Ben Rubin (Owner and Lead Teacher, Music Theory, Bass, Guitar, Ukulele, Piano)
Ben Rubin comes to New Jersey via Ohio, Indiana, 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 and two young daughters.
Carmen Arrojo (Percussion, Latin Music)
Carmen Arrojo is a Jersey City born and Hudson County raised percussionist. She specializes in instruments such as marimba, cajón, and congas. She plays in the NY metro area with bands of different genres, and provides musical experiences for early childhood students. Her passion lies in preserving folklore of all people in order to serve her community. Carmen leads classes in both English and Spanish.
Sanvi Belwal (Indian Classical Music, Vocals, Guitar, Production)
Belwal is a vocalist, music producer, and songwriter. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Hindustani Classical Vocals as well as a degree in Contemporary Writing and Production from Berklee College of Music. Blending her Indian classical foundation with modern techniques, Sanvi brings creativity, technical expertise, and a collaborative spirit to every project, helping her students bring their musical vision to life. Sanvi leads classes in both English and Hindi.
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)
Lara Savage is a multi instrumentalist, songwriter, and composer born and raised in Jersey City. At the age of 4 she was given a Casio keyboard and the rest is history.
She studied Classical Guitar with Dr. Ana Maria Rosado as a Music Business and History Major at New Jersey City University. Through the university she performed at Carnegie Hall twice and played for the Gothic Knights NCAA Division III Softball team. Lara recently completed certifcate programs at Berklee College of Music’s Music Business, Music Education for Teachers, The Business of Music Production, Writing, and Producing Music in Your Home Studio, and The DIY Musician Specialization programs.
She performed and worked as a guitar tech for several touring and non touring bands before finding herself playing bass in Bad Case of Big Mouth which later signed to Eulogy Recordings. She currently plays bass in Look of Love with Ben Rubin and performs her solo music using a loop station, a guitar, and a microphone, songs mostly curated using GarageBand and Logic Pro. Aside from her music work, she was also a background actor on the Netflix series Orange is the New Black for four seasons as an inmate as well as a handful of other popular shows and movies.
Lara teaches a variety of instruments and music styles with a current focus on Pop, Musical Theatre/Musicals, and Song Arrangement / Demo Making for Songwriters. She is always happy to share her musical knowledge, technique, and experiences while performing to sometimes very large crowds, and other times empty rooms.
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.