Blackbird Music & Art Center

Travis Blum - Piano, Drums & Percussion

 Travis is a music educator that enjoys teaching and performing. He has a lot of patience and feels proud that all of his students can say they have excelled at their instrument throughout the duration of his instruction. With much experience teaching students of all ages, needs and skill levels he focuses specifically on the most important skills and concepts a student needs to be able to play proficiently and musically. This is accomplished through the use of proper technique and providing clear information of the fundamentals.



John McMonagle - Piano

John grew up in Prescott Arizona . He started playing piano at age 14, saving up his paper route money in order to buy his first upright piano. Soon after that he was studying classical and jazz piano, winning awards in both styles from local schools and fine art associations. 

At 16 he was enrolled in the music program at Yavapai Community College studying music theory and Jazz and playing with the student jazz ensemble. After moving to Tempe he enrolled at A.S.U as a piano performance major with a jazz concentration, receiving the Jazz Bird Scholarship.

Since receiving his bachelors from A.S.U John has been playing and teaching around the valley for the better part of a decade. He currently plays with many local bands, opening for national acts such as Tower of  Power , Ozomatli, and Eoto. John also performs in churches, weddings, corporate events, festivals and dueling piano clubs.

Jen Durkin  - Voice

Jen Durkin attended Berklee College of Music Boston MA and Ithaca College NY where she studied Music Theory, Eurthymics, Keyboard, Voice and Composition.  In Summer theatre she had leading roles in productions of  Annie, Sugar Babies and My one and only.  For the past 17 years Jen has toured around the country as lead vocalist for The Mickey Hart Band, The Rhythm Devils, Bernie Worrell, The Bomb Squad and Deep Banana Blackout .

Since 2002 she has enjoyed teaching voice, piano and dance as well as directing for Rock Band camps and producing student recording demos.  As an American Music Award Winner in 2003 she developed workshops in lyric writing for Middle- High school aged students.

After moving to Arizona she joined "The Hot birds and the Chili Sauce Band" 10 piece R&B soul band.  "What I love about teaching at  Blackbird is meeting new students and helping aspiring singers and songwriters to enjoy the gift of music.

Laura Wolf - Flute, Piccolo, Oboe

Laura Haag received her Bachelor's of Music degree from Philadelphia Biblical University, where she studied music education and applied flute. She was a student of Margaret Claudin (Philadelphia Biblical University), and Lydia Klinger (Hershey Symphony Orchestra) before moving to Arizona in June of 2007. While in college, Miss Haag was selected to perform in a master class with David Cramer, principal flutist of the Philadelphia Orchestra. She was also an active performer through recitals at the university, nursing homes, and weddings.

In addition to performing as a soloist, she has also performed in many community bands. While living in Pennsylvania, she performed with the Washington Band (Annville), the Lebanon Community Concert Band (Lebanon), and the musical group “Flutes in the Corner” (a local flute quartet). Since moving to Arizona she has joined the Mesa City Band where she is enjoying getting a different perspective on the standard band repertoire from the alto saxophone section. 

Throughout her flute career, Laura has received many honors. Some of these include: The John Philip Sousa Band Award, member of the Lebanon Valley College Honor Band, District 7 (Pennsylvania) band member, and a Music Scholarship (Philadelphia Biblical University).

Currently, Laura is a local band and general music teacher at Circle Cross Ranch (K-8). She loves teaching students how to play their instruments and how to enjoy music. Learning music opens up a whole new universe for the individual to explore, and she enjoys guiding students as they learn to appreciate and perform music.

Robb Smith - Drumset, Hand Drums & Percussion

Robb Smith has a Bachelors of Music degree from Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond Virginia) in Percussion Performance and a minor in Music Education. While residing in Richmond, he was a regular performer with the Richmond Symphony as well as a percussionist for many traveling Broadway musicals at the Virginia Museum and Carpenter Center. He was a member of the 1986 Percussion Art Society’s Mass Marimba Ensemble and performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. Robb was the winner of the Virginia Music Educators Concerto competition and performed as a soloist with the New River Valley Orchestra. While based in Nashville, TN and Los Angeles, CA he has performed with numerous bands and has toured the US, Canada, Mexico, and Europe. In 1993 he performed with a featured band at the Disneyland - Paris Far West festival.

Robb has over 20 years of teaching experience and in that time has taught hundreds of students ranging in age from 4 to 84. Some students have gone on to receive scholarships at colleges and universities. As an adjunct professor at Virginia Commonwealth University and J. Sargeant Reynolds Community college, he taught college percussion majors drumset and percussion as well as class lessons in percussion. He was a hand drumming clinician for the Virginia chapter of the Percussive Arts Society. He has coached numerous high school and middle school marching band groups and was a guest judge for many local and state marching band competitions. Robb Smith also has his own percussion mallet label, selling professional mallets worldwide as well as being the owner of Blackbird Music & Art Center.

David Peterson - Drums

Dave is an accomplished drummer with a career that spans over 30 years. Earlier in his career he studied under jazz drummer, Tim Laushey. But much of his vast experience and skill comes from the best education you can find which is simply getting out there and doing it. Dave has played nearly every style imaginable including; Jazz, Rock, Blues, R&B, Reggae & Country. He’s performed big band gigs and some off-broadway musicals.

