Singers & speakers, welcome to

Are you a SINGER or SPEAKER who wants to perfect your style and diction?
SINGERS, are you preparing an audition or performance in another language?
SPEAKERS, is your voice quality and diction effective in small or large groups?
Learn from a professor of linguistics who is a Juilliard trained mezzo-soprano!

Singers & speakers, welcome to

Singers & speakers,
welcome to

Are you a SINGER or SPEAKER who wants
to perfect your style and diction?
SINGERS, are you preparing an audition
or performance in another language?
SPEAKERS, is your voice quality and
diction effective in small or large groups?
Learn from a professor of linguistics
who is a Juilliard trained
mezzo-soprano!

Services

Private Lessons For Singers

Bonita will analyze your pronunciation in the piece you have selected, determine how to make necessary linguistic adjustments, and provide practice exercises. As the style of the music is often determined by the sound of the language, it is vital that French sound French and German sound German! Each language has a sound of its own which goes hand in hand with the musical score.
Learn from a Juilliard trained mezzo-soprano who sings in 14 languages and who has successfully trained others! Online sessions available.

Private Lessons For Speakers

For native and non-native
English speakers:
Bonita will analyze your breath, posture, and vocal production; determine how to make necessary adjustments; and provide practice exercises for more effective speaking in small and large groups. Online sessions available.

If English is not your native language and accent reduction is needed:
Your native language will be linguistically analyzed prior and special exercises will be offered for improvement. Online sessions available.

Master Classes For Singers

Practice your languages in front of a friendly audience and give and receive feedback from your peers!
Bonita will offer Master Classes in a relaxed setting in which small groups of students will perform for each other in a given language (e.g., students working on French Art Songs will work together). Once a year a performance in a relaxed setting will be given by students in various languages. A professional accompanist will be provided.

Lectures

For singers:
Bonita will give informal talks, with Q&A periods, of how to handle various “problem areas” of sounds in various languages. For example: How does one maintain a “closed vowel” sound on a high note? When does one nasalize a nasal vowel in French on a sustained note? How does one keep the voice forward when there is a consonant produced in the back of the mouth?

For speakers:
Bonita will give informal talks, with Q&A periods, regarding breath, posture, voice quality for speaking effectively. Topics will be selected upon the need of students .

Mission Statement

The Studio Bonita enhances aspiring professional singers and speakers to their next level of success through an individualized and holistic approach of language production and perfection.

For Singers: To enhance existing vocal training with language and musicianship development to create a consummate professional.

For Native Speakers of English and Speakers of Other Languages: To create a comfort zone in conversational or public speaking by using the voice as a tool for success.

Mission Statement

The Studio Bonita enhances aspiring professional singers and speakers to their next level of success through an individualized and holistic approach of language production and perfection.

For Singers: To enhance existing vocal training with language and musicianship development to create a consummate professional.

For Native English and Speakers of other Languages: To create a comfort zone in conversational or public speaking by using the voice as a tool for success.

Mission Statement

The Studio Bonita enhances aspiring professional singers and speakers to their next level of success through an individualized and holistic approach of language production and perfection.

For Singers: To enhance existing vocal training with language and musicianship development to create
a consummate professional.

For Native English and Speakers of other Languages: To create a comfort zone in conversational or public speaking by using the voice as a tool for success.

About

Mezzo-soprano Bonita Nahoum Jaros has an extensive background in music and linguistics. She is a renaissance artist, a performer, scholar, author, speaker, and linguistics professor. She has combined all aspects of her professional experience to create The Studio Bonita!

