Meet the piano Staff

Molly began her music career in her family's band called Self Animation where she recorded and performed both original and cover songs as a singer, pianist, and saxophonist. 

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Her frequent moves around NJ have led her to study music at The County College of Morris, Essex, and Union. She had been in select ensembles for singing, jazz piano, and saxophone. She has recorded at the famous Cutting Room Studio in New York and worked with artists such as Frankie Zulferino, Christina Salgado, and Robert Tolppi. 

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Molly has played piano and sang in many live performances, both as a soloist and in the band No Time Lost. Her most notable performance was at the Dunkin Lounge at iHeartRadio. She continues to record original songs both written by herself, her father, and her maternal grandpa. Recent videos of Molly singing and playing piano can always be found on her well-known and verified TikTok page (@mollymusicandstuff). 

When she's not making music she's probably painting or playing with cats.

Lauren Brodowski is a current graduate student, studying Music Therapy, at Montclair State University. She received her Bachelors in Music Performance from Kean University in 2018. While at Kean, she not only was a full-time student but also taught dance to a wide range of students in her spare time. Music has always been a huge part of Lauren's life. She has been involved with her school's music programs including choir, dance, cheerleading, and theater from the second grade all the way through her Bachelor's degree. She is excited to continue working with students teaching both voice and piano lessons. She marries her degrees and current focus in music therapy by working with each individual student to create a learning plan that meets their goals and expectations.

Francesca was born into a musical family and began performing at the tender age of 5 with the Metropolitan Opera Children’s Chorus in New York City, with her debut on the Lincoln Center stage with the visiting Bolshoi Opera’s production of Rimsky-Korsakov’s Mlada.  From there, she went on to perform as a vocalist in numerous productions with the children’s chorus at both the Met Opera and Carnegie Hall. She began focused study of classical piano in Manhattan School of Music’s Saturday Preparatory Division, and continued with her musical studies there until her acceptance into Sarah Lawrence College. There, Francesca fell in love with jazz, blues, impressionism, and experimental musical expression, and started teaching herself guitar.  

After college, she gigged as a pianist throughout the tri-state area, at venues such as the Brooklyn Museum, the Sidewalk Cafe, as well as in a return to Carnegie Hall, this time as accompanist to a junior violinist performing a Bruch violin concerto in Weill Recital Hall. As a vocalist, she began collaborating with producers in the Bushwick, Brooklyn area. This time after college was when rock and roll took hold as a passion. 

Francesca felt drawn to the southwest, performing original songs in New Orleans’ Jackson Square, then living in Austin, Texas, through the SXSW and Levitation music festivals. She also traveled to the Scottish Borders, UK to contribute an original track to a benefit album for the Chisholme Institute, a residential retreat and study facility. 

Upon her return to the northeast, she took private piano students in Bucks County, PA, and was the lower school vocal teacher at Villa Victoria Academy in Ewing, NJ.  In 2022 she recorded a cover of Syd Barrett’s song “She Took a Long Cold Look at Me” for the WFMU radio station fundraiser. She has been on the radio twice on the “Feelings” show on Tuesday afternoons.

Since the pandemic, Francesca has sung live music for Monday night flow classes at Alluem Yoga, Cranford, and lives in Garwood with her husband and two daughters. Francesca believes deeply in the holistic importance of music as a practice and enjoys working with children and engaging with their natural beginners’ minds. Francesca values the fun of the jam, the curiosity of improvisation, and the joy music brings everyone. 

Makiah is a Soprano and Conductor who teaches private voice and piano lessons. She obtained her Bachelor’s of Music in Music Performance from Kean University in 2022 and is currently working on her Master’s of Music in Choral Conducting at Westminster Choir College.

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After graduating from Kean University, Makiah began serving as the Soprano Section Leader at Lamington Presbyterian church and began teaching private lessons shortly after. Makiah is currently the Assistant Conductor for Voices Chorale New Jersey and is a member of the Community Chorale at Kean University. 

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Makiah’s goal is to give composers the voices they deserve and to shape the lives of aspiring musicians.

Michael is an exceptionally personable and easy-going individual who brings a contagious sense of humor to his teaching. With a solid formal background in music, he has dedicated the past three years to fostering a love for music at Mount Saint Mary Academy, where he excels in engaging younger learners.

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Starting his musical journey at a young age, Michael began with piano and nurtured his passion throughout school, ultimately earning his Bachelor's degree in Piano Performance from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ.

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As the current Director of Instrumental Music at Mount Saint Mary Academy in Watchung, NJ, Michael is a student-centered and enthusiastic band director. He possesses strong teaching skills and effective classroom management techniques. A key focus of his teaching philosophy is to connect music to real-world experiences, helping students forge lasting bonds with their instruments.

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While his primary instrument is piano, Michael is proficient in all band instruments, catering to beginners and beyond. As a father, he has a special talent for working patiently with young children, making music accessible and enjoyable for all.