Dave has shared stages with the likes of Poco, Lone Justice, Alex Chilton, Albert Collins, The Hooters, Tommy Conwell, Marshall Crenshaw, The Outfield and many others. Dave’s secret to working steady for 3 decades? He sums it up in just three words, "Keep it Simple." Sadly, many aspiring drummers miss this concept. "I believe to succeed in the music biz you have to be willing to let down your ego and play exactly what the song, the band, and especially the singer wants. This is your ONLY job as the drummer. You’re not there to impress or show off, you’re there to simply provide a solid rhythm for the band. This is really the essence of successful drumming in popular music."

Dave has 6 years of drum teaching experience. He’s excited about going back into teaching and sharing many of his drumming secrets to young aspiring musicians in the East Valley. Dave feels it’s important not only to teach proper technique. But equally as important, he wants students to have fun too! Currently, Dave is a member of a local band called The Dina Preston band. They play corporate events and private parties throughout the valley. Plus, one to two times a year they tour overseas. The group recently returned from an 18-day tour of the Eastern European countries of Armenia and Azerbaijan representing the U.S. Embassy.

They performed for a crowd of nearly 5,000 people in the capital city of Yerevan, Armenia. Some other highlights were performing on a military base for the troops, conducting a master class at a music conservatory and performing at a children’s orphanage.

Paul Koch - Drums

Paul A. Koch (pronounced, "cook") is currently the Director of Bands at Perry High School in Chandler, Arizona. 

Mr. Koch received his Bachelor of Music Degree in 2000 from the University of North Texas, while studying with Dr. Robert Schietroma, Paul Rennick, Leigh Howard Stevens, She-e Wu and many others.  Mr. Koch was on scholarship with the award winning UNT drum line, who is the 13-time P.A.S.I.C. indoor drum line champions.  While at UNT, Mr. Koch also performed with numerous percussion and concert band ensembles. 

Mr. Koch then traveled to Arizona State University and received his Masters of Music in Percussion Performance in 2002, under the direction of Dr. J.B. Smith.  As a Graduate Assistant in the Percussion Department, Mr. Koch taught the Percussion Methods class as well as undergraduate private lessons.  Mr. Koch also performed with numerous percussion ensembles, Wind Ensemble, and performed two solo recitals.   

Mr. Koch’s marching Drum and Bugle Corps experience was with the 1993 Black Gold of Tulsa, Oklahoma and the 1994 - 1996 Colts of Dubuque, Iowa.  Mr. Koch then taught the Capital Regiment of Columbus, Ohio in 1999 and 2000, the first two years of the corps existence.  Over the two years with Capital Regiment, Mr. Koch taught the Front Ensemble, Bass Drums, Snare Drums, and ran many corps rehearsals.  The Capital Regiment won the Division III Drum Title in 2000.

Bob Gontarz - Guitar and Bass

Bob came to Arizona in 1974 and now resides just east of Apache Junction near the beautiful Superstition Mountains. He began playing guitar as a young teenager taking lessons in a music store in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Upon graduation from high school, his dad rewarded him with his first professional electric guitar, a Guild Starfire III, which he still plays today.

Bob's professional music career began with the pursuit of a Jazz Performance degree at Mesa Community College. He studied music theory, composition, and improvisation with emphasis on jazz and classical repertoire under the guidance of jazz guitarist Daniel Davis, classical guitarist George Summers, and jazz ensemble director Fred Forney. Incidentally, Bob also holds an AA degree in Engineering Science from Glendale Community College, has attended Arizona State University and has enjoyed a successful career as an aerospace software engineer.

Bob was a staff guitar instructor at the former All Star Music store in Mesa, Arizona and held that position for nearly 3 years until the store chain was sold. He was called by his former manager to run the electronics repair shop at AZ Music in North Phoenix as an amplifier repair technician. He worked in that position for almost 2 years before coming to Blackbird Music and Art Center.

Bob knows the world of recording, working with Ragpickers Studio in Mesa as a studio musician. He has guitar, bass, keyboard, songwriting, and even vocal credits on virtually every track of 6 full-length CD albums recorded in the past 3 years. One CD, including the song "Autumn's Affair", received personal encouragement and applause directly from the song's author, Richard Bennett. (Mr. Bennett, formerly lead guitarist for Neil Diamond, is currently co-guitarist on the Mark Knopfler – Emmylou Harris tour – All The Roadrunning.) Two Ragpicker CD's, The Lonely End Of Town and The Lord Brings Me Peace, are commercially available through CDBaby.com and MySpace.com/Ragpickers.

Bob is in demand whether in the studio or on the stage. He is a lead guitarist with the Mesa-based progressive rock band Court of Catalina. He also has a weekly church gig as lead guitarist in a 6-piece contemporary praise band and in a piano/guitar-based vocal quartet.

