Founder of Brooklyn Bowl and creator of Rock and Roll Playhouse brings decades of experience at the intersection of music, community, and cultural impact

NEW YORK, May 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — TeachRock, a free curriculum founded by Stevie Van Zandt  that uses music’s sound and story to spark curiosity, deepen connection, and make learning relevant across core academic subjects, announces the appointment of music industry leader Peter Shapiro to its Board of Directors.

A venue owner, concert promoter, publisher, and nonprofit leader, Shapiro has built a career rooted in the belief that music is a powerful force for connection, community, and learning. As founder of Brooklyn Bowl and owner of the historic Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, his work spans from intimate cultural spaces to large-scale national events, including producing the landmark Fare Thee Well concerts celebrating 50 years of the Grateful Dead.

Shapiro’s appointment comes at a moment of continued national expansion for TeachRock, as the organization deepens its work supporting educators with arts-integrated curriculum designed to engage students through the power of music and storytelling.

Central to Shapiro’s alignment with TeachRock’s mission is his creation of the Rock and Roll Playhouse, a national family concert series active in more than 25 markets across the United States. Designed to introduce young audiences to the history and culture of rock music through live performance, the program reflects a shared belief that music is not just entertainment, but a critical entry point for learning and engagement.

In addition to his work in live events, Shapiro serves as publisher of Relix magazine, one of the leading national voices covering live music culture, and has held leadership roles across major nonprofit and cultural institutions. He is Chairman of HeadCount, the music-driven civic engagement organization, and serves on the boards of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, New York Public Radio (WNYC), and City Parks Foundation.

“Peter has spent his entire career building spaces and experiences where music brings people together,” said Bill Carbone, Executive Director of TeachRock. “What makes him such a natural fit for TeachRock is that his work has always gone beyond entertainment—it’s about connection, curiosity, and community,” he continues. “That is exactly what we aim to bring into classrooms every day, and we’re thrilled to have his perspective and leadership on our board.”

“Music is one of the last real connective forces we have,” notes Stevie Van Zandt. “It cuts through everything and gets people on the same wavelength. Peter’s built his career on that idea. He knows how powerful that experience can be, especially for young people, and that makes him a natural fit for what we’re doing with TeachRock.”

“Music has always been a gateway to community, to understanding, and to something bigger than ourselves,” adds Peter Shapiro. “TeachRock is doing essential work in helping young people connect to history, culture, and each other through music. I am honored to join one of my heroes, Stevie Van Zandt, and the whole Teach Rock organization to support its mission to bring that experience into classrooms across the country.”

TeachRock provides free, standards-aligned curriculum that uses music to teach history, social studies, language arts, and more, reaching more than 1 million students nationwide. Through its work, TeachRock continues to position music as a powerful tool for engagement, critical thinking, and human connection in education.

ABOUT TEACHROCK
TeachRock is a free, standards-aligned curriculum that brings core subjects to life through the power of music and popular culture. Designed by educators and artists, TeachRock helps students engage more deeply with Social Studies, Language Arts, STEAM, Music, and more—connecting what they explore in their K-12 classrooms to the world around them.

Founded by Stevie Van Zandt with the support of Bono, Jackson Browne, Martin Scorsese, and Bruce Springsteen, TeachRock was created to help address the student dropout crisis by keeping music and the arts in the DNA of education. What began as a mission to prevent disengagement has evolved into a movement—one that meets a generation of students growing up isolated, distracted, and overwhelmed, and helps them reconnect to learning in ways that feel personal, relevant, and real.

Today, more than 80,000 educators in all 50 states have used TeachRock to reimagine their classrooms. The curriculum has reached more than one million students worldwide and is shown to improve attendance, engagement, and academic outcomes. Teachers report renewed purpose in their work, and students gain tools to understand history, reflect on their sense of self and place in the world, and think critically—all through lessons that begin with the universal language of music.

TeachRock is endorsed by leading education organizations in social studies, music, and the humanities—and is helping shape what 21st-century learning can and should look like. For more information visit https://teachrock.org/ or follow @teachrock on all social media channels. 

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SOURCE TeachRock