Meet The Team

scott owens

Performance/Drums Instructor

Scott Owens has been playing drums for over 20 years, beginning his journey in 6th grade band where he learned to read snare sheet music. However, he quickly discovered that his preferred method of learning was by listening to his favorite bands and emulating his favorite drummers. This hands-on, passion-driven approach is exactly how Scott intends to teach. He believes in harnessing a love of music and replicating it in a unique and personal way. As a professional touring and recording drummer, Scott is confident and excited to share his extensive knowledge and experience with others on a thoughtful and meaningful level.

sebastian mChenry

Performance/Drums Instructor

Sebastian is thrilled to be one of the youngest instructors at the Albany Rock Pit. He specializes in drums and has just finished his first semester at The College of Saint Rose as a Music Industry major. He will be continuing his music education at SCCC. Sebastian is self-taught in multiple instruments, including drums, piano, and guitar, but he has several years of formal training in drumming. He was a member of the Albany Indoor Percussion Ensemble for five years, and they were world finalists at the 2021 Indoor Percussion Circuit. He has experience in recording and producing and plays drums and guitar for his band. Sebastian loves collaborating with other local artists and has been with the Albany Rock Pit since its inception, performing in several of their shows. Albany Rock Pit has helped him grow as a musician in a welcoming environment where everyone can be themselves. Music is his life, and he is a big fan of rock, hip hop, indie, and jazz. Let’s jam!

Grant Hershey

Performance/Drums Instructor

Grant has been drumming since the 3rd grade, when his band teacher first placed him in percussion to keep his hands busy. By 4th grade, he joined the marching band and quickly developed a fascination with the drumline. In 6th grade, he became a member of the Albany Indoor Percussion Ensemble on bass drum, and not long after, he rose to center snare in his school band. During middle school, Grant expanded his skills by learning drum set as part of the jazz band.

After graduating, Grant performed with Skyliners Drum and Bugle Corps for two seasons before moving on to the Connecticut Hurricanes Drum Corps, a world-class ensemble where he continues to perform today. His time as a teacher at the Rock Pit has further sharpened his performing and leadership skills, allowing him to share his passion for drumming with the next generation of musicians.

Connor Shearer

Keys Instructor

Connor is a pianist, composer, and music educator who loves helping students find their own sound at the piano. With a background in classical, jazz and experimental music, he makes lessons engaging and tailored to each student’s interests. Connor’s goal is to build strong fundamentals while keeping music fun, inspiring, and connected to what students love to play.

AJ Horton

Performance/Guitar Instructor

AJ Horton is an Albany-based performer, songwriter, sound engineer, producer, and musician that plays locally and on the road with alternative rock bands Side-B and Rib & the Bones. He specializes in guitar—an instrument with which he has more than a decade of playing experience—and he has graduated from SUNY Oneonta with a B.A. in Music Industry and a minor in Music Performance. His goals include encouraging young musicians’ love for music and providing them with the opportunity to learn and grow!

TJ Foster

Guitar Instructor

TJ Foster is a songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist from Colonie, NY, who performs with local Eddies Award-winning bands like E.R.I.E. and Sydney Worthley. He is also the editor of local arts publication Metroland Now. His teaching specialty is beginner level guitar, which he has over 20 years of playing experience in, but he enjoys teaching audio engineering and songwriting as well. TJ is a SUNY Oneonta graduate with a B.A. in Music Industry and a Minor in Audio Engineering. He has three daughters, two dogs, two cats, and probably a partridge in a pear tree somewhere.

Andrew Yonki

Performance/Showcase/Guitar Instructor

Andrew moved to Schenectady in 2019 from outside of Washington, DC, where he was heavily immersed in the heavy rock and punk scenes as both musician and fan. A guitar player for thirty years, Andrew has extensive performance experience on stages everywhere from DC to Tampa to Vancouver to Brooklyn and just about everywhere in between, with the bands Caustic Casanova from DC and Idle Era from right here in Schenectady. Even thirty years playing guitar and 20 years in bands, few things feel better than playing guitar with musicians he likes and respects, and still gets the thrill of his life anytime he takes the stage. He wants to share that experience with the next generation of rockers, and share with them the joy and fun and connection that comes with being a performer and musician.

jennifer Stella

Performance/Vocal Instuctor

Jennifer lives in Albany, NY where she has been teaching music locally for over 10 years. Beginning with her first guitar lessons at age 7, Jennifer participated in a wide ranging musical background from her younger years through college, playing clarinet and saxophone in various ensembles, singing in choirs, and performing with musical theater groups. Holding a BS in Music Education from The College of Saint Rose, where she was a voice major, and a MM in Music Education from the Longy School of Music, where she studied culturally responsive teaching in the music classroom, she has spent these past ten years teaching many genres to students of all ages, focusing on safe singing techniques and music learning through performance. On any given day you can open Jennifer's playlist and find a wide array of musical selections being used in her lessons, or there for her to sing along to herself. When Jennifer is not teaching, she can usually be found attending live music and theater, hiking, and captaining her adult rec kickball team.

lucas foley

Vocal Instuctor

Lucas is a vocalist and songwriter who's been blending and exploring musical techniques since a very young age. His specialty typically consists of combining harsh vocals with clean vocals to create a dynamically cohesive but somewhat chaotic style. Currently studying at Sece Lucas is a classically trained vocalist however this differs quite a bit from his own musical endeavors. Lucas is the vocalist in multiple alternative/metal bands as well as a rap group. These projects allow him to explore and express a full range of techniques and styles. His goal in teaching is to help students combine all their favorite musical ideas with a heavy focus on technique as well as open creative expression. Beyond just vocal technique he is very passionate about songwriting and would love to help students translate the ideas they visualize in their head into beautifully expressive songs.

Viki Rishi

Vocal/Keys Instuctor

Viki is an independent artist: a vocalist, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist blending the raw soul of Jazz with ethereal textures of Electronic, Acoustic, and Dreamlike Psychedelia while also having love for theatre. She studied Music industry at the College of Saint Rose and has been immersed in music through self-learning since a young age. She is passionate about helping students discover their unique voices, along with building confidence and creativity in singing. She also guides students in lyric writing, how to capture timeless emotion and understanding how to share their music with the world. Her goal is to help every student grow more comfortable with their voice while deepening their love for music.

Maddy Caiazzo

Rock Pit Manager/Scheduler

Maddy has been with the Rock Pit since day one. She has a background in technology and she will be managing all things electronic! With her knowledge in IT, she created our website and continues to manage it to ensure it is running smooth for our clients. You can find Maddy's smiling face at the front desk, where she found her new passion for helping parents and children navigate through their musical journey! Though Maddy doesn't play any instruments herself, she is an avid concert goer and music lover of all genres, so she fits right in here at the Rock Pit!

If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to Maddy directly!

Maddy@AlbanyRockPit.com

518-769-0908

Apply Today

Want to teach at our school? Contact the email below with your resume!

info@albanyrockpit.com