All of our instructors are skilled artists and educators and will provide a safe, fun learning challenge to students of all experience levels and ages.
♪ Blake Franklin (guitar) is a guitar teacher and a Board Certified Music Therapist. He has been teaching guitar at VHMC’s Conservatory of the Arts since 2014. He received his Bachelors in Music with a focus in Music Therapy from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa in 2013. While in school, Blake studied piano for four and a half years under Dr. Noel Engebretson and learned and studied guitar for four years within the music therapy program. At the end of his schooling, he completed a six month internship at the hospice Four Seasons Compassion for Life in Flat Rock, North Carolina. Blake is a contract music therapist throughout the greater Birmingham & Tuscaloosa area while also providing guitar lessons, adaptive music lessons, and music therapy at the Vestavia Hills Methodist Conservatory of the Arts. He works with populations ranging from older adults, adults with developmental disabilities, and children with developmental disabilities.
♪ Brett Huffman (percussion), originally from Huntsville, has been performing percussion in Birmingham since 2006. While he currently plays drumset for multiple local groups, he has also studied classical percussion under Dr. Laura Noah and Dr. Gene Fambrough while attending UAB. Huffman was part of ensembles such as the Jazz Combo and Big Band, Wind Symphony, Marching Band and Percussion Ensemble. He is a member of local chamber music quartet, Iron Giant Percussion, which has performed recently with Grammy award-winning Third Coast Percussion and Wilco's Glenn Kotche. He has performed previously with Virginia Samford Theatre, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, and Red Mountain Theatre Company. Huffman has been a choir member at Highlands United Methodist Church since 2009, and has been a drum instructor at Vestavia Hills Conservatory of the Arts since 2012.
♪ Carolyn Munchus (piano) began college piano study at Talladega College under Thomas J. Flagg. After selection as an exchange student to the University of Iowa in her junior year, she transferred to continue study there and graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance. She also received a Master of Music degree in Piano Performance from the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music. She taught music in public schools and college and also worked as music and audiovisual materials cataloger in UAB Libraries. Throughout her career, she continued her involvement with piano teaching and selected performances at weddings, receptions, and special church events. She volunteers with UAB Arts in Medicine performing in the Kirklin Clinic Atrium at selected times during the year. She has contributed book and score reviews to the publication, American Music Teacher. Her philosophy of teaching piano is to provide an opportunity for musical creative expression through piano study and to encourage the joy of making music. Member: Music Teachers National Association, Alabama Music Teachers Association, Birmingham Music Teachers Association, Birmingham Metro Music Forum.
♦ Darcy Walker (art) is an artist, art instructor and freelance apparel designer. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Fashion Design from Philadelphia University. She worked as a corporate womenswear designer for ten years developing apparel through sketching, designing prints, creating color pallets and developing collections. She has worked as a freelance designer as well. Darcy has been an artist for over twenty years specializing in acrylics. She has taught children’s art classes and camps at the Conservatory of the Arts for seven years. She has also taught preschool art, and painting classes for several local senior living facilities for several years. Darcy is married with four children.
♪ Hannah Creel (piano, voice) hails from Morris, Alabama and received her Bachelor’s degree in Music Education with a vocal and choral concentration from Samford University. During her time at Samford, she participated in professional affiliations such as American Choral Directors Association, Alabama Music Educators Association, and Collegiate National Association of Music Educators. During her studies, she completed student teaching at Hewitt-Trussville Middle School and Hoover High School, where she conducted ensembles, led rehearsals, and taught subjects such as music theory and music history. During her studies, Hannah also participated in mission work in Germany where she played French horn as a member of an international orchestra that promoted the gospel and music education in schools. Hannah feels that music is not only a skill but a lifelong tool that promotes social and emotional health. Hannah enjoys teaching lessons with the student in mind. She aims for students’ individual interests and talents to be valued in their lessons. Her desire is to create a space that students can increase in their musicianship, as well as confidence. She aspires for students to cultivate a passion for music; therefore, Hannah encourages them to share their interests with me so we may select music for that they may enjoy learning and expanding their musical skills. Her desire is that students enjoy learning and exploring music, while developing musical skills they can take with them throughout life and potentially use to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.
