Our Staff at Gaithersburg

Billie Jo Joseph is the Site Director and voice teacher at B2R Gaithersburg; she also plays piano. Billie Jo has been entertaining in the Maryland/DC/Metro area for over 10 years with many talented musicians. She is also the singer and keys player in her own band, Billie Jo and the Distractions. Her favorite artists include Cher, Elvis Presley, Elton John and Aretha Franklin.

Wade Koeman is the Assistant Site Director at B2R Gaithersburg. He also teaches guitar and bass, in addition to providing instruction to aspiring Rock Bands. Originally from Colorado, Wade has been writing, performing and recording music for over 10 years. He has studied rock/jazz/bluegrass guitar extensively and received his degree in Audio Engineering in 2005. Wade is able to adapt to any learning style and teach in a way that caters to the individual student. His influences include Phish, Radiohead, and Led Zeppelin just to name a few.

Alex Appelbaum teaches voice, guitar, drums keyboard and bass. Currently pursuing a degree in Choral Music Education at University of Maryland Baltimore, Alex has been both a teacher and participant in a variety of different musical outlets including musical theater, acappella, rock bands, and a wide spectrum of choirs. He is currently writing original music and playing as a solo act around the metro area. Alex's favorite artists include Queen, Stevie Wonder, and Beethoven.

Karen Biddle teaches all levels of voice and beginning to intermediate piano at the Gaithersburg, MD B2R location. Since graduating from Westminster College, she has been teaching private voice and piano lessons through “Music Now” and at her townhouse. While she was a junior and senior at Westminster College, she enjoyed the opportunity to teach voice lessons to younger students through the internship program, inspiring in them the same passion for music. A few summer’s ago, she joined the staff of Interlochen Center for the Arts Summer Arts Camp where she had the chance to foster the development of younger musicians. She was the winner of Westminster College’s annual concerto and aria competition in 2009, and as a performer, she is personally and passionately committed to sharing her love of music with others. As an instructor, she is dedicated to fostering her students’ love of music while grounding them in the fundamentals of theory and technique.

Joe Doney teaches on drumset and percussion instruments. His musical journey began in 5th grade when he joined his middle school's beginning band. His supporting mother provided private lessons up until high school. Joe graduated from Interlochen Arts Academy in 2002 and majored in percussion. Thereafter, he studied music on his own and took an interest in recording. In 2006 he acquired an associates degree in audio engineering. Now at the age of 27, Joe has been teaching private lessons for over ten years and plans to continue.

Daniel Feldman graduated from UMBC with a degree in Music Technology and an emphasis on vocal performance. He has also been performing live as a singer/ songwriter and lead guitarist with professional musicians for over 6 years. Along the way he has managed to learn a good deal of bass, keyboard, and drums. This well rounded background helps Daniel address his needs from a unique, all-encompassing, perspective. His friendly demeanor and supportive patience allow for a growing relationship of trust and skill between student and teacher. Whether you want to learn how to solo on guitar, sing opera, or understand music theory, Daniel is the teacher for you! Students will be assigned warm-ups, scales, reading exercises, and songs that help push them in the direction they want to go. He can be as motivating or relaxed as students desire for their unique learning style. Daniel uses a combination of material including methods books, ear-training exercises, and theory approaches. After a short period of time you will see a world of improvement in your ability, knowledge and confidence.

Pedro Gonzalez-Fernandez is a piano and guitar specialist at B2R Lansdowne. His education was largely received through playing/composing in bands, however, he is fortunate to have one foot in the world of traditional instruction via twenty years of classical piano study and composition lessons. As a result, he has a very refined understanding of music cultivated from analyzing the work of bands like the Beatles with the same passion he would assume towards a Haydn sonata. Pedro earned a BA in Piano Performance from Shepherd University with honors in both piano and composition. He has received numerous awards (WVMTNA Collegiate Piano winner, BMI Foundation’s John Lennon Competition National Finalist) and has had the privilege of performing on many stages with a variety of ensembles; not many can claim to have rushed from a solo piano gig at the Russian Embassy to another as keyboardist for DC art-rock outfit Bellflur at the Black Cat! Pedro strives to make music fun for his students and adjusts his instructional approach to fit each student’s individual needs. Pedro’s musical influences are They Might Be Giants, Glenn Gould, Talking Heads, Bela Bartok, and many, many more.

Chase Kaczmarek is a guitar, bass, drum and vocal instructor as well as one of the Birthday Party Specialists at B2R Gaithersburg. He also specializes in music production and recording. He engages his students by bringing forth their inner musical passion. Chase is currently touring with his electronic metal band FreQontrol and has played several large venues such as the 9:30 Club. He is working on a degree in Business Administration at the University of Maryland. Some of his influences include Asking Alexandria, We Came as Romans and Saosin.

