Sonia Kiernan

Sonia Kiernan began studying piano at the age of 7. By the age of 10 she had made her television debut with the New Jersey Network’s Youth Talent Showcase. Continuing her musical studies through high school, Sonia went onto receive a Bachelors and Masters in Piano Performance from Florida Atlantic University under the tutelage of Dr. Irena Kofman.

During her studies at FAU, Sonia was the treasurer and president to FAU’s Collegiate Music Educators National Conference (CMENC). After graduating with her Masters, Sonia went on to accompany West Palm Beach’s Opera Restoration Project as well as serve as accompanist to the Florida Vocal Association. Upon her return to New Jersey, Sonia was invited to perform at The Company Theater group’s Benefit Concert featuring several Broadway singers and veterans. She remains an active performer and accompanist in the Tri-State area.

In 2017, Sonia, along side Mark Weisman, founded the Piano Workshop at Bergen County. She is currently a member of The National Guild of Piano Teachers and NJ-MEA (Music Educators Association) with students participating in both organizations. She has also served as judge for the Mid Atlantic Music Teachers Guild Student Music Festival for the piano competition and evaluations. Students of Sonia Kiernan have been selected to perform at Teatro Italian Academy at Columbia University, Carnegie Hall, and have been accepted to Tri-M National Music Honor Society.

Christina Butler: Studio Manager

Christina Butler’s love for music began when she was just 9 and had learned how to play the clarinet for the school band. Soon after when she turned 12, she saved up all of her money to purchase her first keyboard for Christmas, and quickly taught herself piano, as well as ukulele and guitar.

Currently, she is studying at Bergen Community College and majoring in Business Studies with a focus in Accounting. 

Christina is happy to be helping out at Piano Workshop and excited to be apart of the musical community. 

I am a pianist, piano teacher, composer, and choir leader. I began learning to play piano at the age of eight; my achievements allowed me to receive honors certificates from professional pianists as well as a bachelor’s degree in classical piano studies when I continued my piano education into higher learning. Because of this, I am highly experienced in teaching classical piano music such as: sonatas, Bach inventions, preludes, and fugues.

As a teacher, I instruct my students by emphasizing certain aspects of teaching such as: performance, technique, posture, reading, and understanding the elements of any song. My method is to make students feel comfortable and excited about learning, giving them an amusing and enriching environment, and ultimately making the students want to return for more lessons. I believe that if students feel like class is fun, they gain
a confident personality and further enjoy learning to play. Having performed in solo concerts as well as concerts in which I was accompanied by violin and cello, I feel that performance can immensely build up a student’s musical expression. This applies to all my students no matter if they are beginners, intermediate, or advanced in their studies. 

I believe that learning and teaching are critical pursuits with which people interact. Research shows music develops any young mind, supports the brain in emotional, academic, spiritual, and physical activities. A music teacher should be motivated to aid every student to learn not only music, but creativity, intellectual skills, and more. Music is important for the development of any kids’ minds.

Juliet is a skilled piano instructor, helping students learn piano for over 10 years both in Manila, Philippines and in New York since arriving in the United States in the 1980s. 

A graduate of University Of The Philippines, Juliet has been performing since age 10. She has competed in a number of competitions and has performed on TV and live. Juliet studied at the Julliard School of Music in New York. She is a disciplined and resourceful instructor, providing a balanced mix of traditional and contemporary learning methods. Juliet adopts the latest techniques and learning methods, teaching individuals and groups in fun, relaxed environment. Juliet is proficient in helping students prepare for recitals, band auditions, solo performances and school events. She is skilled in exposing students to a variety of styles, scales and theory techniques, and encouraging a well-rounded music education.  Her speciality is teaching young kids as early as 5 years old and offering excellent and adaptable communication skills, especially with younger children with a fun and relaxed teaching style. 

From Juliet: “I always remember Victor Hugo's quote on music: ‘Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.’ So, play on!”

Jesse Minikes has been studying music since age 5, and has been performing for almost as long. Jesse received a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Guitar Performance from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, along with a Minor in Music Education. While in Philadelphia, Jesse was selected as the guitarist for the Rick Kerber Tribute Ensemble Big Band two years in a row. He performed around Philadelphia and at numerous weddings and private events with the Jesse Minikes Trio, performing both jazz piano and guitar.

Jesse has played a diverse group of musical styles including jazz, rock and roll, classical, hip-hop, blues, bluegrass, soul, funk, and Latin. In 2015 Jesse became an Adjunct Professor of Music at Bergen Community College where he taught music theory, music history, guitar lessons, as well as accompanying the BCC Choir and vocal workshops. In addition to guitar and piano, Jesse also plays trumpet, banjo, bass guitar, and ukulele. He has worked with all ages and ability levels, including as a piano instructor at the Tenafly Montessori School with students as young as 4 years old, and has also worked with a student of 92 years old! Jesse also gave several lecture/concerts on “Music and Medicine” and the “History of Jazz” at various locations around the tri-state area, including senior centers, country clubs, and synagogues.

Jesse is as passionate about teaching as he is about music in general, and is thrilled to be part of the Piano Workshop at Bergen County team!

Hailing from New Jersey, hard rock guitarist and award winning film/video game composer John Kiernan grips audiences globally with heart wrenching compositions, unbridled guitar virtuosity and a mastery in an array of genres. His fans describe his work at the sit-down session of guitar virtuosos Steve Vai, Eddie Van Halen and Andy James with composer Hans Zimmer.

