About Rock U.
all instruments
Meet the Rock U. Crew
Our Rock U. teachers are committed musicians who love music and love to teach. Your band practice will be led by a working, performing musician who once stood in your shoes and knows that playing for an audience is one of the best feelings in the world! Your private lesson will be taught by a professional, credentialed music teacher who will work with the Dean and band instructors to make sure your learning experience is tailored to your individual needs. Rock U. provides the practice or lesson space and most instruments (guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, ukulele and many more).
Matt Black
Dean of Rock U. | Band Instructor
Matt Black has worked as an educator for more than 30 years, and gets big thrills as a guitarist and vocalist with beloved Paris party band The Doodads. In 2013, he searched Paris for a rock band program for his daughter – and when he couldn’t find one, he created Rock U. instead! Matt works with Rock U. students on the techniques of playing together to craft a live band performance.
Languages: English, French
Benjamin Asnar
Band Instructor | Studio Assistant | Lesson Instructor: Bass, guitar (all levels); keyboards, drums (beginner)
Benjamin Asnar is a professional bassist who started learning music at a very young age. He studied Jazz at the regional conservatory of the city of Nice and also at the Berklee College of Music, where he received several awards. Since then, he has performed in such jazz venues as The Blue Note and The Groove in New York, and New Morning, Le Baiser Salé, and the Sunset in Paris, among many others. His goal as a teacher is to bring out the true musical personalities of his students.
Languages: English, French, Spanish
Matt Brandau
Lesson Instructor: Guitar, bass (all levels); keyboards (intermediate); drums (beginner)
Matt Brandau is an American bassist, composer, producer, and instructor. He has a BM in Jazz Performance from UNC-Chapel Hill. After University Matt spent 10 years working in NYC as a performer and producer. He’s performed and/or recorded with DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Ski Beatz, 9th Wonder, Talib Kweli, The Brazilian Girls, Branford Marsalis, Elvis Costello, Jewel, and Joan Osborne. As a composer/producer he has written and scored 14 documentaries for National Geographic as well as advertising campaigns for ESPN, Lincoln Motors, Airfrance, The Gap, and the Wall Street Journal.
Languages: English, French
Jonathan Crocco
Lesson Instructor: Drums, percussion (all levels)
Jonathan Crocco is a 2001 alumnus of the prestigious Berklee College of Music, where he studied with Ian Froman (a protegé of Elvin Jones) and Bob Gullotti, among many others. He has been teaching drums in France since 2003, and masters percussion disciplines from the West African Djembe to the classic American drumline. He is also the inventor of the Universal Meter of Music, an evolution in music notation.
Languages: English, French
David Garlitz
Band Instructor
Raised on a strict diet of P-Funk, Prince, Frank Zappa, and Sun Ra, Dave Garlitz left his native New Hampshire to study jazz guitar at Temple University. There he discovered a love of Cuban music, which led him to Paris by way of Havana. In the city of lights, in between salsa sessions, he has found his way back to the Mothership, founding the intergalactic band of funkateers known as Cobra Fantastic. Dave has been turning young funk-o-nauts on to the wonders of clapping on beats 2 and 4 for almost 3 decades!
Languages: English, French, Spanish
Bridget Farrenkopf Habib
Lessons Coordinator
Bridget earned her masters degree in public administration from NYU where she studied non-profit management and public policy. Before moving to Paris, she was a commissioned bank examiner at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (picture It‘s a Wonderful Life, but in color). When her sourdough bread didn’t rise during the confinement, Bridget realized she needed a different hobby. So, she bought a ukulele and has been taking Rock U. lessons ever since. Although you won’t see her on a stage anytime soon, you may be lucky enough to see her two sons performing at the next Rock U. concert!
Contact Bridget at lessons@rock-u.fr (or just click the photo above) if you are interested in scheduling a one-time or weekly lesson with any of our instructors.
Languages: English, French
Thibault Hidalgo
Studio Assistant | Lesson Instructor: Guitar, bass (all levels); keyboards (intermediate); drums, ukulele (beginner)
Thibault is a musician, composer, and sound operator. He graduated from ICMP in 2018 with a BMus in guitar and from ESRA in 2022 with a BA in sound engineering. His musical journey has given him the opportunity to work and perform in many venues across London and Paris. He is the lead instrumental player of M U U N E and releases original music under the alias Axel Lagho. His variety of experience across the industry highlights his passion for sound and music.
Languages: English, French
Jessica Moore
Band Instructor | Studio Assistant | Lesson Instructor: Vocals (all levels); keyboards, ukulele (intermediate); guitar, bass (beginner)
Jessica is a musician, vocal arranger and choir director. She is the lead vocalist of M U U N E. She formed Voxxy, an all women a cappella choir, in 2021, where she re-works well-known pop and rock songs into a cappella versions. Jessica is passionate about the voice and loves bringing the joy of singing to everyone. She graduated from the Institute of Contemporary Music Performance in 2018 with First Class Honours and the ‘Best Vocalist’ award.
