John Lee Bonner is a graduate of West Texas A&M University where he received a Master of Music Performance in Choral Conducting degree, while studying with Dr. Sean Pullen, and a Master of Arts in Teaching degree. He received a Bachelor of Science in Music (voice) with a minor in Music Composition from Eastern New Mexico University.
Recently, John Lee Bonner accepted a new position for the 2018-2019 school year as Choir Director at Victoria East High School in Victoria, Texas.
John spent three years (2015-2018) as the Choir Director and Assistant Band Director at Friona High School in Friona, Texas where he also taught AP Music Theory. In addition, John serves as the Music Director at Friona United Methodist Church. Before directing music at FUMC, John has served as a scholarship singer at FUMC-Canyon (TX), FUMC-Portales (NM), and Kingswood UMC in Clovis, NM. John He has performed throughout New Mexico, Texas, New York, and Washington, D.C.
John has performed as a chorister in Brahms’ Requiem with the Santa Fe Symphony and Symphony Chorus, Haydn’s Missa in tempore belli, Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s Requiem, Beethoven’s Symphony Number 9 (Finale) and Verdi’s Requiem. In addition, John has performed in choirs in Oklahoma City at the American Choral Director’s Association National Convention, at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and in New York at Carnegie Hall. Furthermore, John has played tuba with the Eastern New Mexico University Symphonic Band and piano with the Eastern New Mexico University Jazz Combo.
John has served as a clinician for various schools in the Texas Panhandle and New Mexico. He has worked with the West Texas A&M University Collegiate Choir, West Texas A&M University Chorale, West Texas A&M University Chamber Singers, Eastern New Mexico University Chamber Singers, the Eastern New Mexico University Singers, and was Musical Director and Conductor of the Clovis – Portales Community Orchestra for the 2011 – 2012 season. He has traveled to several conventions and workshops throughout the United States including American Choral Directors Association, National Association for Music Education, New Mexico Music Educators Association, and Texas Music Educators Association conventions as well as the Soaring Leap Workshop with Eric Whitacre. John is continuously expanding his education through reading, workshops, masterclasses, and more.
John has studied with Dr. Mark DalPorto (composition), Dr. Jason Paulk (conducting), Dr. Sean Pullen (conducting), Mr. Dustin Seifert (band), and Dr. Jason Vest (voice). His musical inspiration comes from many sources, but include: Joseph Haydn, Claudio Monteverdi, Benjamin Britten, and Eric Whitacre.
Organizations to which John Lee Bonner belongs include: Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, National Association for Music Education, Texas Choral Directors Association, Texas Music Educators Association, and the Gamma Beta Phi Honor Society.
John lives in Victoria, Texas with his pug, Barton, his two terrier mixes, Baxter and Bernstein, and his cats, Brahms and Phoebe.