Bonnie Johansen-Werner
Bonnie Johansen-Werner is a freelance musician in Joliet, Illinois where she teaches piano, voice, and composition in her private studio.
She teaches music theory, sight-singing, and ear training at the University of St. Francis where she also serves as one of the staff accompanists.
In addition, she teaches applied voice at Joliet Junior College.
Bonnie publishes with The United Methodist Publishing House, Alliance Publications, and Darcey Press.
She is a member of ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers), the American Composers Forum, the Iowa Composers Federation, the Illinois Association of Teachers of Music, the National Guild of Piano Teachers (American College of Musicians), Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), and the Fellowship of United Methodists in Music and Worship Arts.
She is active in the Joliet Area Music Teachers Association.
She is a Colleague in the American Guild of Organists (CAGO) and participates in the Fox Valley AGO chapter.
Bonnie is a Diaconal Minister in The United Methodist Church, affiliated with Grace United Methodist Church in Naperville.
In addition she is one of the staff organists at St. Luke Presbyterian church in Downer's Grove.
Her compositions are primarily for choir, vocal solo, and keyboard (mostly organ). Her most recent publications are "Variations on 'Antioch'" (Joy to the World) for organ which was released in July of 2006 and "Variations on 'Nun danket'" (Now Thank We All Our God), released in December of 2006. Her composition teachers include Alice Parker, Richard Hillert, and Carl Schalk. She has graduate training in voice and vocal pedagogy, studying with Karen Brunssen. She also trained as an observer and accompanist in lessons with the late Bernard Taylor of New York City. Bonnie is currently training in the Taubman technique of piano performance with Teresa Dybvig of New York. Bonnie has a B.M.U. in Music from Augustana College, magna cum laude, where she majored in piano performance, an M.C.M. from Concordia University (River Forest) where she pursued an emphasis in liturgical composition, has served as a full-time organist/choral director at First United Methodist Church in Moline, Illinois, and served as the McCosh Assistant Professor of Music at Upper Iowa University for 13 years. She has completed graduate theological studies at Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary, Methesco, and the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary. Bonnie is married to Duane Werner and is the parent of two adult children, Matthew and Rebekah, and grandparent to Victoria and Matthew.