Dylan Pruiett
Music Director
Dylan was introduced to music at an early age after discovering Iron Maiden and Metallica, picking up the guitar at age 15, and has loved rock and metal ever since. After high school, he attended South Plains College where he received his associate's degree in Commercial Music and a Music Business Certificate.
Dylan also received his bachelor's degree in Professional Studies in Guitar at Berklee College of Music in 2021. While attending Berklee, he spent his time studying under Joe Stump (Alcatrazz, Solo Artist), Scotty Johnson (Paul Gilbert, Ford Blues Band, Dick Dale), and Shaun Michaud (Event, Fates Warning touring guitarist).
Dylan has opened up for artists such as All That Remains, Periphery, Paul Gilbert (Mr. Big, Racer X), Gus G (Ozzy Osbourne Guitarist, Firewind), and Vinnie Moore (Alice Cooper, UFO). Dylan has been a part of the School of Rock family since 2013.
John Graham
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Luthier
Much like the Beatles and Pink Floyd, John’s birthplace and passion for music began in the United Kingdom.
His Scottish parents—one a graduate in physics and the other a classical musician—would inspire him with musical artists such as Beethoven, Queen, Andrea Bocelli, and the Cranberries. His mother playing Moonlight Sonata while he sat playing with his Lego bricks are still some of his oldest memories.
John moved to Sweden when he was 4 years old, and then North America when he was 9 years old. On one faithful Christmas morning, he picked up his first electric guitar and began taking music lessons in Chester, New Jersey. Needless to say, on that Christmas morning, John’s destiny was forever changed.
In high school, John enrolled as a School of Rock student. During his curriculum he started joining bands with paying gigs, studied at Berklee through scholarship programs, and after graduating with Honors in Music Theory and Orchestra with Double Bass at Mendham High School, he became a School of Rock alumni.
John went on to study Music Therapy and Psychology through the Jazz Guitar Performance Program at Montclair State University, as well as receive a Master Luthier Certification at the Summit School of Guitar Building and Repair in Vancouver Island, Canada with an internship at Jakobsson Guitars in Umeå, Sweden.
He has worked with Breedlove Guitars as a Quality Control Specialist alongside instruments for the likes of Dave Matthews and built mandolins with Weber for artists such as Keb Mo.
John is a luthier, instructor, and performing artist with an avid musical career. Through his dedication to the art and cultivation of music, John has now come full circle to provide that same dedication toward teaching and nurturing his students at School of Rock Highlands Ranch.
Elena DiCarlo
Vocal Teacher, Little Wing Teacher
Elena has lived in Highlands Ranch, Colorado since she was 4 years old. Like a lot of kids, she had an interest in music and singing and participated in choir, but wanted something more. Elena wanted to play the kind of music she liked and the instruments she enjoyed. She came to School of Rock in 2014 as a middle schooler and continued for six years until she graduated from the Performance Program in 2020.
During her time at the School of Rock, Elena participated in many local shows and successfully auditioned for the House Band. As a member of the House Band, she traveled to Summerfest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, played at SXSW in Austin, Texas, and at Red Rocks here in Colorado! School of Rock helped shape the person Elena is today and she hopes to do the very same for her students!
Ryan Murphy
Bass Guitar Teacher, Guitar Teacher
Ryan is a School of Rock graduate himself, having been a student for ten years. During his time as a student, he had the opportunity to attend a Rock n' Roll Fantasy Camp in Los Angeles, California. Ryan loves listening, playing, and teaching music of all different genres, and he specializes in classic rock. He is an active member of the Denver music scene with his band, Project Murphy. Ryan is a bass teacher and guitar teacher at School of Rock Highlands Ranch in Colorado.
Mike Rosenberg
Drum Teacher
Mike has been a part of School of Rock for 15 years as a former student and currently a teacher. He is a two-time School of Rock AllStar and has played at Red Rocks and Lollapalooza on multiple occasions. Mike is an active member of the Denver music scene with his band Jr. Rabbit with a fellow School of Rock instructor. He has been teaching drums at School of Rock for over six years.
Ken Lark
Drum Teacher
Ken started his musical journey in the second grade when he played his first drumming gig at his school’s talent show in Loveland, Colorado. That summer, he and his family moved to a small town outside of Tokyo, Japan. There he received his first “real” drum set and began performing in the concert band at The American School in Japan. After three years, Ken returned to Loveland and was invited to join a large musical group, Sing-Out Loveland, at the age of 12. It featured an eight-piece band with horns and over twenty singers and dancers. During his four years with the group, their gigs included the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs and a summer season at the original Elitch’s Gardens.
While still in high school, Ken began teaching drum lessons at a local music store. He then received a BA in Broadcast Journalism at CSU in Fort Collins, Colorado. After graduating, he worked in television production, which included producing comedy segments for a national cable network and directing music videos. He continued to play in many bands, with styles ranging from Rock, Jazz, and Blues to Country. For over a decade, he was the drummer for SNAP, then Northern Colorado’s premier Funk and R&B band. Ken has also done many studio recording sessions, most notably, as a drummer on the last LP by the Colorado Music Hall of Fame band, Zephyr. Overall, Ken is passionate about sharing his knowledge of music with students of all ages.
Jackson Lacroix
Drum Teacher
Jackson is a former School of Rock student and used the foundations he learned to play hundreds of shows. He has toured most of the country, most notably an opening spot for post-hardcore darlings The Fall of Troy.
Jackson plays in the noise rock band Cherry Spit and his solo project Glacierface.
Zac Ray
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
From the earliest days of Zac's childhood, whether he was strumming a guitar or simply soaking in the melodies of his surroundings, music has been an integral part of his life. The opportunity to share this profound love of music is something he considers a privilege. It all began with a humble microphone and a two-year-old Zac belting out tunes, inheriting his passion for performance from his father, drummer of the southern band Sweet Magnolia. Before Zac ever picked up a guitar, he immersed himself in the world of strings, spending three years learning the viola and violin. But it was at the age of fourteen that he found his true calling and began teaching himself the guitar.
By fifteen, Zac was already making waves in the local music scene, joining his second high school band and dominating the small-town stages. As the years passed, Zac's talent only blossomed further, culminating in him fronting his band as both lead vocalist and guitarist at the age of twenty-one. Alongside his musical pursuits, Zac spent three years sharing his expertise through private guitar lessons at the Music Center, nurturing the next generation of musicians. Now the journey of creativity, expression, and endless possibilities continues at School of Rock.