THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE MUSIC
Meet the instructors
who make this place.
World-class training. Genuine passion. The kind of teachers who actually make students look forward to their lessons.
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Zaire W.
Piano Instructor
Bonnie C.
Founder, Director, Piano Instructor
Katie J.
Piano Instructor
Will B.
Voice Instructor
Jim C.
Guitar Instructor
Marlena S.
Piano, Violin, Harp Instructor
Makiah R.
Voice & Piano Instructor
Bonnie C.
Founder, Director, Advanced Piano Instructor
A professional, classically trained pianist with over 25 years of experience. She began her piano studies in Hunterdon County at the age of five, and continued in New York City under the guidance of her teacher from Athens, Greece. She performed regularly in recitals at Columbia University for over 10 years. Bonnie is a graduate of Kutztown University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in Piano and Organ Performance, having piano professors from both Juilliard and Manhattan School of Music. Remarkably, she became a music director at the age of 12 and still currently holds that position at a local church. She has extensive experience in teaching, and accompanying choirs, orchestras, and chamber ensembles.
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Driven by a passion to build a community where individuals can learn, connect, inspire, create, and grow; she designed Signature Music to be more than just a place for lessons. Her goal is to provide a nurturing environment where students of all ages and skill levels can explore their musical talents, achieve their personal goals, and become part of a supportive musical community.
Katie J.
Piano Instructor
Katie Johnson graduated from Mansfield University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance, having studied piano and piano pedagogy under Dr. Eun-Joo Kwak. While at Mansfield, she accompanied the University choirs, including their performance at Carnegie Hall in 2023. She was the winner of the 2022 Mansfield University Concerto Competition and selected to perform in the Dorothy Sutton Performance Festival.
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Since graduating, Katie has been accompanying and teaching piano lessons in Northern and Central New Jersey. She is excited to teach at Signature Music and share her love for the instrument!
Katie J.
Piano Instructor
Katie Johnson graduated from Mansfield University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance, having studied piano and piano pedagogy under Dr. Eun-Joo Kwak. While at Mansfield, she accompanied the University choirs, including their performance at Carnegie Hall in 2023. She was the winner of the 2022 Mansfield University Concerto Competition and selected to perform in the Dorothy Sutton Performance Festival.
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Since graduating, Katie has been accompanying and teaching piano lessons in Northern and Central New Jersey. She is excited to teach at Signature Music and share her love for the instrument!
Makiah R.
Voice & Piano Instructor
Conductor and Soprano Makiah Robinson holds a Bachelor's in Music Performance from Kean University and is currently pursuing her Masters's in Choral Conducting at Westminster Choir College.
She currently serves as the soprano section leader at Lamington Presbyterian church. Makiah has appeared as the soprano soloist for Mozart’s Requiem, Duruflé’s Requiem, Fauré’s Requiem, Bach’s Magnificat, and many other notable works.
Outside of her time performing and conducting, Makiah has taught private voice/piano for five years and enjoys contributing to her students' musical and personal growth.
Jim C.
Guitar Instructor
Jim is an exceptional Guitar, Bass, Ukulele, Mandolin and Songwriting teacher with over 30 years of experience! Jim is also a Billboard Hit Songwriter, Publisher and Award Winning Producer. His #2 Smash Hit "I'm Not Coming Down", recorded by Multi-Grammy Nominated Singer, Martha Wash, topped several Billboard charts for Two Weeks straight! Then, it went on to become an International Hit! Jim has had over 100 songs recorded by Artists all over the world, including Artists from The Voice, American Idol and America’s Got Talent. His songs have appeared in NBC, ABC, Fox, Showtime and Hulu TV shows as
well as Sony, Netflix and HBO Films!
As a teacher, Jim is very proud of his students! Some have gone to college for music, landed record deals, written Hit Songs, as well as toured, played at cafes, churches, or just strummed their guitars on the back porch! Jim often says: "Young or old, everybody can learn an instrument and enjoy the power of playing music!"
Will B.
Voice Instructor
Will is a professional Tenor vocalist from Portland, Oregon. He began his vocal studies in 2013, and has since gone on to perform professionally both as a soloist and in ensembles in both North America and Europe. Currently, Will performs regularly as a church musician in New York City. He has an intimate knowledge of the inner workings of the voice and all of its many mechanisms, and is so excited for the opportunity to share that knowledge, as well as his love of singing, with his students at Signature Music!
Will is a graduate from Boston Conservatory at Berklee ('21) and Boston University ('23), where he holds a Bachelor of Music and a Master of Music in Voice Performance, respectively.
Zaire W.
Piano Instructor
Zaire is a talented and knowledgeable musician who excels as a pianist, multi-instrumentalist, and singer-songwriter. His expertise in music theory and composition extends across various genres, including pop, rock, funk, jazz, neo-soul, and R&B. Passionate about both teaching and performing, Zaire has captured audiences with his piano skills in various cover and original bands. In addition to piano, he also has experience playing the the flute and drums, which his versatility and depth. He continues his craft in jazz piano performance and composition at Raritan Valley Community College. Zaire’s love for music is evident in his dedication to formal education and his joy in sharing his perspective and expertise with others.
Marlena S.
Piano, Violin, Harp Instructor
Marlena is a dedicated music educator with over two decades of experience teaching brass, strings, vocals, keyboards, and percussion. A proud graduate of Harvard University, she has cultivated a vibrant career as both a soloist and ensemble performer, delving into sacred, classical, historical, and folk music.
As a past President of the Historical Harp Society, Marlena champions the preservation of musical heritage. She played with Urban Myth, a world historical blend group, and was featured on their acclaimed CD, Ex Urbe.
In addition to her extensive performance career, Marlena is deeply involved in church music ministries. She regularly performs in church choirs, conducts an adult handbell choir, and leads inspiring Sunday School hand chime performances, sharing her passion for music with diverse audiences and communities.
​Let's Get in Touch!
Signature Music
Shoppes at the Farm
667 US-22 E Unit 380
Whitehouse Station, NJ 08889
Have questions or want to book a lesson? Please fill out this form or contact us directly. We would love to hear from you!