♪ Jada Cato (voice) is a native of Ellenwood, GA, where she began studying voice at the age of ten under the direction of international recording artist, Tameko Star. From 2005 to 2013, Jada studied songwriting and opera, pop, musical theatre, jazz, and various other vocal styles while stepping into the world of theatre, earning statewide and national acclaim. She also spent two years performing with Clovers and Company, a Georgia 4-H performing arts group with alum such as Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland. Graduating with a BA in Theatre from Birmingham-Southern College in 2017, Jada then worked as a Featured Singer for Royal Caribbean. Back on land, Jada continues to perform and now leads worship at Riverchase UMC. She also began teaching classes for Virginia Samford Theatre's STARS Camp and school like Voice and Movement, Improv, and Acting Through Song. As a 200 Hour RYT Yoga teacher, Jada also offers health and wellness courses for artists, singers, and performers to better enhance their physical bodies, mental health, and spiritual awareness. While she has spent much of her time with middle and high school aged students, Jada is happy to receive any student with an open heart and mind!
♪ John Allen Bankson (piano), a Birmingham native and graduate of Samford University, studied voice with Randall Richardson and piano with Don Sanders. He received his master's degree in conducting from the University of Southern Mississippi, where he also studied composition with Luigi Zaninelli. John Allen has served as Music Director for productions at Birmingham Festival Theatre, Birmingham Children's Theatre, Terrific New Theatre, and Homewood Theatre. He is the Director of Music for the First Christian Church of Birmingham, Artistic Director of the Montevallo Community Chorale, and Conductor of Southern Vocal Collective, a professional choral ensemble.
♪ Karen Krekelberg (piano, organ) is currently on staff at Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church as the Associate Director of Music Ministry and Organist. Karen earned a Bachelor of Music from the University of Montevallo with an emphasis in Piano Pedagogy. While there, she studied piano with Robert Cowan and organ with Betty Louise Lumby. Karen has enjoyed teaching private piano as well as group classes to students of all ages in many places, including ArtPlay, Samford Preparatory School of Music, and her own home. Karen is a member of BMTA, AMTA, AGO, and the Fellowship of United Methodists in Music and Worship Arts. A mother of two grown children, she can often be found accompanying for various music groups and theatre productions around Birmingham.
♪ Karyn Watts (piano) has been teaching private piano lessons for over 18 years in Texas, South Carolina, Georgia and currently in Vestavia Hills, Al. She is also a certified Kindermusik teacher and teaches morning classes at Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church. Karyn obtained her Bachelor's degree in Music Education at University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and her Master's degree at University of South Carolina - Columbia. Karyn's husband, Marty, is the Minister of Music at Vestavia Hills Baptist Church. Karyn has a lifelong love of music and also plays the flute and handbells. She is an active member of the Sanctuary Choir at VHBC. Karyn and Marty have a four year-old son named Duncan.
♪ Lisa Coleman (piano, writing), a Birmingham-Southern College graduate, with a degree in Music Education and a 28 year successful career in public education, is excited to be a part of the staff of the Conservatory of the Arts. She began taking piano lessons at age nine, and by the time she turned fifteen, she was accompanying for churches, school choirs, weddings, and more. During college, she taught private piano lessons while earning her degree as a music educator. Although teaching in public schools has kept her busy, she has managed to teach and accompany for several local children’s theatre camps and has filled in as pianist and choir director for local churches. Throughout her career, Lisa has written, taught, conducted, and performed songs, plays, and poetry for schools, churches, theatres, festivals, workshops, and camps. Combined with piano and vocal skills, she has spent a lifetime bringing the arts to students and audiences of all ages. Most recently, she has written and published two devotional books. Lisa is looking forward to teaching beginning piano and offering a beginning writing class through the COA.
♪ Nadya Bogdan (piano) was born in Samara, Russia, in 1978. She began her musical studies in the preparatory program of the Chita Musical College. After moving with her family to Engels, Nadya continued her artistic education, first at the Musical School of Arts, then the Saratov Musical College and finally, the Saratov State Conservatory where she gave her two solo concerts. While still a student and after her graduation, Nadya was working as Piano Instructor and Concertmaster of the Musical School of Arts. During this time she worked and perform with a wide variety of instrumentalists, choir and ballet studio as accompanist and chamber collaborator. She performed for 7 years in a Violin – Piano duo. In 2005, Nadya participated in performances with Michael Fernandez (Viola) and Lucina Horner (Viola), the great musicians from Alabama Symphony Orchestra. They gave 2 concerts in University of Alabama and UAB. At present, Nadya lives with her family in Birmingham and enjoys teaching students through private lessons.
