OUR FACULTY

Mike & Sue Pinney

Owners/Directors

Married for over 40 years, Mike and Sue have successfully owned and directed The Dance Depot for over 25 years. Raising their four children in the Collegeville/Schwenksville area, they have been lifelong members of the community. Sue was born into a family of musicians and entertainers. Her grandparents were both accomplished musicians, and her parents were professional entertainers in voice and dance.



In 2018, seeing a need for a professional music school in the Collegeville area that is in tune with the community's needs, they decided that it was time to expand their dance studio to also include music instruction. Mike and Sue are thrilled to be able to provide professional music instruction that is carefully calculated to take into account each individual's learning style, while creating an atmosphere that facilitates fun and fosters students' creativity. Grateful to be able to take on this new and exciting endeavor, Mike and Sue would like to welcome all of their new students to The Music Depot Family. 

Greg Pinney

Lead Instructor/Drums & Percussion

Greg Pinney serves as one of the directors of The Music Depot. Greg has been playing drums since the age of five when he discovered his love of the instrument. He was highly involved in every music program possible throughout high school, participating in Perkiomen Valley’s marching band, percussion competition team, and other musical ensembles. He continues to give back by volunteering his time with the local middle school’s concert band percussion section. 

At the age of twelve, Greg began actively playing shows in bands of his own at local venues. More recently, he has toured nationally throughout the United States for approximately five years and remains an active studio recording artist.  Greg was a founding member and toured with pop punk sensation An Honest Year. Greg has had the opportunity to perform as direct support for nationally and internationally acclaimed artists such as Twenty One Pilots, Switchfoot, Black Uhuru, The Wombats, Bad Fish, Junior Marvin of Bob Marley and the Wailers, New Politics and many more. He has performed at major festivals such as Vans Warped Tour, Bethlehem’s MusikFest, and Opple Topple Festival. Greg is one of the most known drummers in the Philadelphia music scene. He has played nearly every major Philadelphia venue, including The Electric Factory (now The Franklin Music Hall), Ardmore Music Hall, The Fillmore, The Theater of Living Arts, The Trocadero and World Café Live. He has performed as a guest artist on Radio 104.5 several occasions, and he performed at 93.3 WMMR’s Mistletoe Jam with headliner John Faye and Those Meddling Kids and Radio 104.5’s Winter Jam 2014 with An Honest Year.



He is currently a member of Philadelphia’s most demanded reggae progressive rock band, Big Mind, and also his newest venture, Sleep Cycles.  Formed in 2020, Sleep Cycles has already shared the stage with bands such as Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Hawthorne Heights, The Spill Canvas, and The Color Fred. 

At the Music Depot, Greg teaches one-on-one lessons, coaches in the band program, and instructs the group drum program for children ages 5-6. Marching percussion is one of Greg’s specialties, with him leading The Music Depot Drum Line which has participated in several local parades and other events. His adaptable teaching style allows him to adjust to students of all experience levels and learning styles. His holistic approach allows for a balance between a structured approach focused on instilling proper technique and teaching students to read music, and allowing students to have fun and explore their varied interests. 

Michael O’Brien

Music Director/Guitar, Bass, Ukulele, Pre-K

Michael O’Brien is the Music Director of The Music Depot.  He has been serving and leading in the community for over 15 years bringing students, musicians, instructors, and families together for the love of music in a fun and educational environment.

Michael has been a life-long musician and performer since the age of 10, starting with the trumpet and guitar.  His passion for performing and songwriting took shape at the age of 15 when he joined his first band playing bass. This band would eventually form into Jealousy Curve which would achieve local radio success, make notable contributions to various movie soundtracks, and nationally tour as direct support for bands such as The All-American Rejects, Rooney, and The Academy Is.  Michael has also had the pleasure of sharing the stage opening for artists such as Weezer, Joan Jett, Live, Billy Idol, Collective Soul, Fuel, Gavin DeGraw and many more.  All of these experiences shaped Michael’s musical insights and education which he has shared with his students since 2006 and as a music director since 2009.  Michael also serves as the Music Coordinator at Collegeville’s Goddard School and has been providing music and education there since 2016.  Michael dedicates his all to family, The Music Depot, and our community while continuing to record for various artists and playing live on occasion for special events. 

