Meet the drum Staff

The founder of the RMC Studios, EJ is professionally trained in drums, guitar, bass guitar, vocals and piano. EJ is a graduate of Ramapo College where he majored in Liberal Arts as a cum laude graduate. He has had the privilege of studying under many talented musicians including JoJo Mayer, Joe Morello, Bernard Purdie and Steve Smith and guitar under Tim Quick, Dave Martone and Joe Stump.

EJ has over 20 years of performing experience. He has been composing, recording, and producing original rock & pop songs for the last 15 years. 

A former student of RMC’s own EJ Gaub, Thomson Estabrook has been playing drums for almost two decades now. After studying privately for 12 years, Thomson attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA, and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Drumset Performance and Professional Music in 2024. After living in Boston for 5 incredible years, he returned home to New Jersey to pursue a career in both performing with his NJ/PA based bands and in private studio teaching at RMC. While at Berklee, Thomson was trained in dozens of modern styles of music and specializes in rock and metal. He has significant performance experience in groups ranging from wedding and event bands to death and progressive metal outfits.

Thomson grew up in Plainfield, NJ, surrounded by a multitude of musical genres from classical and jazz to funk and rock. Despite never being exposed to anything heavier than alternative and punk rock, Thomson discovered Linkin Park on YouTube and fell in love with their layered, more aggressive sound. Their music played the central role in Thomson’s development as a drummer and helped to introduce him to heavier bands and genres. Today, Thomson enjoys playing any style of music, but focuses on rock and metal in writing and recording his own music. Besides Linkin Park, Thomson’s primary inspirations are Breaking Benjamin, Ice Nine Kills, Intervals, and Between The Buried And Me.

Besides performance, Thomson also studied private studio teaching and music business while at Berklee. His teaching style is a fusion of the focused and disciplined approach needed to learn and understand the basics of the instrument, and the joy, whimsy and unending fun that music and drumming represent for him and all those who take up the craft. Thomson’s objective is always to express the importance of mastering the fundamentals of drumming so that every student can cultivate the skills necessary to learn and explore music that they are passionate about.

Tim Nemeth is a drummer, music educator, and longtime member of the RMC Studios community. Tim began at RMC as a student in elementary school, participating in numerous Rockshops, performing alongside his teachers as a student member of the RMC Teacher Band, and becoming a leader in the RMC Drumline. He was also heavily involved in the Rahway High School Marching Band.

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Now a teacher at RMC, Tim is excited to pass along the knowledge and musicianship he gained from his own RMC instructors, including Abel Tabares, EJ Gaub, and Tommy Frustieri. He is currently studying Music Education at William Paterson University and brings both his formal training and years of experience within the RMC community to his students.

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Having experienced RMC from both sides of the lesson room, Tim understands firsthand how great teachers can shape a young musician and is excited to help the next generation of students grow as drummers and performers.

Stu Ottenstein has been a musician since early childhood. Music runs deep in his blood. His father was a professional musician who played in a very well-known New Jersey wedding band for over 30 years. 

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From elementary school, all the way up through college, Stu studied both piano and drums. At the age of fifteen, he started performing on drums regularly with his father’s wedding band gaining a tremendous amount of experience playing all styles of music ranging from Big Band to Motown and everything in between. 

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He has been featured in Modern Drummer magazine in a section called “On The Move” and his drumming skills have been utilized on recordings for independent films and television.

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For nearly a decade, Stu was the Drum Department Manager at Sam Ash Music in Springfield, NJ. His knowledge of drumming, drumming gear, and what it takes to be a successful musician is extensive from all of his years in the business both as a player and as a salesman.

Stu continues to perform regularly with some of the top bands in NJ, playing all types of venues and events. Some of the bands that Stu plays with are Brian Kirk and the Jirks, Moroccan Sheepherders,The Jonzes, the Joe Baracata Band, High In The Mid 80’s, Carnival Dogs, The Main Event Big Band, Guilty Pleasure, From Jersey With Love.

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Stu’s passion, technique, positive energy, and love for what he does shine through every single time he sits down behind his drums. He loves sharing his knowledge, skill, and passion with all who want to learn how to play.

John has been playing piano since the age of 6 and playing drums, bass, and guitar since the age of 10. John has been teaching and instructing students on these instruments for the past 3 years. John draws his influences from many genres and artists, including Led Zeppelin, The Police, as well as D’Angelo and James Jamerson. In his free time, John writes music in various genres including; R&B, Bossa Nova, Jazz, Hip Hop, and Rock. 
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John has studied under many teachers over the years for each instrument. Most recently, John studied under Carlos Vazques of Mason Gross College of the Arts at Rutgers University, where he focused on Conga Performance. 
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This past year, John earned his degree in Education from Middlesex County College, and he will be going on to study English and Music Education at Kean University.
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John has found a passion for teaching students of any age, from beginner to advanced skill levels. His approach to teaching is student-centered: he focuses on the students' interests and needs. From there, he helps his students build the skills necessary to be able to play the genres and songs that interest them most. 

George Maher is completed his Bachelor's degree in jazz trumpet performance at Mason Gross School of the Arts, at Rutgers University. At school, George performed with RU's Jazz Ensemble under the direction of trombonist, Professor Conrad Herwig.

This group has had the privilege of performing at The Blue Note jazz club in New York City, and has performed with guest artists such as, Orrin Evans, Michael Phillip Mossman, Tanya Darby, and Joe Magnarelli. 

George originally hails from Connecticut where for three years of high school where he attended the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts, in Hartford, CT.

At the Academy, George performed in a small ensemble under the director of Jimmy Greene, and Kris Allen. He also performed in the award winning Academy Big Band, lead by Douglas Maher. 

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George is an active musician who currently tours and performs with numerous groups. 

Jesse brings 15 years of teaching experience. He studied piano and composition at Rutgers University on a scholarship. Jesse's musical training coupled with on-stage experience (Limelight, Knitting Factory, CBGBs) has helped him guide and inspire many musicians. 

He focuses on building a strong technical grounding on the instrument. His lessons are tailored around the student's goals and musical taste. 

In addition to teaching Guitar, Piano, Drums, Bass, Ukulele, & Voice, Jesse also teaches songwriting, music theory, and arranging. He has experience teaching all age ranges and levels. He has taught total beginners to advanced students.