Ben Rubin (Owner and Lead Teacher, Guitar, Bass, Ukulele, Music Theory, Beginner Piano)
Ben Rubin comes to New Jersey via Ohio, South Carolina, and North Carolina. But he has lived here for over a decade and has made Jersey City his permanent home. Ben began JC Instrumental 15 years ago as a way to make extra money during grad school and has developed it into a neighborhood institution. He plays numerous instruments and views music as a holistic skill, with the specifics of each instrument being simply a tool for communicating. He believes in integrating theory, improvisation, and composition into all instrumental technique, and in tailoring instruction to each student’s individual goals and interests. He has an especially strong background in theory and composition, and enjoys working with adults, teens and children equally, as well as with both beginners and advanced students.
Ben has also become a fixture of the Jersey City music scene, playing in numerous local bands and ensembles. Currently he plays lead guitar for Look of Love, and bass for Delta Vice. He also runs the JC Instrumental Open Mic, a space for local musicians and artists to showcase and workshop their current projects and provide feedback and support to each other. Ben views his roles as teacher, performer, and community facilitator as fundamentally inseparable. All three are core to the mission of JC Instrumental. He lives in the neighborhood with his wife, Dana, and two young daughters, Sylvie and Maisie.
Carmen Arrojo (Percussion, Latin Music)
Sofia Oro (Songwriting, Voice, Guitar)
Sofia Oro is a singer-songwriter and guitarist from Jersey City. She is in her senior year at Montclair State University studying Jazz Voice, Guitar and Music Education. She has been actively teaching privately for the past 4 years, as well as group band classes and early elementary “Mommy and Me” music classes. She has also been an active performer in the NJ/NYC music scene. She performs her original songs both solo and with her band, spanning the genres of rock, folk, blues, and jazz.
Her teaching style emphasizes achieving growth through mastering songs, writing music, and learning music theory, as well as expanding musical tastes across multiple genres. Every student is different, which is why she has learned to be adaptive as an educator. Sofia believes each student needs to be set up for success, providing the necessary tools and instruction for practicing at home. She also works with students on improving their accompaniment skills, emphasizing the skill of playing an instrument and singing together.
Lara Savage (Guitar, Bass, Piano, Music Production)
Max Thornton (Piano, Flute, Voice,)
Max Thornton begged his parents for piano lessons almost as soon as he could talk, and took up the flute a few years later when he realized it was more portable. He holds a grade 8 ABRSM qualification in both instruments. Max grew up in Alabama, Kenya, and Scotland, but is proud to call New Jersey home now. He has always loved music for its ability to communicate beyond words and to bring people together. Highlights of his musical career include accompanying an amateur production of The Jungle Book, working as the music director at a summer camp in Maine, playing with the Edinburgh Light Orchestra, and being a founding member of a queer chorus in Des Moines, Iowa. He loves Bach, Beethoven, Broadway, strange experimental music, and 1970s progressive rock. His other musical hobbies include barbershop singing and tap dancing.