Lori Buonamici

Ms. Buonamici was born and raised in Upstate New York. Her passion for music started at a very young age while sitting around the dinner table listening to her parents (both music teachers) talk excitedly about their jobs. Music was everywhere, and everyone wanted to be a part of it, so she played guitar, piano, sang, and then chose the viola as her classical instrument.

After earning a Bachelor of Music Education from Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam, she continued her education at Colorado State University, graduating with a master’s degree in both Viola Performance and Music Theory. Seeking more adventure, she moved to Cali, Colombia, to play in a full-time symphony (La Orquesta Sinfónica del Valle) where she developed a proper understanding of the level of commitment the field of music requires. While in South America, she taught violin at the Cali Conservatory and was the founder and conductor of the Orquesta Juvenil (Cali Youth Orchestra).

Ms. Buonamici is also an avid Celtic Fiddler. She enjoys playing the violin and singing in local bands, such as Keltic Kudzu and Piedmont Forest. The bands play regularly at venues throughout the southern United States. Her unbridled enthusiasm for historical folk music, combined with her university training in classical music, has significantly influenced her conducting.

Ms. Buonamici has over 30 years of experience conducting orchestras. She serves as the Fine Arts Department Chair at Chattahoochee High School, as well as the Fine Arts Support Teacher in Instructional Music Technology for Fulton County Schools. She oversees a large music & visual arts department that offers orchestra, band, musical theater, guitar, piano, and AP Music Theory. She is a highly sought-after clinician and is frequently engaged on weekends to conduct local youth orchestras and other honor ensembles. Her love for her students and her passion for the creative musical process are known throughout the region.

Ms. Buonamici currently resides with her family in Alpharetta, Georgia, USA.