GOWANUS MUSIC CLUB strives to give kids, ages 8 to 16, an opportunity outside of the classroom to play music together in a friendly, safe and productive environment. We instruct kids both individually and as a group on their chosen instruments. Our goal is to help students develop ear training, write songs, and “rock out” together as a band. Beyond that, GMC strives to foster the kind of confidence in kids that inspires them to make positive choices, build strong creative expression, and seek collaborative relationships.
All of the founders of the GOWANUS MUSIC CLUB know first hand what an early commitment to music can bring to a young person’s life. We know because as kids, we were all lucky enough to have great musical mentors. We hail from the suburbs of Connecticut, the wilds of Oregon, the shores of Jamaica and the streets of Brazil. Josh, Peter and James grew up together playing in their first rock band in high school. Tracy and Tomas both have had valuable experience performing and recording for Warner Bros. and Island Records. In short, music has been a driving force in our lives since early childhood. Now, we want to be mentors, so that the younger generations can benefit in the same ways we did.
Sadly, many New York City public schools lack sufficient
programs in the arts due to Federal and local school budget
cuts. Music class is among the first in a curriculum to
be cut. This is unfortunate, since music programs teach
children to concentrate, develop better communication skills,
and increase their levels of confidence and enthusiasm
for life and learning. That’s where THE GOWANUS MUSIC
CLUB comes in.

GOWANUS MUSIC CLUB offers kids year-round private instruction
and group band instruction along with many opportunities
to jam together informally. Students will spend time both
in the rehearsal studio and in a recording studio.
Bands will be formed to support individual ability and skill to allow each
person to progress at their own pace while immersed in a shared musical experience.
We will nurture diverse interests in musical genres to help kids discover what
kinds of music they love.
Each semester will culminate in a student performance that parents, family and friends will attend. Kids will take home CDs of their work that will serve as a wonderful document of their experience at GMC. It is of the utmost importance to us that your child has an inspiring and most of all fun experience at GOWANUS MUSIC CLUB. We are dedicated to the growth and fulfillment of your child’s Rock and Roll future!
Click a name to read biographies.
Josh
Margolis began playing drums at the age of five under
the tutelage of session drummer Kenny Aronoff (with
John Mellencamp) in the family living room. Ten years
of both drum and piano lessons followed. After attending
Berklee School of Music, he went on to study percussion
with Miles Davis' drummer Mino Cinelu and Kenwood Dennard
of Sting's band. He has been performing in rock, jazz,
and acoustic groups in New York City for the past fifteen
years as a drummer, singer and multi-instrumentalist.
He has also worked as a live television producer for
Jonas Brothers, Anna Nalick, and Switchfoot amongst
others. Josh has worked as a BMI composer for ABC News,
Martha Stewart Living Television, and FOX Sports. Billboard
Magazine and the New York Songwriter's Circle have
lauded his songwriting skills. He currently teaches
music production in New York City schools through the
nonprofit CREATE organization, instructs a rock band
class at the Manhattan JCC, and teaches privately.
He lives in Boerum Hill with his wife Aimee Good and
daughter Matilda, 5.
A native of Eugene, Oregon, Bonham began singing at age 5, playing the violin at 9, and piano at age 14. After transferring to Berklee College of Music to study voice, leaving her full violin scholarship at the University of Southern
California behind, she began to write songs on the guitar
in 1994. She proved to be a quick study; Her 1996 major
label debut, The Burdens of Being Upright (Island), went
gold in the US as well as Holland, Australia, and Canada,
spawning the hit single "Mother Mother". This
lead to a pair of Grammy™ nominations in 1997,
as well as an MTV Video Award nomination. She has since
toured the world many times and has made television appearances
on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Late Late Show with Craig Furgussen, as well as A & E's Breakfast for the Arts. Her third album "blink the brightest" was released on Rounder Records in 2005 and with that she placed many of the songs in major network TV shows such as Brothers and Sisters, The L Word, The Closer, What About Brian, and Army Wives. Tracy's vocals are featured on various artist's albums such as Aerosmith "Honkin On Bobo" (Columbia 2004), Wayfaring Strangers "This Train" (Rounder 2004), Ron Sexmith's "Whereabouts" (violin – 1999). In 2003 and 2006 she toured extensively with
Blue Man Group singing and playing violin in major arenas as their featured guest performer and their opening act. Tracy is currently writing and recording her next album and teaching violin and voice in Brooklyn.
