Patrick Denney is our fearless leader for all things musical. If you see live music around Louisville, then you're sure to see Patrick performing with such bands as Funkasaurus, Dr. Dundiff, The Sexy Tones, Wilder Stallions and others. He's a local musician in demand. A talented multi-instrumentalist, Patrick plays bass, guitar, keyboard and sings. When he's not performing, he can often be found recording in his home studio. Patrick holds a degree in Jazz Studies and Music Technology from Bellarmine University. He has several years of teaching experience, and he also worked in JCFS public schools directing an after-school program on digital mastering and recording, taking the kids to second place in a statewide original music competition. We are excited to introduce Patrick, and thankful for all the playing and performance skills he will be passing on to our students at School of Rock.

Lauren Hunter, a vocal instructor and Little Wing Director, holds a BA in Vocal Performance from Blue Mountain College in Mississippi, where she was classically trained and received the distinguished Music Award awarded to only one senior each year. Lauren has applied her classic techniques to many genres of music, including rock/pop, jazz, musical theater, gospel and contemporary Christian. Lauren is an experienced vocal, Little Wing and Rookies instructor, having previously taught at School of Rock in Germantown, TN. Lauren’s musical roots are strong. She started singing and performing when she was only 10 years old. Her mother was a vocalist in a Memphis soul band, C.O.D. She also plays piano and flute. While in high school, she sang in the West Tennessee Honor Choir and Jazz Choir. To Lauren, music is a way to connect to people in a beautiful and lasting way, and she loves demonstrating to students how music can enrich their lives.

Cade Howard has been playing the guitar for over a decade, with a background in traditional classical music, as well as performance experience with numerous regional bands, including White Knight, Ted Tyro, Jack Holiday and the Westerners, and Hounds and Horns. Cade also has extensive recording experience, having recorded four full-length albums and four EPs, plus two instrumental solo albums in 2016 and 2017. Cade has a deep knowledge of music theory and guitar technique in a variety of musical styles, from classic rock to jazz and classical guitar. He began playing the viola in high school orchestra and guitar in jazz band at age 10. In 2011, he attended Three of a Perfect Pair music camp with members of the band King Crimson.

Toni Carroll holds a BA in Music Business from Indiana State University and has a background in musical theater and opera. Toni is an experienced performer, recording artist and singer/songwriter, and has worked with multiple artists from the Midwest all the way to Florence, Italy. She has garnered years of experience as a working teacher, performer, composer and director.

Toni brings four years of previous teaching experience as a vocal instructor with School of Rock Fishers in Indianapolis. At The Cabaret Performance Venue in Indianapolis, Toni had the opportunity to work and study with many Broadway artists, including Betty Buckley, Megan Hilty, Chester Gregory and Jane Lynch. Toni was a finalist in the 2016 Indi Songwriter’s Competition and is currently composing and recording for her first debut album.

Toni began singing at age nine, and in her youth performed with Young Arts and placed as a gold medalist at Indiana State School Music Association competitions. While in college, she toured in Italy with the Sycamore Singers. Toni loves taking each student to the next level and emphasizing healthy singing in many styles. Toni's training and knowledge of vocal anatomy provides students with the necessary skills for a free and functional voice.

Melanie Scofield has been involved in the arts from an early age, starting with piano lessons, school band, high school and college theater and, later in life, as an arts advocate. Her professional career has been in marketing and public relations, which she combined with her love of creative arts by providing public relations consulting to several arts and culture clients, including Arts Alliance Illinois, and regional Chicago theaters and museums. She also specialized in event management. A lifelong advocate of the arts and arts education, Melanie served as a long-time board member of the Arts Alliance of Illinois and the Pleasant Home Historic House Museum.

Melanie and her husband Doug have two sons, one an actor in Chicago, and Carter Scofield, who grew up with School of Rock and has been a three-time School of Rock AllStar. As a long-time School of Rock parent, Melanie is a strong believer in the transformative power of the program and the impact it has on youth, parents and the broader community. She loves to talk with parents about their children’s potential and how School of Rock can help them realize their goals musically, academically and personally.

Wyndell Williams, guitar teacher at School of Rock Louisville, is a seasoned guitarist with 35 years of experience who has played thousands of shows throughout the region. He can play and teach rock, pop, country, blues and more and has a vast understanding of music theory and its applications in the real world of music. He is a singer/songwriter and recording artist has played in and founded many bands, including Jefferson Tarc Bus and Slinky Jenkins. He has a successful solo act and currently fronts his own called Wyn and the Riots. Wyndell sang for many years in the church and did a few church tours in his youth. He is committed to teaching students in a positive, fun and informative way that will have them looking forward to not only learning but playing music.

Powerhouse vocalist and School of Rock Louisville vocal instructor Kiana Benhoff is a Louisville native with a passion for sharing music through both teaching and performing. Although primarily a vocalist, she also plays some piano, guitar and ukulele. Benhoff began singing in church at age four, and performing around her hometown of Carrollton, Kentucky by age 13. She continued to grace the stage even after her move to Louisville in 2014 to attend Bellarmine University. While at Bellarmine, she earned her degree in Jazz Studies, fronted several jazz combos and founded two different indie rock projects. Kiana is the founder and lead singer of the jazz band Kiana and the Sun Kings, and has also had the pleasure of working with local legends like Carly Johnson. By day, Benhoff can be found teaching the musicians of tomorrow at School of Rock and by night, serenading locals all over Louisville.