Bonnie Sommerfeld's Bio

Scat Artist
Emphasis: Scat Singing
 

Bonnie Sommerfeld

Bonnie Sommerfeld was born in the tiny town of Valley City, North Dakota and began her music career early taking classical piano lessons at the age of eight and composing a piano sonata as well as flute pieces by the age of 17. Bonnie has been honing her vocal and instrumental performance skills since that time through jazz and improvisational work.

Inheriting a rich eighty year musical history started by her grandfather, Henry Sommerfeld, and currently led by her father, Myron, Bonnie has performed with the Myron Sommerfeld Orchestra as it has traveled throughout the Midwest, Arizona and Canada. The band and Bonnie have performed in almost every place imaginable...from barn dances, smokey clubs, fairs, ballrooms, street dances, chapels, services clubs, Air Force bases, private wedding and anniversary dances to radio and television. The band has played at three Governor’s Balls in North Dakota and with the 1st Armored Division Band in Germany. Bonnie has recorded on at least three of the Sommerfeld Orchestra albums.

At the age of 18, Bonnie won the talent award at the Miss North Dakota pageant for singing a medley of tunes from the Big Band era. Bonnie earned a degree in music education with an emphasis on classical flute performance. She was named as an alternate flutist for the Fargo Moorhead Symphony.

After purchasing a tenor saxophone, Bonnie expanded her musical talents by playing lead tenor sax in the dance band and with other regional jazz bands. Moving from flute to tenor sax and her proven versatility in voice, flute, saxophone, classical and jazz earned her a scholarship to study with master saxophonists Joseph Viola and William Pierce.

Paralyzing health problems forced Bonnie to take several years off, but her career was re-born when the group, 42nd Street, placed a microphone in her hand so that she could scat sing with the band, reviving her, “Ella” style to the delight of listeners. Since that time Bonnie has performed with both local and national artitsts and has had the pleasure of scat singing with Dennis Rowland.

Bonnie’s broad instrumental and vocal training, coupled with her experience, allows her to deliver a rare, dynamic sound which captivates audiences everywhere.