Jeremy King teaches voice, guitar, bass, beginning saxophone and coaches bands for B2R Gaithersburg. Jeremy is a working musician, composer, music director, and sound engineer based out of the DC area. He is the frontman for the DC based band Mass Ave, plays in pit orchestras all around the DC metro area, has acted and sung in numerous operettas and musical theater productions, and recently composed the score for Lysistrata...The Musical! for the DC Fringe Fest. Jeremy holds a BA with honors in Musical Theatre from American University. He looks forward to sharing his passion for music with his students, and being able to teach them more than just technique. Mass Ave's debut album is scheduled for a summer 2011 release.

Tyler Lefebvre is a guitar, bass, drums, and beginner keyboard teacher. He has experience teaching and performing music through many different venues. Tyler has produced his own music and takes just as detailed an approach to teaching music as he does through executing it. He does so through utilizing his music schooling, dedication, drive, patience and experience. His influences are Tiger Lou, Logh, Mando Diao Motown and many, many more.

Ryan Long is a guitar, piano, early childhood, and birthday party specialist. At a young age he began singing and taking piano lessons and has since added guitar, bass, drums, and ukulele to his regiment. Ryan has been writing and performing for almost ten years through various venues in the DMV area. He is now working towards his BA in Music Education at Montgomery College and will continue his studies to obtain a Masters in Music Education at the University of Maryland College Park. Ryan strives to be a mentor for all of his students and adjusts to each of their particular needs. Some of his greatest influences are Incubus, Pat Metheny, Steely Dan, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Led Zepplin, Underoath, Schumann, Brahms, Mozart, Beethoven, and many many more.

Wesley Meyer has traveled much of the U.S. and the world as a performer, including Japan and several countries in Africa. He currently holds a Bachelors of Music from Howard University and is trained in vocal, piano, and trumpet performance. He began playing piano and singing at age 6. At age 11, he added trumpet to his regiment of musical studies. He continued his artistic development through college, majoring in composition. As a composer, he has had pieces performed at the Strathmore by pianist Natalia Efremova. In the summer of 2010 he studied abroad in Siena, Italy, where he premiered his composition, "Reactions to Beauty" for string quartet and clarinet solo. Currently he is showing his passion for music by teaching his students at Bach 2 Rock at Rio in Gaithersburg.

Jeff Miklaszewski, born and raised in Montgomery County, has been playing and recording drums professionally since age 14. After attending the prestigious Berklee College of Music, he toured extensively nationwide with various groups, including making music videos and national television appearances. He eventually settled in Los Angeles, revered as a studio musician and furthering his education at Musicians Institute in Hollywood, CA. The long road has brought Jeff back to Maryland, where he continues to record and tour the East Coast. His proficiency reaches into just about every style of music, ranging from Miles Davis to Frank Zappa to the Top 40 hits of today. Jeff brings his years of technical prowess and endless hours of studio and stage experience to B2R Gaithersburg, where he teaches drums, beginning guitar, and directs bands.

August Shaner is an Early Education Teacher, beginner guitar instructor, and a Vocal and Piano private lessons instructor for Bach to Rock Gaithersburg. He has a BA in Music Education from the University of Maryland in College Park with a focus in Voice/Choral and General Music. August has over 10 years experience with choral groups in the Maryland area and 7 years of piano. Outside of teaching, he is also involved with local theater companies, both as a pit member and as an actor. With all of these areas of music to take from, August uses many different methods to help students become the best musicians they can be.

Curtis Tompkins offers his students a unique perspective on what it means to be an artist, performer, and a true practicing musician – combining over a decade of performance and recording experience in the music industry with traditional percussion training. From playing beat up drums in his basement to performing on major stages all across America, he has made that trek so many young musicians are eager to make. After over a dozen records, appearances in Alternative Press, Mtv.com, and much more, he is still a student himself, eager to share in music with musicians of all ages and backgrounds. He has taught in private and group settings for over 5 years, instructing in Jazz, Funk, Rock, and rudimentary marching techniques, as well as basic to intermediate techniques in guitar and trumpet.

Alex Wandres teaches guitar, bass, drums, and piano as well as specializing in directing bands. He has been teaching at Bach 2 Rock since he was 17 and is now a year away from earning a degree in philosophy at the University of Maryland College Park. He began playing guitar at an early age and soon after started writing his own songs, developing more and more as he was introduced to rock, jazz, funk, and hip hop. He has performed in the Maryland area with numerous bands and is a prolific jammer. He offers a personalized approach to teaching which aims to adhere to a students own musical aspirations and tastes, combining the discipline of practice with the enjoyment of performance and exploration of music.