General Information

Tyler has been invested in music from a young age, playing trumpet and guitar through college. After getting his degree in music education from Sam Houston State University, he began teaching privately. When not teaching, he tries to play with talented musicians as much as possible, and especially loves playing in musical theater productions!

Krystal Salinas was born in Houston, TX. She sang on her first recording at five years old. She was in choir and band throughout high school and college, playing alto saxophone. She played in several state competitions but was always drawn to rock and metal. She started seriously getting into guitar and drums within the same week when she was 13 years old. At the age of 17, her band started playing live and she got into radio broadcasting, studying under the great Cathy Forsythe. She has been involved in the local radio scene for over two decades. Eventually, she started recording multiple records with her band and touring the country. She developed relationships with multiple sponsors, venues, booking agents, record companies, and other musicians throughout the world. She decided to pass on her gift of music by teaching at the School of Rock.

Sam has been playing drums for 13+ years. He takes passion in his playing and loves to express himself through playing. He plays in a Progressive Metal band in the local Houston area. He hopes he can help inspire his students to play with the same passion as he does and help them excel to new potentials.

Trevino is a Houston native who has spent nearly half his life learning the craft of music and performing with countless groups and musicians throughout the state of Texas and its bordering states. Taylor has been performing regularly since 2009 at the age of 13 in bands ranging from Rock/Metal, Spanish, Jazz, Country, Dance, Gospel, etc. In addition to this experience, Taylor spent 2 years learning music theory and one year learning Jazz theory in his teens. As a well-rounded musician, Taylor can teach proper technique, theory, songwriting, performance strategies, and any genre of music. With plenty of experience in young education programs throughout high school and college, he is also well equipped to teach young students in an interesting and fun way!

Jaime has been a guitar teacher for three years with students of all ages and skill levels. He has been a performer in several bands playing Rock, Country, Pop, and other styles of music. He is currently a music student at the University of Houston and his favorite music to listen to is movie/video game scores, and Math Rock.

Mikayla is a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumental performer, and producer from Sugar Land, TX. Growing up having listened to her dad's 12'' pieces of vinyl and CDs of the many greats in old soul, funk, and r&b, she began singing around the age of 4 and started to acquire an ear for complex melodies and groove rhythms. At age 9, she started taking piano lessons after being inspired by Alicia Keys and two years later began studying classical voice. Mikayla gained her performance experience on stage by competing in various classical voice competitions in the Houston area and nationally while in high school. She also was a part of her high school's varsity choir and auditioned to successfully make T.M.E.A. All-State Choir in 2016. Studying classical voice for 9 years eventually led Mikayla to study collegiately at a classical conservatory in New York City for 2 years.

While in New York, Mikayla's focus started to shift and her interest in songwriting grew. She transferred to Berklee College of Music, picked up the guitar, and began to look toward singer-songwriters like Joni Mitchell, Adrianne Lenker, and Lianne La Havas who paved their own paths in music. Mikayla graduated from Berklee in 2021 with a B.M. in professional music with concentrations in songwriting and performance. Today, Mikayla is building her career as a performing and recording artist, but in her off time has enjoyed teaching music. She is fortunate to have been exposed to both classical and contemporary styles and teachings of music, and is super excited to be a part of the School of Rock team.

Hey, I'm Ian, and I'm a guitarist. I've been with the School of Rock for 3 years, and I started off as a performing student doing gigs with my friends. If you need a guitar instructor, I'm your guy!

Stephen is a musician and composer from the Pasadena area with a long history of live performance with the experimental and progressive Rock collective del-Rey. Developing a love for music from an early age combined with a passion for learning, he earned a degree in teaching from San Jac and continues with private studies and tutoring in multiple subjects. Having been involved in a variety of musical projects playing guitar, bass, and piano, Stephen is currently producing his own music under the name Robotany. His influences range from Dylan to Stravinsky, and he is thrilled to be a part of the School of Rock team.

Kent Newman has been a professional guitarist for over 30 years. He began playing at the age of 13 and at 15 was on the Texas dance hall circuit as lead guitarist and singer for the established band The Emotions. In 1989 he formed the band Rat Ranch. That band lasted 28 years and played thousands of shows for audiences from Florida to Alaska. He has also recorded countless projects, including original music for Rat Ranch as well as guitar and vocal arrangements for all levels of professional studio production. Over the years he and his bands have shared the stage with artists such as Kansas, Joe Walsh, 38 Special, America, Jefferson Starship, Peter Frampton, Dishwalla, and many others. In addition to rock guitar styles, Kent has played just about every other type of popular music out there and he attempts to incorporate a broader understanding of music in general into his lessons. He also has decades of experience keeping a successful band together as a business pursuit. Kent currently plays in the country group Shotgun Road and the 70s classic rock group Diamond Jack. He is a guitar teacher and a bass guitar teacher at the School of Rock Sugar Land.

Brittney Valdez has been singing since she was two years old and started playing piano at the age of 6. She also has her associate of arts degree in music-vocal concentration. Her passion for music got her accepted to Berklee School of Music but she decided to pursue her career and has played with many local legends and Grammy Award-winning musicians. In 2013, she performed for The Presidential Inaugural Black Tie and Boots Ball in Washington D.C. She has also performed in Las Vegas, California, New York, New Orleans, and all over Houston. She is currently in one of Houston's most popular cover bands, The Slags, and performs for the Houston Texans (aka The Battle Ready Band), Houston Astros, and Houston Rockets. Brittney is a versatile singer/performer who has found a new love for teaching the next generation of amazing musicians, who are just as passionate about what they do. She promises to help bring each individual out of their shell and let the light shine from within.