School of Rock, with specialties in vocals and guitar.
Julian VanSlyke Drum Teacher
Julian has been playing drums for over 43 years and playing professionally for over 32 years. With a versatile style and a musical outlook for playing drums, Julian has worked in almost every musical situation possible. From Musical Theatre to Drum & Bugle Corps to Jazz to Rock, Blues to R&B and Gospel Julian has played and recorded with top performers from every genre.
Along with performing professionally, Julian has been teaching beginners and advance students drums and percussion privately at over 15 years. Julian’s greatest reward while teaching is seeing and hearing a students progression and improvement. Julian is currently creating a series method books for percussion students to aid in their learning and understand of music and how to read music. “The Snare Drum Workbook...The Fundamentals” will be the first book released in the series mid 2021.
Riley Bean Keyboard Teacher, Singing Teacher, Drum Teacher
Riley has been playing drums since a young age, both in more formal school settings and with bands around the area. He began producing solo electronic music under the name Beanstalk in 2013, and has played drums set for Michigan funk group Liquid Thickness since 2017. His other main passion is growing organic/natural food, as he is the co-owner of Vibrant Acres farm in South Lyon. At school of rock and privately, he teaches drums, keys, and vocals and loves working with kids of all ages.
Chris Marek Owner, General Manager
Chris Marek is a former principal for both Plymouth-Canton and Wayne-Westland schools, but always dreamed of being in the music business. After more than 26 years in education, Chris retired and bought School of Rock Canton. A guitar player from Muskegon, MI, he has played since age 11. Chris quit guitar lessons early on after being forced to sight read "Hot Crossed Buns" when he wanted to play Led Zeppelin songs. He loves the School of Rock Song First approach, where students play songs they love and learn reading and theory along the way. Chris is the owner and general manager at School of Rock Canton.