Testimonials

Since 1948 the St. Augustine Community Chorushas been connecting singers and sharing the joy of beautiful voices and beautiful music with the communities of N. E. Florida. Former chorus member Bonita Bunt recently wrote a heartwarming testimony explaining how the St. Augustine Community Chorus and First Coast Opera, gave her the directions that shaped her life as it is today.

SACC is proud to share her story with you:

“I joined the St. Augustine Community chorus at the behest of former director, the late Dr. Janet Graham. I persuaded my father to join as well and it became a great family activity!

Around the time I joined the Community Chorus, First Coast Opera was forming. I participated in the chorus for Amahl and the Night Visitorsand then was cast in my first operatic role as the First Spirit in The Magic Flute. Now I work as a singer, stage director, educator, and stage manager, a multi-hyphenate lifestyle that I love and can trace back to the opportunities and experiences I gained in these two important local organizations.

Things I learned in the St. Augustine Community Chorus: How music as a group forms a community of people who do so much more than make beautiful sounds together. I have since gone on to study music in college and have earned my doctorate in Music Performance. Going to school for music, especially singing, is juggling the arts of musicianship, performance, language, and literature as well as history, event planning, and marketing. These two stellar organizations helped me gain a foundation for all of the above so that I felt secure moving into the field as a student and professional. For these experiences I can not thank the founders, organizers, and patrons of these organizations enough. “

Sincerely,

Bonita Bunt, DMA, November 2018

Board Member, Stage Director (Noah’s Flood, Hansel and Gretel), Young Artist, Stage Manager for Opera Las Vegas 2017-present

Member, Opera America

Artist (Singer and assistant director) for Sin City Opera’s 2018-2019 season (Queen of the Night, Edith in Pirates of Penzance, Maiden in FlyingDutchman, Assistant Director and Cover for Gianni Schicchi)

Stage Director for Voccalis International Repertory, Las Vegas 2017, 2019 (Amahl and the Night Visitors, A Grand Night for Singing)

Guest Artist (soloist) for UNLV Department of Dance (Carmina Burana) in 2017

St. Augustine Community Chorus Member from 1999-2002

First Coast Opera Participant 2000-2003

Bonita Bunt