OUR CO-FOUNDERS
DAN
(he/him)
DAN SABO // CO-FOUNDER
EDUCATION: Bachelor of Education + Master of Music
NEXT MASTERCLASS HE'S TAKING: How to be a bike mechanic
PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED TO KNOW: He lived in Slovakia for three months
FEELS MOST ALIVE WHEN: Flying down a trail on his mountain bike
NELLA
(she/her)
NELLA SABO // CO-FOUNDER
EDUCATION: Bachelor of Commerce + MBA
NEXT MASTERCLASS SHE'S TAKING: Woodworking
FEELS MOST ALIVE WHEN: Going for a long run or cross-country ski
NEXT PLACE SHE'S TRAVELLING: Copenhagen
MEET THE REST OF OUR TEAM
HAIDEE
(she/her)
HAIDEE MANANSALA // VOCALS, PIANO, UKULELE
EDUCATION: Diploma in Music, Grant MacEwan
NEXT PLACE SHE'S TRAVELLING: My Motherland, the Phillipines!
NEXT MASTERCLASS SHE'S TAKING: Dance
PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED TO KNOW: That I moved to Edmonton because of the 2016 Fort McMurray Fire!
DANE
(he/him)
DANE BJORNSON// VOCALS, PIANO, GUITAR, DRUMS
EDUCATION: Bachelor of Jazz and Contemporary Popular Music
FOOD THAT MAKES HIM GAG: Olives. And he has trust issues with raisins.
NEXT MASTERCLASS HE'S TAKING: Filmmaking and editing
PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED TO KNOW: That he's a huge (borderline insane) hockey fan.
WILL
(he/him)
WILL SCOTT // BASS, GUITAR, DRUMS
EDUCATION: Diploma in Music, Recording Arts Major
NEXT PLACE HE'S TRAVELLING: South America
DREAM BAND TO JAM WITH: Can
PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED TO KNOW: He doesn't have a thyroid
FRAN
(he/him)
FRAN RIZZUTO // GUITAR, VOCALS, UKULELE, PIANO, BASS
EDUCATION: Bachelor of Music in Jazz and Contemporary Popular Music
NEXT PLACE HE'S TRAVELLING: New Zealand to see the Shire.
FOOD THAT MAKES HIM GAG: Pickles!
PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED TO KNOW: He once held the high score on a Pac Man arcade machine.
MEL
(she/her)
MEL SHIER // GUITAR, VOCALS, PIANO, BASS
EDUCATION: Diploma in Composition, Bachelor of Music
PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED TO KNOW: She loves video games
NEXT MASTERCLASS SHE'S TAKING: Cooking
NEXT PLACE SHE'S TRAVELLING: Italy - to eat everything!
ANGELA
(she/her)
ANGELA PROULX // BASS, GUITAR, DRUMS, PIANO
EDUCATION: Bachelor of Music (in progress)
PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED TO KNOW: I'm a hardcore introvert
NEXT PLACE SHE'S TRAVELLING: New Orleans, baby!
FOOD THAT MAKES HER GAG: Nothing, she likes everything!
JD
(he/him)
JD SPEELMAN // BASS, GUITAR, DRUMS, PIANO
EDUCATION: Bachelor of Music, Composition Major
PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED TO KNOW: He's terrible with technology
NEXT PLACE HE'S TRAVELING: Ireland
FOOD THAT MAKES HIM GAG: Pickles
MARY-LEE
(she/they)
MARY-LEE BIRD // GUITAR, DRUMS, PIANO, BASS
EDUCATION: Bachelor of Arts, Music Major + Diploma in Music Composition
FOOD THAT MAKES THEM GAG: Mayo
PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED TO KNOW: That they had glasses since they were two years-old
FEELS MOST ALIVE WHEN: They're out in nature!
WREN
(he/him)
WREN KAUFFMAN // STUDIO COORDINATOR
EDUCATION: Bachelor of Arts, Psychology Major (in progress)
NEXT MASTERCLASS HE'S TAKING: How to knit a sweater
NEXT PLACE HE'S TRAVELING: Probably somewhere with a lot of frogs!
FOOD THAT MAKES HIM GAG: Cilantro
MARIA
(she/they)
MARIA MARTIRE // VOCALS, PIANO, GUITAR, UKULELE
EDUCATION: Diploma in Music, Vocal Performance + Bachelor of Fine Arts, Major in Art Education
NEXT MASTERCLASS THEY'RE TAKING: Moviemaking
NEXT PLACE THEY'RE TRAVELING: Africa
IF THEY COULD JAM WITH ANY BAND: Janis Joplin - she is the greatest rocker of all time!
MIRANDA
(she/her)
MIRANDA SMITH // VOCALS, UKULELE, PIANO, GUITAR
EDUCATION: Bachelor of Music in Performance (in progress)
NEXT MASTERCLASS SHE'S TAKING: jewelry making!
NEXT PLACE SHE'S TRAVELING: Backpacking around Europe
FOOD THAT MAKES HER GAG: Onions
ISIAH
(he/him)
ISIAH PLOUFFE // STUDIO COORDINATOR
EDUCATION: Bachelor of Science (Ecology)
PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED TO KNOW: He's learning how to make pottery!
HE FEELS MOST ALIVE: 10 minutes after his morning coffee
FOOD THAT MAKES HIM GAG: Cottage cheese. Something about the texture doesn't sit right.
JAKE
(he/him)
JAKE PEAKE // DRUMS, GUITAR
EDUCATION: Bachelor of Music in Jazz & Contemporary Pop, Composition Major (in progress)
NEXT MASTERCLASS HE'S TAKING: Drawing or painting
NEXT PLACE HE'S TRAVELING: Seoul, Korea
PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED TO KNOW: he played water polo!
CLAYTON
(he/him)
CLAYTON AMERO // GUITAR, PIANO, BASS
EDUCATION: Bachelor of Jazz & Contemporary Popular Music, Guitar Major + Diploma in Jazz & Contemporary Popular Music.
PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED TO KNOW: He used to help run his family's firewood business!
NEXT PLACE HE'S TRAVELING: Yerevan, the capital of Armenia
FOOD THAT MAKES HIM GAG: He loves it all!
OUR STORY
Dan was a junior high band teacher who ran an after-school rock program. Nella was working in the world of post-secondary and had a deepset curiosity about people and business. They both believed in the potential and capacity of youth with all their hearts.
Fast forward a few years, Dan decided to take a break from teaching to pursue his Master of Music. This is when the conversations started. This is when the dreams started. They started to dream about creating something different. About introducing kids to a whole new way of learning music. They imagined community, creativity, belonging. And fun! Having a crazy amount of fun.
In 2012, Dan and Nella decided to take the leap and Backbeat was founded on Whyte Ave in Edmonton. They started with about 25 students, one rock band and a life-size cardboard cut-out of Sheldon from Big Bang Theory. Today, Backbeat has taught hundreds of kids and formed dozens of kid rock bands. Backbeat students have played on stages at major festivals, community events, and in back alley rock shows.
We're changing the way kids learn music. We're giving them a fun place to connect and try new things so they can grow in confidence and be proud of who they are. As for Sheldon? He's still here, but...well...let's just say he's not exactly aging gracefully.
WANT TO JOIN THE FUN?
Use the button below to see if we're hiring and learn more about what we look for in a new team member.