Born in
the UK and raised in the West Indies, Peter Brown fronted
his first band at age 17 at a Connecticut boarding school.
He went on to front and record with two other bands while
at university in Miami, Florida. In the nineties Peter
began living in NYC, developing as a performer and songwriter,and
recording with artists as diverse as Richie Havens, and
Cy Curnin of The Fixx. By the middle of the decade Peter
was lead singer on tour with Kingstone a NYC based Jazz/Rock
and Spoken Word recording group. Peter currently is signed
to Fretless Productions Management where he continues
to record many national television and radio jingles.
James
Joughin began playing recorder, like a lot of kids,
at the age of nine, but then soon moved on to study
the
bassoon. During high school, his interests turned to
jazz, pop and rock so he switched to the bass. Suddenly
he was popular. After attending the New England Conservatory
of Music he worked as a professional sideman, playing
bass for Peter Noone (Herman’s Hermits), Lou
Christie, Leslie Gore and the Shangri-Las. He has worked
extensively
as a session musician for numerous artists both in
Boston and New York. James currently teaches privately
and continues
to play professionally as he pursues his Masters in
Education at Hunter College.
Tomas
got his start in high school studying guitar in Sao Paulo,
Brazil, forming a high school band and then it was off
to college. Having played in Tucson, AZ, where he got
his BA in Psychology with a minor in Electronic Music
and Recording, he moved back to Brazil where he was a Warner Brothers artist, touring Brazil with Degradee,
a rock band in the Brazilian New Wave Explosion. Playing
in several different bands, producing records and teaching
music have been his greatest passions. He also has taught
Yoga and English as a Second Language. He is currently
a teacher, music producer and performer in the New York
City area.
Originally
from Wilton, CT, Madeleine is a graduate of the Hartt
School of Music at the University of
Hartford. After receiving a B.M. in cello performance
she moved to Boston in June of 2000 where she
began working as an assistant to the Concert Coordinator
for the Boston Chamber Music Society. An
active chamber musician and teacher, Madeleine has
both orchestral and choral experience and has
worked with students of all levels.
She was the assistant
principal cellist of the Rivers Symphony Orchestra
in Weston, MA and the cellist
of the Larcom String Quartet in Boston. In addition
to classical music, Madeleine also blends her
vocals and cello into live rock performances at local
music venues with various artists. In NYC,
Madeleine has collaborated with singers/songwriters
LiLi Roquelin and Vanessa Boyd, and assisted
several recording projects with Josh Margolis. Madeleine
loves making music and brings her joyous
energy and humor to every class.
John
Brophy is a guitarist/singer/songwriter/instructor
from Ann Arbor, Michigan with 25 years’ performance
experience. He is an Honors Graduate of Musician’s
Institute in Hollywood, and has performed in numerous
bands from Los Angeles to Austin to Omaha. He began
playing cornet in grade school, but bought an old hollowbody
from his brother, picked up an old Stray Cats album,
and never looked back. John’s roots are in twangy
Rock n’ Roll, with a love for Chet Atkins fingerstyle,
country, bluegrass and blues. As one of nine children
he has played in numerous family bands, and has also
jammed with the Lonesome Strangers and Lee Rocker.
John currently lives in Brooklyn with his wife Clare
and 2-year-old daughter Josie, where he is an active
private instructor.
John
Barrett Zinn Gross has been playing the guitar and writing songs for more than 30 years. After a long detour in the family business, he returned to music full-time in 2004, joining Ann Ruckert's Saturday Class and Performer's Workshop. Barrett is a member of NARAS and the Songwriters Guild of America and is currently represented by SESAC. In addition to working with GMC, he is the Executive Director of the Roberta Flack School of Music, performs regularly and teaches guitar as a visiting artist for the Brooklyn Arts Council. Barrett is also enrolled in the Masters' Degree program in Music Education at Hunter College and expects to release his first CD in 2009.

Coming soon…








