Our Instructors
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.
We are proud to offer a wide array of instructors, all with expertise in their chosen field of study.

Jacob McDonald
With over 12 years of experience playing and 5 teaching, Jacob McDonald is an excellent musician and teacher. With a degree in Piano Performance from Chico State he can teach you anything you want to play.
Jacob plays keys in the Melli Farias Band in addition to being a solo pianist for private events and local venues.

Kevin Killion
Kevin Killion is a locally born and raised musician, who has taught music for over 15 years to a variety of people and skill levels.
Their instrument focus is brass /woodwinds, and can teach everything from stringed instruments to keyboards.
Kevin has developed a unique teaching style that meets the needs of any student, from the bedroom guitar strummer to the determined professional performer.
Kevin leads and plays in Smokey the Groove,

Teddy Reese Villafranca
Teddy Reese is a musician from the Bay Area with over 20 years of drumming experience. Currently attending Chico State's Recording Arts Program (2023) he freelances around Chico both drumming and engineering for various Chico artists.
Reese plays for various local bands, including the Melli Farias Band.

Acie "Twitch" Shiff
Enthralled with theater and music from a young age, Acie "Twitch" Schiff gravitated to the arts after seeing countless large musical productions in Hollywood. Twitch began training in drama at age seven and since then has lived a life of creating art and music and drama that communicates art through the human experience. They are currently working on a production company focusing on creating safe space shows and events, emphasizing on safety towards queer people like themself.
Acie plays in the local bands Spacey Acie and the Space Cadets and Squidgrrrl.

Yahmo Ahqha
Yahmo is a multi-instrumentalist with twenty years of professional live performance experience. He is a guitar player, bassist, drummer and singer with a certification in recording arts for musicians from Butte College.
Yahmo plays in the band Secondhand Smoke.

Simon Burgess
Simon is a multi-instrumentalist who has been performing live music for six years. His instruments include guitar, bass, piano, ukulele, and vocals. He is studying at Chico State for a Bachelor’s in Recording Arts.

Benjamin Daw
Ben Daw's expertise in the Professional Audio Industry includes former work as an Audio Repair Technician at GrandMaster Recorders in Hollywood, CA and Lead Tech/General Manager for Alan Dickson at Aurora Audio. Ben now continues his professional career as the Pro Audio Dept Manager, In house Repair Tech, Audio Engineer, Bass Guitar Teacher, and Performer in the local band, Pretty Pills.

Danny Colahan
Danny spent their childhood surrounded by art and theater. They attended many drama camps and spent most of their free time playing with watercolors or writing poetry.
What started as a love of painting blossomed into a passion for creating. Danny graduated with a BA in Art from Evergreen State College. They now have an impressive portfolio that includes darkroom prints, watercolor paintings, conceptual studio photography, and a handful of unfinished scarfs.
Danny is in the local duo, Twitch & Bug as well as Spacey Acie and the Space Cadets.