Since its inception in 2008, Boise Rock School has been led by the belief that the best way to get individuals excited about learning music is to have them play in a group. We believe the band setting, coupled with a strong curriculum and student-chosen songs, achieves better results than any other teaching method.
In addition to helping students achieve musical excellence, the band setting also encourages essential life skills such as group problem solving, compromise, and the value of positive social interactions.
Boise Rock School is so much more than just a place where students learn to play their instruments. We teach our students how to play songs (cover tunes of their choice in all genres and originally penned compositions), how to record those songs, how to perform those songs at a gig, and how to use those songs as an inspirational and exciting tool to contribute to our community.
We believe giving every student at Boise Rock School the opportunity to perform and share their musical accomplishments with an audience is a valuable and rewarding experience for everyone. In short, we develop the total musician.
From proper technique to creativity and songwriting, from music theory to listening and problem solving skills, we help students — both kids and adults — not only become better musicians, but better people.
After traveling the world teaching English in NYC and Czech Republic, Jared down in Boise, Idaho and earned his Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction. Promptly after finishing his graduate degree, Jared put his education to good use and created the curriculum for BRS. Jared has played in bands The Veltexans, Halos of Mojo and Hillfolk Noir (with whom he played SXSW!). He currently plays lead guitar in The Ravenna Colt and Ponderay. In 2019 Jared attended an intensive weeklong Mix with the Masters taught by Tom Elmhirst (who has too many Grammys to count) and in 2021 Jared attended another Mix with the Masters with Shawn Everett (War on Drugs, Kacey Musgraves, Adele, et al.). When not being our Education Director, you can find Jared in front of his monitor s mixing tunes!
Way back in 2008, Ryan founded Boise Rock School with his best friend Jared. They met while rivers guides in Stanley. Ryan’s musical history consists of writing a lot of songs on piano and guitar. In his spare time, Ryan teaches Anatomy and Physiology at Boise State University (he used to teach 5th graders in the Bay Area), rides bikes and runs (a lot) and is a PhD candidate in the School of Public Service at Boise State University. Ryan is 1/2 of the band Edmond Dantès with former BRS teacher Andrew Stensaas and has his own solo project. Ryan also really likes the NYT crossword.
Bri has been called the “Leslie Knope of Boise.” She, in a nutshell, is the glue that holds Boise Rock School together. Bri also plays bass in a spooky rock n’ roll band called the Mall Goth Moths with teachers Kat and Klaus.
Jackson is another past student of BRS that we convinced to teach for us. He is an incredible drummer. He has a rad band with Jesse called Killin’ Me Kid.
Landing in Boise all the way from Spain, Kat holds a degree in Vocal Performance and has had training in classical music and violin for over 10 years.
They play all sorts of instruments: violin, drums, keys, guitar, bass, even glockenspiel. Kat loves performing and helping other students become the best performers they can be.
Now they’re in a band with two of our other teammates, Bri and Klaus, and together they rock out in their spooky rock band: The Mallgoth Moths!
Michael is our in-house classical guitar master. He caught the music bug growing up around Nashville, TN. He got his first electric guitar at 13 and never looked back. He also plays and teaches bass, drums, keyboards, and vocals. He tried violin once, but it didn’t “take.” Michael also has the best hair and beard in the Northwest. He also plays in the band The Weary Times.
Rylee began playing guitar at Boise Rock School when she was 7. Boise Rock School taught her how to play and perform. After attending Boise Rock School for many years, Ryan encouraged Rylee to become a teacher. She loves writing songs and performing. Rylee is super passionate about music and wants to pursue it as a career. She absolutely loves working with kids! Rylee is currently attending college in Montana.
Alex began playing at age 15. Within a year he was playing in multiple garage bands and developing a passion for music and and the many instruments of a rock band. This passion led him to pursue a career in music by starting to teach lessons and beginning college as a music major. He has recently finished his Bachelors in Guitar Performance from Texas A and M. He now teaches lessons on every main instrument of a rock band and spends most his time composing, practicing, jamming or teaching.
Sergio learned Ghost Riders in the Sky from his dad at age six and hasn’t stopped playing music since. He studied music and broadcast journalism down the road at the University of Montana. He currently plays trombone in Juice! and produces film with his friends in Wiser Wolves Productions. Sergio is currently on an extended vacation in Austin, Texas.
Music became the driving force in Pete’s life when he was exposed to the “power of the drum” at age ten. In addition to other gigs, Pete has played drumset in Boise metal act XEX and jazz band Zeppo5. Under Dr. John Baldwin, Pete studied classical percussion and also became the section-leader/center-snare for the BSU drum-line. In 2000 Pete graduated with a BA in Sociology from BSU. He has always primarily-been a rocker at heart and wants to share any knowledge that he has with the next-generation of “rockers”.
Grace first became involved with Boise Rock School as a student by playing cello in a couple bands. As a BRS student, she was highly supported in her songwriting and compositional practice, eventually starting her own music project–Sove The Second–and receiving a dual degree in both music and communications at Willamette University.
Grace’s experience in teaching and mentorship include volunteering for YMCA’s Horsethief Summer Camp as well as spending a year as a 5th grade TA and after school mentor at Bush Elementary School in Salem, OR. Her work at Boise Rock School combines her passions of music, teaching, and supporting the Boise community.
Klaus currently plays drums in a band–Mallgoth Moths–with other Boise Rock School Instructors Bri and Klaus. You’ll here original music from both Klaus and Kat along with new music the group is creating together. They define their genre as “classroom punk”.
Kelsey (Kelso) started as a student at Boise Rock School in 2013, then started volunteering and teaching in 2016. She played music for 12 years, performing vocals and guitar locally with the band she met at BRS, Phonetic, for 5 years.
She spent time in and out of choir and has a passion for singing in all different genres. Kelsey takes inspiration from David Bowie, Kurt Cobain, and Japanese alternative music.
Rewon’s bio.
Annika’s bio.
Andrew studied percussion at Fort Lewis College in Durango, CO. There, prior to Boise, he played in several different bands, and is currently playing with the local band Kandy Shake.
Saul’s bio.
Hi, I’m Cam! I’m 21 years old and I’ve been teaching at the rock school on and off for a couple years. I like to play guitar, drums, and the bass. I also like to eat pizza and listen to a lot of weird metal music and rock classics.
My favorite thing to do outside of music is skiing at Bogus and spending time outdoors!