♪ Quint Harris, DMA (voice, conducting) is the Director of Music & Arts Ministries at Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church in Birmingham, AL where he directs the Chancel Choir, Bell Choir, and Youth Choir as well as supervises the music staff. Prior to Vestavia Hills UMC he was the Director of Music Ministries at Paradise Valley United Methodist Church in Phoenix, AZ. He has a Bachelor’s in Music Education from the University of Mississippi and a Master’s in Music Education from the University of Alabama. Throughout his career Quint has directed on the Middle School and High School levels as well as part-time and full-time church music ministry. Quint is a member of AVA (Alabama Vocal Association, ACDA (American Choral Directors Association and FUMMWA (The Fellowship of the United Methodist Church in Music and Worship Arts) where he has served as the Handbell Committee Chair and the Membership Committee Chair. Quint is married to Paige Pittman Harris, CPA, and the have three wonderfully active children, Colin (19), Sarah Beth (16), and Nate (14).
♪ Rebecca Rehorst (piano) has been playing piano for 33 years and teaching piano for 15 years. She holds a BA in Piano Pedagogy and Performance from Carthage College, Kenosha, WI. She holds a K-12 General Music Certification and 6-12 Choral Certification from UW- Milwaukee. She taught in the Pewaukee School District from 1998-2006 general music and choir. She spent four years living in Colorado and taught in the Eagle County School District in the Vail Valley from 2006-2010 teaching K-5 general music and 9-12 choir, drama and steel drums. Currently Rebecca is in the Oconomowoc School District teaching 5th/6th grade general music at Silver Lake Intermediate School and K/1 general music at Ixonia Elementary School. Rebecca has been playing and performing classical, traditional, popular, jazz and other styles of music since age 4. She has a traditional approach to teaching piano with strong emphasis on notation and rhythmic reading literacy as well as exposing her students to a wide variety of musical styles including classical, traditional, popular and many others. Focusing on music theory and the ability to create songs when learning music theory concepts, scales and composition techniques are incorporated in Rebecca’s lessons.
♪ Robin Belk (piano) holds a Bachelor of Music in Piano Pedagogy and a Master of Music Education from the University of Montevallo. She is also certified in Orff Schulwerk having completed Levels 1-3 and Master Class. Robin has taught elementary music in Jefferson County schools for 30 years, specializing in general music for grades K-5 and elementary choir. She has composed music and served as a conductor for the Jefferson County Annual Music Festival All County Elementary Choir, taught summer music camps and offered private piano lessons after school. Prior to beginning her career as an elementary music specialist, Robin taught private piano at the University of Montevallo Preparatory Department, Samford University Predatory School of Music, Jefferson State Community College, Trussville School of Music and in her home. She is currently very involved with the music program of Founders Place at Home, a respite care program for those with memory loss at Saint Luke’s Episcopal Church.
♪ John Mark "Rowdy" Giles (tuba) is a low brass instructor with a Master's Degree in Music from The University of Alabama. A native of Hoover, AL, Rowdy attended Spain Park High School and is an active member of Vestavia Hills Baptist Church and the church choir. He studied tuba under Dr. Demondrae Thurman, as well as tuba and euphonium with Dr. Jeremy Crawford, at The University of Alabama where he completed both a Bachelor's degree and a Master's degree. After graduation, Rowdy began teaching privately and sectionals at schools such as Pizitz Middle School, Spain Park High School, and Tuscaloosa's Hillcrest Highschool while seeking performance opportunities. Rowdy is currently studying for a real estate license while continuing to engage in private lesson tutoring.
♪ Ryan Brown (guitar, bass, ukulele) is a native of Alabaster, Alabama, and attended Thompson High School, where he learned to play upright & electric bass in nationally acclaimed jazz bands & classical ensembles. After graduating in 2013, he enrolled in the University of North Alabama to play bass in the marching band, which performed as an exhibition group at the Drum Corps International Finals and the Percussive Arts Society International Conference. While in school, he performed as a member of the Shoals Symphony Orchestra and the UNA Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, and several percussion ensembles. Since returning to Birmingham, he has taught bass and guitar lessons to peers and younger students alike. He can be found playing electric and upright bass all over Birmingham and the Greater Southeast. He studies almost every style of American music, from Bluegrass to Prog Rock, and is always seeking out new challenges. If you know any Mongolian Throat Singers, he would love to get in touch.
♪ Tyra Shelley (voice, piano)
is a graduate of Carson-Newman University with a B.M. in Church Music and Samford University with a M.M. in Church Music with an emphasis in Choral Conducting. She has had many years of experience working in a church whether it is singing or conducting. Tyra was previously the assistant conductor of the Samford A Cappella Choir who won the 2023 Cantarode International Competition along with other awards that were presented there. Her voice can be heard singing background vocals in Common Hymnal's self titled album and can also be seen in the music videos. She has attended many programs for music and songwriting, but most recently was a part of the United Pursuit School of Worship in Orange County, CA. Tyra serves at VHMC by singing in the Chancel Choir and working as the director of the COA and assists with the children's choir ministries.