Keith Rogers  - Guitar & Harmonica

Hailing from Virginia & active throughout the Mid-Atlantic States for a number of years, Keith's many musical styles include all forms of "roots" music.  He has fronted blues, rockabilly & country bands & is just as comfortable doing swing, '60's soul or jazz standards. He has performed with the likes of Matt "Guitar" Murphy, Bob Margolin, Tom Principato, Bill Kirchen & even members of the LA/Moscow band the Red Elvises. 
Keith was very active in the Richmond, VA music scene & has shared the stage with the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Dwight Yoakam, the Doobie Brothers, Wayne Hancock & many others. 
He played in countless bands, performed solo & duet gigs.  He is currently in the JUMP BACK BROTHERS, a swing/jump blues group and also performs with the DIRT MUSIC EXPRESS, an acoustic roots music act.

Seth Gory  - Guitar & Bass

Seth David Gory was born and raised in Tempe, Arizona where he developed his talents as a trombonist, guitarist, teacher, and
composer. In 2008, he received a Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Performance from Arizona State University. While working towards his degree, Seth had the opportunity to study performance and composition with such greats as Mike Crotty, Sam Pilafian, Nick Manson, Mike Kocour, and Pat Sheridan. In June 2009, Seth placed as a finalist in both the JJ Johnson and Carl Fontana jazz competitions at the International Trombone Festival in Aarhus, Denmark.

Currently playing both commercial and classical music, Seth is
performing with a variety of local groups with whom he records
regularly. As a performer, Seth has shared the stage with Andy Martin, John Stowell, Pat Sheridan, Sam Pilafian, Brice Winston, Wayne Bergeron, Eric Alexander and a host of other local and international acts.

Seth has been teaching private and group lessons to all ages for over seven years. Taking both beginning and advanced students, Seth aims to individualize each student’s experience. He feels that the motivation to excel on any instrument must come from playing music that resonates with one’s tastes. While students explore the music of their choosing they are also given a strong foundation in technique, posture, sound production, and music theory. In addition to teaching and performing,
Seth David Gory also works as a writer creating custom arrangements and compositions for local and international musicians.

Ed Robinson - Strings

Ed Robinson began playing the bass when he was 9 years old.  While in high school he sat principal bass in the top performing ensemble that went on to win first place in state competition all four years for the string orchestra category, and first place in the symphony orchestra category three years in a row, as well as placing first in international competition in Vienna, Austria in 1997. His high school also was named a Grammy Signature School in 1999 and won the Grammy out-right the following year.

Ed Robinson earned his Bachelors Degree in Music Education from the University of Oregon in 2004. He studied bass privately with Forrest Moyer (assistant principle bass Eugene Symphony) and Tyler Abbott while in college. Ed has taught private lessons for over 15 years and has been teaching strings in the Florence Unified School District since 2005. 

Dan Folland - Strings

Dan received his Masters degree in violin performance from the University of Minnesota in 1988.  He worked as a violinist with the Winnipeg Symphony for six years.  While in Winnipeg he also taught violin at the University of Manitoba and subsequently moved to Minnesota where he took a full time teaching position in Red Wing.  He currently lives with his family in Queen Creek and teaches strings in the Gilbert Public School district.

William MacDonald - Brass & Woodwinds

Originally from Connecticut, William MacDonald moved to Arizona and attended Hamilton high school where he served as the Drum Major and brass captain. He recently received his bachelor's in music education from Arizona State Universty. At Arizona State University he lead as the trombone section leader for two years. He originally played the the trumpet and euphonium, however his primary instrument is the trombone. He is currently the band director at both Mountain Vista K-8 and San Tan Heights K-8 in the Coolidge Unified School District. He structures his lessons to build strong foundations in sound and technique.

Melody Smith - Art

Melody is originally from California and received her Art Degree from California State University of Northridge. She spent the majority of her career as an Art Director and a Designer for a variety of corporations. Her freelance work includes Art Directing the L.A. Marathon, work with Mercedes Benz, the LA Philharmonic and everything in between from restaurant designs to high tech gear to high end car products for H2 Hummer, Miata, PT Cruiser and more. Her design work allowed her to travel throughout the United States and Europe which further enhanced her career in art. While being skilled in computer graphics, Melody is also a fine artist who mainly likes to work in Acrylics & Watercolors. Her work can be seen at several galleries, restaurants and cafes in AZ.  She insists that her career in computer graphics was only possible by learning the core basics of art, including drawing, painting and color theory. Without that knowledge, and expereince, it would have been very difficult. In the last 4 years, Melody received her teaching credentials in Art for grades K-12 and has taught every grade level as well as art for Special Needs children. Melody always tells her students that learning art is much like learning an instrument. You are not born being a rockin' guitar player, it takes practice and so does art! Even if you don't like art, Melody will figure out what your best medium is and explore your hidden talents. You can make art a successful career or a wonderful hobby that will last throughout your lifetime!

Art lessons in Queen Creek, San Tan Valley, Gilbert, Chandler, Coolidge and Florence, Arizona!

Music lessons in Queen Creek, San Tan Valley, Gilbert, Chandler, Coolidge and Florence, Arizona!

Musical instrument renatals in Queen Creek, San Tan Valley, Gilbert, Chandler, Coolidge and Florence, Arizona!