Ms. Johansen-Werner is passionate about her students. Every child has their own interests, learning styles, and goals. As their teacher, Bonnie thrives on seeking the keys that open music to each child, meeting them where they are and nudging them into new worlds of expression. Her extensive experience teaching piano is tremendously beneficial to her students.
Bonnie currently teaches Keyboard Skills at the University of St. Francis in Joliet in addition to teaching piano in her private studio. She recently completed a one year position directing the Class Piano program at Joliet Junior College, retiring from JJC to focus on her private studio.
Her considerable experience teaching piano began when she taught her first piano lessons while still in high school in Barrington, Illinois. But her skills and ability as a teacher have grown significantly through the decades.
Ms. Johansen-Werner trained in piano at Augustana College (Rock Island, IL) where she earned a Bachelor of Music Performance degree, emphasis in piano performance. At Augustana she studied with Brynolf Lundholm (MM Eastman School of Music) and Dr. Ronald Moore (DMA, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL). She continued her professional training in the area of composition, earning a Master of Church Music degree at Concordia University, emphasis in liturgical composition, where she studied with Richard Hillert Richard Hillert and Carl Schalk.
Between her degree studies, Bonnie began a private piano studio in the Quad-Cities (Illinois), taking her students to National Federation of Music Clubs competitions and National Guild of Piano Teachers auditions. In teaching piano, she focused on developing well-rounded musicians who learned technique, sight-reading, and performance skills.
Today, students in her Joliet, Illinois studio (est. 2003) perform in recitals or concerts several times per year. Two formal recitals are held each year in which students perform. Other performing opportunities include biennial performances at PianoFest, performances at area churches, annual recitals of the Southwest Area Music Teachers Association (SAMTA), and performances at Guild (American College of Musicians/National Guild of Piano Teachers).
As new life situations demand new skills, teaching piano now means preparing students to perform in online recitals and attend Guild Auditions via prepared video auditions. The ability to adapt one’s skills to the needs of the times is vital. Teaching piano easily adapts to many situations.
Lessons in piano incorporate performance, technique, and theory. Students work on ear training and note reading in addition to studying piano literature from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Modern eras. Technique is used as a problem solving tool … when a passage is difficult to learn we immediately examine technique issues to find ways to play more musically and develop speed. Ms. Johansen-Werner continues her professional development by studying Taubman technique with Dr. Teresa Dybvig of Long Island, New York.