Michael’s enthusiasm and experience has resulted in developing, facilitating, and instructing multiple programs at The Music Depot that cover the many facets of music and live performance skills with an emphasis on fun and teamwork.  “Mr. Mike'' also developed and teaches “Rock, Rhythm, & Moves” group classes for kids between 2-6 years of age. He instructs students of all ages on guitar, bass, ukulele, and drums providing students with the tools to play and create music.  Michael brings the best out of his students by adapting his teaching style based on the student’s needs and goals.  Music with Michael is a memorable experience!

Chase Pendleton

 Drums/Percussion

Chase Pendleton has been playing drums since the age of 10. Starting with percussion in fourth grade, he began taking lessons, studying with Carl Bahner and The Music Depot’s own Greg Pinney. In high school, he played drums in local band The Odyssey, performing in and around Philadelphia with the group. After graduating from high school, he went on to study music at Kutztown University, where he completed his BA in Commercial Music. Chase is currently furthering his private studies at Kutztown with jazz drummer John Riley, along with performing throughout the Northeast with his group I Love Annie.

Russell Downey

Drums, Marching Percussion, Piano, Brass, Woodwinds, Strings

Starting from the age of six , Russell has been studying and performing both orchestral and drum set repertoire.  He holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from West Chester University of Pennsylvania and is currently teaching as a substitute music teacher in Montgomery County.



Russel’s interests in music range from various rock-based genres; including Progressive Rock, Arena/ Classic Rock, Funk, and Jazz Fusion, to orchestral -based genres including Film Soundtracks, Classical Music and Video Game Soundtracks.

In addition to playing various percussion instruments, Russell also plays and teaches piano, electric bass, and alto and tenor saxophone.

Andrew Vernon

Guitar, Bass, Drums, Cello, Ukulele

Andy, described by many as a "musician's musician" for his proficiency on multiple instruments, has been playing, composing, and studying music since 1988.  A contributing member of countless projects, Andy has toured and played in many cities ranging from Boston, MA, to Key West, FL.  Andy has opened up for several national acts including 30 Seconds To Mars and Minus The Bear. 


A private music instructor since 2001, Andy is extremely committed to helping each of his students become precisely the musicians that they want to be.  Andy believes that patience and positive reinforcement are two critical traits of every great music teacher, and he incorporates both into his individually-tailored lessons.

Brendan Walsleben

Piano, Drums, Guitar, Bass

Brendan teaches piano, guitar, drums, ukulele, bass, and even accordion! He encourages all of his students to not only develop their technique and reading skills but to be creative and express themselves. His primary goal is to help students play and create the music they enjoy, while growing their knowledge and appreciation of the art form.

Brendan’s obsession with music has never stopped growing throughout the years. He started teaching private lessons as a high school student and has continued to teach for the better part of 17 years since. He earned a BA in Music from Susquehanna University where he studied percussion and music technology. Brendan also has a MM in Theory and Composition from NYU. Outside of academics, Brendan has written music for advertisements. He is also a songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist with the indie rock band Last Full Measure, which has been featured on WXPN.

Dave Roberts

Piano, Guitar, Bass, Vocals

After graduating from Perkiomen Valley in 2007, Dave continued his education at Liberty University studying jazz guitar performance and vocal performance. Over the past 15 years, Dave has been involved in many different musical endeavors, from touring as a player, being a guitar tech, and managing and directing large music programs at several large churches and schools.
 
Dave wants to make music accessible to everyone, through breaking songs and parts down to their most basic form, and diving into music that excites each student. Dave has a strong background in advanced music theory that he uses to help students develop their understanding of their instrument.
 
"I want to make sure that anyone who loves music and wants to learn to play gets an opportunity to express that. My goal is to be an encouraging influence in whatever they want to learn, and get them where they want to be. I love music and hope everyone gets a chance to enjoy it as much as I do!"

Kayla Young

Flute, Piano, Vocals

Jason Leach

Guitar, Ukulele, Piano

Jai specializes in electric and acoustic guitar in the style of blues and rock. He has performed in a variety of local and Philadelphia-based groups throughout the last ten years encompassing a diverse range of music styles and performance venues. He has more than 12 years of experience teaching all ages and abilities.

Jai has developed a personalized and engaging approach to teaching beginners and helps lifelong guitarists open up to new skills, musical perspectives and approaches to playing. He encourages confidence by remaining patient, supportive, and open to students’ individual tastes and ambitions. Jai loves to share his passion for music with his students and enjoys watching his students improve week-to-week as they achieve their goals. In addition to guitar, Jai also teaches beginner/intermediate piano and ukulele.