Languages: English, French
Rory Quinn
Holiday Program Coordinator | Band Instructor | Lesson Instructor: Drums, percussion (all levels); guitar (intermediate); bass, keyboards (beginner)
A 2010 graduate of The University of North Texas, where he studied with Ed Soph, Rory performed for two years on cruise ships before moving from his hometown of Edmonton, Canada to Paris, where he plays with The Doodads and other groups, and teaches full-time. Rory has played professionally in styles ranging from Rock, Latin, Classical and Jazz, and recently published his book "Drums: The Ultimate Guide“.
Languages: English, French
Robby Sinclair
Lesson Instructor: Drums, voice (all levels); guitar, keyboards (intermediate); composition, production (all styles)
Robby Sinclair is an American musician, composer, and producer based in Paris. Robby began creating music at a very young age and went on to study jazz performance and arranging at Virginia Commonwealth University, earning the highest awards for both. As a session and touring drummer for Chet Faker, Chris Baio, Will Linley, Linda Perry, Natasha Bedingfield, Miami Horror, and others, he has become an expert in different styles including rock, pop, and jazz. Robby has over 25 years of teaching experience and was selected by the Kennedy Center as a Jazz Ambassador for the United States.
When not teaching at Rock U., Robby works as an in-demand session musician and songwriter. He continues to record and perform around the world with various artists. Robby has also established his own production studio in Pantin where he collaborates and produces music for albums, television, films, and artists.
Languages: English, French
FAQs
Who can participate in Rock U.?
Rock U. is intended for English-speaking Paris-area students in grades 3-12 (CE2-terminale) who already play an instrument, although beginners are welcome. And we offer adult bands, too!
My child speaks some English but is not a native speaker. Will he/she be able to keep up in Rock U.?
Absolutely. Many of our students speak English as a second or even third language. Rock U. is a great way to practice English for non-Anglophone students, and all of our instructors speak French.
When and where will the sessions be held?
Rock U. practices take place at our studio space at 22 ave de Suffren in the 15th arrondisement of Paris, just 300 meters from the Eiffel Tower! Rock U. concert performances are free and open to the general public, and occur at music venues in Paris. Rock U. bands practice once per week for 90 minutes during each three-month session. Click the “Schedule and Fees” tab above for details.
How many participants are in Rock U. bands?
Rock 101 and Rock 202 bands for our youngest students have up to a maximum of 8-9 participants, depending on what instruments the students play. Teen (Advanced Rock 1 and 2, Junior Varsity, and Varsity) and adult bands have a maximum of 7 participants. Most youth bands are taught by one instructor and one studio assistant, while adult bands are taught by one instructor. These small group sizes ensure personal attention from the instructor and chances for each member to play the instruments and parts they want to try, while offering enough support from other musicians and instruments to make the music we want to make!
Which instruments are eligible?
The primary instruments in the Rock U. program are guitar, bass, keyboards, drums, ukulele, melodica, harmonica and percussion, but any instrument that can be played onstage in front of an audience has the potential to become part of the Rock U. ensemble. Past Rock U. bands have featured flute, trumpet, saxophone, violin, mandolin, kazoo, glockenspiel, and cello in addition to the instruments above.
My child sings but doesn’t play an instrument. Can he/she still participate?
Yes, we are happy to have some singers in the band! However, kids who ONLY sing may have fewer opportunities to participate than those who also play instruments. Interested beginners will have a chance to try out other instruments, at all age levels.
Will the Rockers learn how to play their instruments?
Rock U. is NOT meant as a substitute for music lessons, but works best as a supplement to other musical instruction. While the kids will certainly pick up some tips and tricks, the focus of the Rock U. experience will be in learning to play together as a band and putting on a live performance, not on individual technique.
What does it take to join the Rock U. audition-only groups?
Rock U. Junior Varsity and Varsity bands are reserved for experienced musicians who want to attempt more challenging material, and participation is by audition or approval of the Rock U. staff only. If your rocker isn’t yet advanced enough to join one of these groups, but progresses to that point during the year, we can usually find them an appropriate spot for the start of the next session.
Will participating in Rock U. interfere with my schoolwork?
We hear a lot from both students and parents that kids have a lot of work at school, and they’re worried that playing music at Rock U. will get in the way of that. Playing music is actually one of the best things you can do for your academic performance, especially when it’s done the Rock U. way! Studies show that kids who do musical extracurricular activities do better in school during those semesters, and feel happier and less stressed. Music is also a great aid for concentration and memory, and teaches kids to listen and communicate well. Rock U. students have gone on to universities such as Yale, Columbia, Brown, Williams, McGill, St. Andrews, the University of Edinburgh, Cambridge, Oxford, the London School of Economics, and Sciences-Po.