Liz Knickerbocker-Gavidia is a multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter residing in Newark, NJ. She began her musical journey at the age of 7, starting with the violin and studying at the Flint Institute of Music (FIM) in Flint, MI. Liz continued her studies throughout high school, college, and beyond. At 14, she began assistant teaching in FIM’s group string classes for violin, viola, and cello. Shortly after, she started teaching private violin lessons to students of all ages, a role she has embraced on and off for nearly 16 years.

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Over the years, Liz expanded her musical repertoire by adding piano, guitar, ukulele, trumpet, and classical voice. She has had the privilege of performing and recording with orchestras, quartets, bands, and as a solo artist across the United States. In addition to her performance experience, Liz continues to teach both individual and group classes for all ages and abilities on her various instruments, as well as songwriting and applied music theory.

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Most recently, Liz has been working towards her BA in Music Therapy at California State University, Northridge. She was accepted into the Music Therapy internship at The Louis Armstrong Department of Music Therapy at Beth Israel Medical Center in NYC and is set to graduate in June 2025.

Liz brings a deep passion for music and music therapy into her teaching. Her style revolves around catering to each student's unique needs and goals, and she loves to explore new genres while continuously seeking to expand her own musical aspirations.

Josep Mejia is a musician, producer, and audio engineer from Elizabeth, NJ. He started studying guitar at the age of 12 and quickly developed a passion for music that led him into exploring all dimensions of it. Josep has worked with students of all ages and skill levels for over 4 years, helping them develop a good relationship with music and improve their musical abilities in piano, guitar, and bass. His motto as a teacher is “Be 1% better every day.” 

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Josep has been involved in the NJ/NY local music scene, having played in numerous venues and gigs with his band Los Vincis and other local artists. He continues to play live, produce and release original music, always striving to get better and always eager to learn more. 

A singer-songwriter from Clark, New Jersey, Dom describes himself as the bridge between rock and soul. Though he was exposed to classical piano at five years old, being raised on the radio hits of the 2000's gave him the ability to sing, and the goal to be just like those singers. At fifteen, he taught himself how to play the guitar, penned his first song, and hasn’t looked back. His solo discography may be small, but he primarily collaborates and pitches his best work to recording artists all over the globe while crafting an artist image of his own. His passion and work ethic earned his B.M. at Berklee College of Music in 2023, focusing heavily on music production, business, and songwriting. While there, he also studied vocal performance and anatomy, playing from New England to London and many more while coaching his peers to find their sound.

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After living in Boston, Massachusetts for 5 years, Dom returned home in 2023 to pursue opportunities around New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. While he believes that technique and repertoire hold great importance in practice, he structures his lessons to focus more on artistic development, warmly welcoming and molding creative minds who strive to express their ideas and emotions through music.

Dan Hutchinson is rapidly becoming one of the most recognizable faces on the Jersey shore music scene. A student of Andy Fusco (Buddy Rich) and Walt Weiskopf (Steely Dan), Dan has played in hundreds of venues on the east coast with several bands. He currently performs with 9South, the Jonzes, The Joe Baracata Band, Michelle Moore (the E Street Band), the Nerds, and pop artist Frankie Zulferino. ​ In addition to playing various wind instruments and piano, Dan is also a singer. As a founding member of the Garden State Sound Quartet, he has sung at the Crossroads in Garwood, several town concerts, and at the Union County Performing Arts Center as an opening act for Voiceplay. ​ Dan’s passion for music developed at a very young age, and his favorite way to channel that passion is in attempting to inspire the same love for it in his students. After majoring in music education at Kean University, he decided that the public school music scene wasn’t for him, and that he would flourish much more in a 1-on-1 lesson environment. He is proud to be on the RMC teaching roster since 2013.

George Maher is currently pursuing a bachelors degree in jazz trumpet performance at Mason Gross School of the Arts, at Rutgers University. At school, George performs with RU's Jazz Ensemble I under the direction of trombonist, Professor Conrad Herwig. This group has had the privilege of performing at The Blue Note jazz club in New York City, and has performed with guest artists such as, Orrin Evans, Michael Phillip Mossman, Tanya Darby, and Joe Magnarelli. 

George originally hails from Connecticut where for three years of high school where he attended the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts, in Hartford, CT. At the Academy, George performed in a small ensemble under the director of Jimmy Greene, and Kris Allen. He also performed in the award winning Academy Big Band, lead by Douglas Maher. 

Kara Bohorquez is a graduate of Montclair State University, John J. Cali School of Music with a BA in classical Bass performance. She has performed at Carnegie Hall 6 times with prestigious artists such as Sarah McLachlan and James Galway. In addition to her classical studies, Kara has also been trained in other styles of music, particularly jazz, and has taken up a variety of instruments. 