Chloe Leed

Flute, Piano

Chloe Leed has her B.M. in Flute Performance and minor in Baroque Flute from West Chester University and is an active performer and teacher in Chester County. While at University, she studied to hone her piano skills with the help of the piano faculty, focusing on music for elementary school students. She currently studies with Dr. Kimberly Reighley and has performed with the West Chester University (WCU) Symphony Orchestra, Trilovati Flute Ensemble, West Chester University Wind Ensemble, Chamber Winds, and Woodwind Quintet.



Previously, she has had the opportunity to perform with the Susquehanna Symphony Orchestra and the Upper Chesapeake Wind Ensemble. She traveled with the WCU Wind Ensemble to Carnegie Hall to perform in the New York Bank Festival in 2018, and to Tempe, Arizona to perform at the College Band Directors Association Convention in 2019.

She has also taken lessons with Alberto Almarza, Lorna McGee, Mimi Stillman, Soo-Kyung Park, and has performed in masterclasses with Claudia Anderson, David Cramer, Jill Felber, Angeleita Floyd and Sarah Jackson.

As a music teacher, Chloe has taught flute and piano lessons for the last 7 years and has a passion for teaching younger children. She has experience working in preschools and private schools and is a firm believer that music lessons should be fun and engaging! She aims for her students to grow into confident musicians as well as view music as a source of happiness and a way to express themselves.

Aidan Lauzon

Guitar, Bass, Vocals

Aidan is a graduate of Slippery Rock University, earning his Bachelor’s of Music in Music Therapy. He is also a Board Certified Music Therapist (MT-BC). Aidan has spent the last 10 years immersed in the music scene across Pennsylvania. He was a 2015 graduate of the Capital Area School for the Arts Charter School in Harrisburg. From there, he would go on to play solo acoustic gigs, play in rock/blues/funk bands, record with a jazz big band, and more while studying music near Pittsburgh.

Aidan enjoys playing and teaching music of all styles and genres, and is eager to share that passion with his students. He is a firm believer that learning a musical instrument is a life-changing endeavor that naturally integrates into our day-to-day and enriches us as humans.

Noah Uy

Bass, Drums, Guitar

Noah started playing the drum set at age 9, which soon led to the acquisition of other instruments such as electric bass and later guitar. Since high school, he has been performing in and around Philadelphia in multiple different bands with varying genres. After high school, he studied at University of the Arts in Philadelphia and graduated with a B.S. in Music Business, Entrepreneurship, and Technology. Noah has years of teaching experience and is devoted to giving an informative and enjoyable lesson experience to each student.

Gerard Vachon

Guitar, Vocals

Gerard Vachon is a guitarist and vocalist who’s trained in classical, jazz, and progressive rock/metal. Studying privately under a Berklee professor as a young teen, he was able to hone his skills and proficiency to a high level and continues to expand his skill sets. He’s toured with bands such as Caricature, and Halocene as a guitarist and works with many up and coming bands as a writer.

As a vocalist, Gerard studies both traditional, and extreme forms of vocals for modern metal. Using his range of vocal abilities, he has lent his voice to several video games as both a character and creature actor. He has worked as a recording artist with Orianthi (Michael Jackson, Orianthi), Neil Swanson, Lauren Babic, in everything from modern pop, to the most extreme forms of metal.

Rachel Appleby

Vocals, Piano



Rachel Appleby has loved singing since she was 3 or 4 years old, when she first started singing songs from her favorite Disney movies. She grew up in New York City, where she attended LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, during which time, she fell in love with opera. Her love of music lead her to get a Bachelor's degree in Vocal Performance and a Master's degree in Music Education, both from Syracuse University.

Rachel has been teaching early childhood music since 2011 and teaching private lesons since 2012. She specializes in beginner to early intermediate piano instruction and vocal instruction of all levels. She really enjoys helping students establish a strong foundation in their playing or singing technique, especially through music games and exercises. Rachel was classically trained and loves opera, but also enjoys Broadway music and 80's pop.

Paul Keen

Guitar & Vocals

Paul Keen, lead singer/songwriter of the band Pawnshop Roses, has been a staple of the Philadelphia music scene for over 20 years. After winning YouTube’s Best Live Band in 2006, Paul appeared on Good Morning America with Pawnshop Roses where they were presented with the Golden Mouse Award. Signed to Earvolution Records in 2008, Pawnshop Roses began to release albums and tour the US. Since then, Pawnshop Roses have released five albums and EPs. The latest EP was released in 2021 and received heavy airplay on University of Pennsylvania’s radio station 88.5 WXPN. Paul also released a solo album in 2015. Paul currently teaches guitar and voice.