Teachers

Joe Rhodes

Joe attended University School in Nashville, Tennessee where he learned vocals, trumpet, and guitar. He formed his first band at age ten and started teaching guitar when he was fifteen. He attended Rutgers University in New Jersey, studying English and Psychology and taking music theory courses. After getting married he worked in Nashville’s recording studios as a hired guitar gun, playing and recording music with Emmylou Harris and others. He toured the U.S. with rock, gospel, blues, and country bands. In Florida, Joe managed piano and organ stores for twenty years. He looks forward to the new challenge of making a successful music school, performance center, and retail store.

Laurene Rhodes

Laurene grew up with a love of the arts. She attended Germaine School of Photography in New York City and has done extensive photographic projects. She was smart enough to marry a music man, (Joe Rhodes), and quickly became immersed in the world of performing and recording, doing publicity photos for the various bands. Laurene is jazzed for the opportunity to provide a school where students can develop their talent and love for music.

Sharon Braman

Sharon is a graduate from the Crane School of Music in upstate New York where she received her Bachelors Degree in Music Education. She has been playing clarinet since she was nine, and concentrated on the woodwinds while obtaining her degree. She has taught private lessons for many years, and is currently a music teacher for Pasco County Schools.

Merry Spagnuolo

Merry has been a part of the Ramblin Rhodes Music family for 15 years! She has experience in many genres of music, including musical theatre, classical voice, and pop. She also enjoys teaching ukulele, beginning piano, aural skills, and beginning music theory.

Merry is currently a music education major at the University of South Florida where her primary concentration is in voice. This year she has had the honor of touring the country (and soon England) with USF Touch; a group based on learner-centered pedagogy. This type of teaching is something she hopes to implement in every lesson. She has also been a part of the Tampa Bay Opera, Patel Conservatory’s Women’s Choir, Pasco All County choirs, and Florida All State choirs.

Kyle Lopp

Kyle Lopp is a popular drum teacher at Ramblin Rhodes Music. He has been playing drums most of his life and he is able to teach any style of music from smooth jazz to hard rock. A versatile percussionist, he also plays marimba, timpani, xylophone, and more.

Kyle says “Being creative and expressing yourself musically is what drumming is all about, and that is what I wish to convey to my students.”

Kristi Bulot

Kristi has a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Louisiana State University. She has taught music
extensively for the last twenty years in private schools, churches and music studios. Most recently she was voice
teacher for the Master Institute of Music in Waldwick, N.J. She has won awards in both classical and opera
competitions including Regional Winner and 4th place in the National Artist Awards competition. (The NATS Artist Award is designed to assist classical singers who are prepared to launch a professional career.)

Kristi was a frequent soloist, cantor, and section leader for church services in Chatham, N.J. and has taught music from first through eighth grades.

Cooper Krinn

Cooper has been playing drum set and various other percussion instruments most of his life. As a student at River
Ridge he is the percussion captain and vice president of the school band. He is also captain of the River Ridge indoor percussion ensemble which competes statewide. Cooper has experience playing Jazz, Latin, Rock, Punk and Metal and is currently drumming for a local punk band. Several of his students have performed in our monthly stage shows.

Hannah Jackson

Hannah has been learning and playing guitar for ten years. She is currently teaching guitar, ukulele, and beginning voice students. She enjoys a variety of music—pop, classic rock, and country so she can often teach her students their favorite songs right away.

Breaking songs down into simpler steps to meet students at their own skill level, she then helps them grow and improve their music. She is a stage performer and helps her students develop confidence by encouraging them to play in our concerts.

Wesley Griffith

Wesley has been playing piano for nine years and was a former student at Ramblin Rhodes Music. He studied under Jorge Ramirez, noted Chilean teacher, conductor and music arranger. He loves playing music and teaching others to play, too.

Ryan Gray

Ryan is currently attending the University of South Florida’s College of Music and is an avid pianist and vocalist.
He has worked in Florida all-state choirs as well as studying piano under Pablo Arencibia. He accompanies jazz bands and combos in this area. He is able to teach a wide variety of genres ranging from classical to jazz and is a great fit for students who want to learn both piano and vocals.

Cyrus Exum

Cyrus has an extensive background in piano and brass instruments, performing from local gigs to concerts. Cyrus
enjoys composing orchestral music. Premiering and conducting these ensemble compositions, Cyrus expresses
his personal passion for international cultures. Of particular interest in this musician’s life are pieces ranging from postromantic to neoclassicism.

Encouraging the unique artistic interests of each student, Cyrus makes music accessible to everyone and music theory can then be understood as part of the music they love.

Alex Braman

Ever since elementary school, Alex has had a passion for music. It was there he discovered the string bass and his love for low instruments. He has been with Ramblin Rhodes since his first lesson on string bass, quickly adding the bass guitar shortly after.

Over the years he has performed in numerous All County ensembles, along with the pit orchestra for the Royal Knight Stage Company, The Straz Center Jazz Project, and competed in an indoor percussion circuit for the state of Florida.

He has spent his time exploring composition and has written both original and arranged works for several different ensembles, some of which premiered at his high school. He is currently working towards his Music Education Degree at the University of South Florida.