Juilliard trained mezzo-soprano
Three Master’s Degrees (Romance Studies and Music—Cornell University; Linguistics—California State University, Fullerton; Educational Studies—Claremont Graduate University)
PhD in Ethnomusicology—Claremont Graduate University
Professor of Linguistics at Santa Ana College for 37 years
Distinguished Faculty Award winner and Professional Achievement Award at Santa Ana College; Orange County Teacher of the Year Finalist; Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce Teacher of the Year; Publications Award; Community College League of California Vision Award
Owner of Record Label—Los Tanyaderos
Produced two albums on Los Tanyaderos and performed on three albums, including Titanic Records
Concert singer in 14 languages; TV and radio apprearances
Published author in peer review journals
Soloist and Language Coach of the Laguna Beach Chamber Singers

Juilliard trained mezzo-soprano
Three Master’s Degrees (Romance Studies and Music—Cornell University; Linguistics—California State University, Fullerton; Educational Studies—Claremont Graduate University)
PhD in Ethnomusicology—Claremont Graduate University
Professor of Linguistics at Santa Ana College for 37 years
Distinguished Faculty Award winner and Professional Achievement Award at Santa Ana College; Orange County Teacher of the Year Finalist; Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce Teacher of the Year; Publications Award; Community College League of California Vision Award
Owner of Record Label—Los Tanyaderos
Produced two albums on Los Tanyaderos and performed on three albums, including Titanic Records
Concert singer in 14 languages; TV and radio apprearances
Published author in peer review journals
Soloist and Language Coach of the Laguna Beach Chamber Singers

Juilliard trained mezzo-soprano
Three Master’s Degrees (Romance Studies and Music—Cornell University; Linguistics—California State University, Fullerton; Educational Studies—Claremont Graduate University)
PhD in Ethnomusicology—Claremont Graduate University
Professor of Linguistics at Santa Ana College for 37 years
Distinguished Faculty Award winner and Professional Achievement Award at Santa Ana College; Orange County Teacher of the Year Finalist; Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce Teacher of the Year; Publications Award; Community College League of California Vision Award
Owner of Record Label—Los Tanyaderos
Produced two albums on Los Tanyaderos and performed on three albums, including Titanic Records
Concert singer in 14 languages; TV and radio apprearances
Published author in peer review journals
Soloist and Language Coach of the Laguna Beach Chamber Singers

Testimonials

Bonita Jaros coached German pronunciation for the Laguna Beach Chamber Singers’ performance of the Brahms Liebeslieder Waltzes. Not only did she do an excellent job, but she was able to personalize her approach to address individual difficulties patiently and effectively. I cannot recommend her and her work highly enough.

Cory Winter / Director, Laguna Beach Chamber Singers

Bonita graciously offered her diction services to our choir, Laguna Beach Chamber Singers, and we couldn’t be more ecstatic with her patience and knowledge of various languages.Knowing proper diction for Hebrew, Latin, and English during choral performance is very important for quality and clarity. After just one session, our singers and I were able to feel tremendously more comfortable with our diction and will continue to use her services on future performances. If you are looking for a patient, understanding, and extremely knowledgeable person for your diction, Bonita is an excellent choice!

Jacoby Hickerson / President, Laguna Beach Chamber Singers

Hi! my name is Jummee and I am a healer, shaman and transformational life coach. For me, communicating clearly and precisely with my clients is the most critical essence of my work. As English is my second language, not my native tongue, I often experience misunderstanding or unclear communication because of my strong Korean accent, That is the biggest obstacle to communication. What really strikes me the most in working with Bonita is that she truly studied my “native tongue” and pound the root patterns of pronunciation in English and created exercises specifically for me to correct them one by one.She also explains the fundamentals of two different languages in sounds and tongue behavior, so then I deeply understand the principal of these languages. This guidance has made a huge improvement in my speaking. In only few sessions with her, I already have more awareness of my speaking, and people understand me more clearly. Bonita is a brilliant teacher. I highly recommend her for any speaking engagement, linguistic connections, accent removal without losing your identity and flavor of who you are.

Jummee Park / Founder, Facilitator, Vitality Trainer

I have been working with Bonita towards improving my voice quality and projection. Bonita is a skillful teacher who quickly identifies the areas that need work and creates a practical plan of action. The exercises have helped me improve my breathing patterns to better connect my breath and voice. Bonita is a great motivator and energizer as well as a kind and patient guide. I confidently recommend her as a teacher and consultant.

Simona Humphries