The Bonita Vista High School Vocal Department is holding its 60th Anniversary Reunion Celebration on Aug. 9 at the BVHS gymnasium and is looking for the music department’s alum of students, teachers and parents to join in this special reunion to celebrate the impact the music department has made on them. The BVHS Vocal Department is known for its ensembles, The Music Machine, Sound Unlimited, Advanced Mixed Show Choir, Treble Show Choir, its Tech Crew, VMD Tech Crew, Vocal Fusion, and Baron Concert Choir.
Anniversary Reunion Celebration planning committee member Danny Boman, a 2001 BVHS graduate, was a member of The Music Machine and said it was a very special part of his teenage years. He said the committee is meeting once a month up to the event.
“We are all part of this special club no matter if you were a tech, band member, choir member, teacher, or parent,” he said. “On the committee we are just a bunch of alumni from the 80s. Lisa Brannen is a staple within the organization and has been a big help. She is the one who started the planning committee. It is a group of about 10 of us which includes the founders of [The Music Machine] Ron and Rena Bolles, who will be in attendance as well. And other directors from the past including Roxanna Ronacher [former director of Sound Unlimited and The Music Machine], and the current director Michael Atwood.”
Boman said everyone knows the Music Machine if you are from Chula Vista and South Bay.
“It is a staple in our community. I have known about them since birth because I was born here. Sunnyside Elementary School is where I saw them for the first time. I was already doing youth theater, and I was like I got to be in this group. I wanted to dawn this blue sequin vest, smile and have jazz hands. I ended up doing it for four years and it was just a great celebration. We want to keep that heritage alive today. So, we want to hype it up, get as many alumni there as possible for the 60th celebration of the vocal music department, which was founded in 1975. Music Machine was founded 10 years later, so it is Music Machine’s 50th anniversary. Then we have the all-girls group Sound Unlimited which is celebrating its 40th anniversary. So, it is a three in one celebration,” he said.
Bowman said for the event, it is having auditions submitted electronically, and more information regarding that will be posted on its Facebook group.
“It will be fun because we always auditioned to get our solo acts back in high school, and now you are going to audition again. Ron and Rena, and Roxanna, and the current director are going to look at all the auditions, and we are going to try and choose two from each decade to perform,” he said. “We look forward to as many Alumni, parents, of Alumni, and teachers to join in and celebrate the impact the vocal music department made on us. It’s honestly a very special part of my adolescence and we are all part of this unique club no matter if you were a tech, band member, choir member, teacher, or parent. Let’s celebrate the endeavors that made us who we are today and show in the future and show the program’s possibilities.”
For more information, contact Lisa Brannen at Brannen.bvvmf@gmail.com. To follow updates on the all-year reunion Follow the BVHS Vocal Music Department on X @bvhsvmd, on Instagram @bonita_vista_vocal_music, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BVHSVocalMusic.
