Diva Taunia
Diva Taunia (born February 18, 1972) is an American jazz and big band vocalist and trumpet player, award-winning songwriter, and music educator. She is also a well-known health advocate after having gastric bypass surgery on March 25, 2008 and losing over 150 lbs. Herb Pomeroy and Terrance Blanchard described her as a “powerful vocalist with a warm, rich sound.” She is also the host of a weekly radio show called The Backstage Pass Radio Program.
Early Life and Career[edit]
Diva Taunia is the oldest of four children. Taunia's father Chester was a master carpenter, and mother Cheryl worked in public school administration. Although neither of her parents were musicians, they were very supportive of her love of music from a young age.
Taunia began playing trumpet at the age of eight and was working as a professional trumpet player by the time she got to high school. However, it wasn't until she was sixteen years old that she began singing. After high school, she attended the University of Massachusetts Lowell where she studied Music Businss and Music Performance with a concentration on classical music. It was in college that she discovered her passion for jazz and big band music, and after Lowell she then began taking classes at Berklee College of Music to study Vocal Pedagogy and Vocal Improvisation.
Her early performance career took her to create her own band, Super T and The Soul Stampede, which focused on R&B and Horn-Band music, and The Diva Taunia Group, which focused on jazz music. She also was part of the award-winning vocal group Vote For Pedro, and won numerous awards for her songwriting. She worked in the Boston music scene and was quickly playing at high-level venues like the Boston Esplanade and Club Passim.
Weight and Health Problems[edit]
Taunia struggled with obesity for most of her adult life. By the time she reached 35, she realized that not only was her health failing her, but her music was becoming affected by her physical struggles. It was at that point that she decided to look into bariatric surgery. After much research, she decided to have RNY Gastric Bypass Surgery at Boston Medical Center with Dr. Donald Hess. On the day of her surgery (March 25, 2008), she weighed close to 320 lbs at 5'7". The surgery was a success and to this day, she has maintained a loss of 150 lbs and volunteers much of her time as a health and wellness advocate. She was the Vice President of Public Relations for the Weight Loss Surgery Foundation of America from 2009-2012.
Personal life[edit]
Taunia's first marriage was in Las Vegas, a surprise for all the guests attending the conference she was at. Unfortunately, the marriage ended soon after that.
In 2011, she received an email from her old college sweetheart of nearly twenty years ago. They met, and fell back in love. They were married on April 3, 2013 and currently reside in Southern California.
Taunia's husband is also a professional musician, and they perform frequently together in the Southern California area.
Current Professional Life[edit]
Taunia currently plays trumpet and sings for the Ontario Chaffey Show Band, as well as the Music Masters Big Band. She also works as a freelance voice-over artist and studio musician. She hosts a weekly lunchtime concert series featuring new music from around the globe every Monday at noon, pst. She also writes and arranges for other artists. As a passionate educator, she currently teaches winds and brass in the elementary and middle schools.
References[edit]
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