John’s self-released rock instrumental album “Of Oceans” in 2013 showcased his unique blend of memorable melodies with dynamic, vigorous compositions. His work has allowed him to the stage with acts such as Slash, Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators, Gus G (current guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne), Foxy Shazzam!, and other notable acts. John also represented Ernie Ball and Gravity Guitar Picks at his performance at The annual NAMM Show in 2015. John is currently working on his next release, “Horizons”, which will feature internationally acclaimed cellist Tina Guo and will showcase John’s musical artistry with the incorporation of orchestral and digital instrumentation.

As a composer for video games, film and television, he started his own music composition company Sound Kettle Productions. His compositions have won multiple awards at ZedFest 2014 and ShriekFest 2013 & 2014’s “Best Original Score” categories with award winning director Anthony Mezza’s “One Last Kiss” and “Cut To Pieces”. John’s music has been featured in national commercials, such as Pennsylvania’s FOX News’ Mother’s Day 2014 announcement. John as recently completed music for the 2016 feature film “Star Crossed Lovers” and is the official composer for the animated series, “InGame”.

During his time at Florida Atlantic University, he worked closely with acclaimed composer Stuart Glazer, Grammy Award Winning producer Michael Zager, and Latin GRAMMY Nominated producer Alejandro Sanchez-Samper. John has also studied under the tutelage of Italian composer and guitarist Daniele Gottardo (virtuoso Steve Vai’s choice of favorite modern guitar player) and Guitar World/Premiere Guitar Magazine’s columnist and Chimaira guitarist Emil Werstler.

John currently teaches private lessons along with our music technology class. His lessons have been known to cover modern music industry pillars such as performance, stylistic versatility, technology and modern business practices of the music industry. From the age of ten years old, John has followed a musical direction that demands musical expression, technical virtuosity and modern and fun teaching methodologies that he imparts upon his students.

Endorsements include : Ernie Ball, Balaguer Guitars, Jim Dunlop Guitar Products,
BluGuitar Amplification, and Xvive Audio.

Maya Reyes, daughter of Ray Drummond (world renowned jazz bassist and former Juilliard Jazz Faculty), grew up singing in bands, choirs, and dancing ballet all her life. She also plays clarinet, oboe, bass, and piano.

Former Assistant Director to both the New Jerusalem Choir and Orchestra, Maya volunteers regularly with ASEZ (Save the Earth from A to Z), an organization promoting world peace through various events and clean-ups. ASEZ has received UN recognition as well as the Green Apple Award for its “Reduce Crime Together” Campaign.

She has also made various appearances and recordings for the World Mission Society Church of God, performing for an audience over 30,000 in Korea, as well as making her Alice Tully debut with “Working Together for World Peace”.

Maya loves music & the arts and is excited to be joining the Piano Workshop Family!

Randy Fernandez began studying piano at the age of 6. Randy was awarded The Piano High School Diploma in Social Music in 2009, under the tutelage of the late Maria Fragela.

Randy holds a Bachelor’s degree in Musical Studies from William Paterson University. During his time at WPU, Randy took classes to learn how to play Flute, Clarinet, Trumpet, Percussion, and even voice classes. Randy went through the WPU classical track as a pianist, under the tutelage of Frank Pavese and Soyeon Park. It was at WPU where Randy has performed at many piano, percussion, and voice ensembles. He specializes in teaching beginner, intermediate, and advanced level piano. Randy also has experience in preparing young High School piano students to be ready for an audition to enter a college music program. Randy has been teaching piano and percussion privately since 2017.

“To me, my greatest strengths as a piano teacher are patience, confidence, working on musical dynamics, musical phrasing, and technique. I empathize in making sure that my students are having fun in class with me, as well as learning on how to play piano the right way. I’m very thankful to be a part of The Piano Workshop Team!”

  I received a Bachelor of Science in Music Education from California State University in Fullerton, CA.  I came back home to Jersey and got my teaching certificate which led to 30 years of teaching in the public school system.  I love working with children and seeing that excitement that comes from finding success in making music for themselves.  When they can sing a song or play a piece, and their eyes light up, I know I have done my job.  Music has a power to move, inspire and change children in a way that nothing else can.  I am excited to continue to work with children in the Piano Workshop.  

Zachariah Lambert avidly studies the jazz and classical traditions while remaining true to his roots in blues and rock guitar. Balancing the roles of performer and composer, Zach actively combines elements of all his influences, defying the limits of genre and challenging audience’s expectations of what music can be.

Over the course of his career, Zach has performed at Dizzy’s at Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, The Meyerhoff, Small’s, Keystone Korner, and An Die Musik. Zach has attended the School of Improvised Music’s Summer Intensive in 2018 and the Alternative Guitar Summit in 2021 and 2022. Here he was able to attend masterclasses with Kurt Rosenwinkle, John Scofield, Bill Frisell, Gilad Hekselman and Julian Lage.

Originally from Baltimore Maryland, Zach attended Towson University and received his Bachelor of Music in 2022. While at Towson, Zach studied both jazz and classical guitar performance as well as music composition. In 2023 Zach moved to New Jersey to peruse a master’s in music composition from William Paterson University.

When teaching, Zach’s main goal is to inspire and foster the creativity of his students. Zach believes that musical growth is the result of balancing disciplined study and practice with exploration of your own creative ideas. Zach also encourages students to be patient with themselves and to not compare their progress to others. It is easy to think of learning as a linear process when more realistically it is a cyclical process. Unlearning, relearning, getting stuck and burning out are all integral parts of a student’s musical journey and should not be viewed as unproductive. Lastly, Zach encourages his students not to judge their musical ideas since judgment kills creativity. If a student sees value in something, others will too.