Kara is equipped to teach upright Bass, electric Bass, Piano, Guitar, Vocals and theory. Kara has toured the country with NJ Break Contest winners, “Wyland,” and even headlined events such as the Skate and Surf Music Festival. With her experience in performing, 

Kara specializes not only in teaching instruments but also helping her students build up the confidence to either play for an audience or to just discover their passion for music.

Eric graduated from Rutgers University: Mason Gross School of Arts with a degree in Viola Performance. He studied under Lark Quartet Violist, Kathryn Lockwood and Philadelphia Orchestra principal Violist C.J Chang. Has been studying music since the age of 5, starting with Violin and then Piano at the age of 7, and switching to Viola prior to college. Eric has extensive experience with NJ Regional and All-State auditions, and has attended the International Chamber Music Course Festival in China and Italy. Eric has several years of experience teaching music using an adaptive and holistic approach. He has also had success teaching students with physical and mental disabilities using violin and piano as a source of physical therapy. He also has experience preparing students for advanced orchestra auditions and chamber group auditions in public schools. Having been engrossed in music for over two decades, he is always eager to share his experiences.

Liz Robbins has been singing and studying music for her entire life, thanks to her musical family and upbringing. She completed her Bachelor’s in Music Education at Berry College in Rome, GA, her home state. During this time, Liz studied voice and piano privately in addition to being the assistant choir director and co-teaching Kindermusik classes on campus.

Liz began working for RMC while completing her Master’s in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ. Here Liz found her true passion for understanding the singing mechanism and how to utilize it healthily for a variety of styles and genres. She is trained in and performs Classical/Opera, Musical Theater, Jazz, Rock, Folk/Country and Contemporary Commercial Music. Liz’s primary goal as a music educator is to help all of her students find and cultivate their passion for music, no matter what the genre or style!

Mayling Martinez was exposed to music at the very early age of two. Always singing, her family quickly realized she had a very unique singing voice. Mayling began her formal piano studies at 5 years old.

In her years as a student, she participated in the National Guild of Piano Teachers (NGPT), a prestigious organization that offers piano exams with well qualified judges worldwide grading these certificates. Mayling graduated with high honors from the Piano Guild in 1999. She subsequently obtained her teaching certificate in 2000, and has continued to hold a large private studio of talented and dedicated piano students for more than 20 years.

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Mayling believes that music has the power to truly heal, inspire and transform lives. She intends to use her musical gifts to empower students to have fun and enjoy the process of discovering their unique talents while developing their full potential. ​ Fun Fact: Mayling played with her first professional Latin music band as the principal keyboardist at the age of 14, and has performed with numerous other local Latin bands for many years.

John has been playing piano since the age of 6 and playing drums, bass, and guitar since the age of 10. John has been teaching and instructing students on these instruments for the past 3 years. John draws his influences from many genres and artists, including Led Zeppelin, The Police, as well as D’Angelo and James Jamerson. In his free time, John writes music in various genres including; R&B, Bossa Nova, Jazz, Hip Hop, and Rock. 
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John has studied under many teachers over the years for each instrument. Most recently, John studied under Carlos Vazques of Mason Gross College of the Arts at Rutgers University, where he focused on Conga Performance. 
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This past year, John earned his degree in Education from Middlesex County College, and he will be going on to study English and Music Education at Kean University.
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John has found a passion for teaching students of any age, from beginner to advanced skill levels. His approach to teaching is student-centered: he focuses on the students' interests and needs. From there, he helps his students build the skills necessary to be able to play the genres and songs that interest them most. 

Jesse brings 15 years of teaching experience. He studied piano and composition at Rutgers University on a scholarship. Jesse's musical training coupled with on-stage experience (Limelight, Knitting Factory, CBGBs) has helped him guide and inspire many musicians. 

He focuses on building a strong technical grounding on the instrument. His lessons are tailored around the student's goals and musical taste. 

In addition to teaching Guitar, Piano, Drums, Bass, Ukulele, & Voice, Jesse also teaches songwriting, music theory, and arranging. He has experience teaching all age ranges and levels. He has taught total beginners to advanced students. 

Kevin McDaniel is a multi-instrumentalist and dedicated music educator who brings over two decades of experience to RMC Studios. He began playing drums at age six, picked up guitar by ten, and later added bass to his list of growing instruments. Originally from Connecticut, Kevin moved to New Jersey at 18 to join a touring band. He studied film at Fairleigh Dickinson University, taking advantage of every music class offered, including formal guitar and drum lessons. His in-home studio in Montclair has become a creative hub, where he records and mixes music for local bands.

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Kevin’s approach to teaching reflects his deep appreciation for the creative side of music, which he believes is crucial for sustaining students' interest over time. Having taught private drum and guitar lessons, he found that RMC’s values closely align with his passion for fostering musical creativity.