Cherisse R. Bonefont is a choral conductor, soprano, and sacred music professional based in Burlington City, New Jersey. She is the Founder, Artistic Director, and Conductor of the Essence of Harmony Choral Society in Moorestown, NJ, and serves as Director of Music and as Youth and Adult Choir Director at Bethel AME Church in Moorestown, a role she has held since 2019. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Sacred Music from Westminster Choir College at Rider University and is currently pursuing a Master of Music in Choral Conducting at Messiah University, with an expected completion of 2027. She has also participated in the Summer Choral Festival at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, was accepted into Chorus America's Conducting Academy in July 2019, and holds stage acting credits from New Jersey's community theatre circuit. Her professional affiliations include the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), Chorus America, the National Association of Negro Musicians (NANM), Delta Omicron Professional Music Fraternity, and the Omicron Delta Kappa International Leadership Honor Society.

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Just before the Covid-19 pandemic, Bonefont saw one of her biggest dreams realized when she founded the Essence of Harmony Choral Society, a community choir dedicated to bringing joy and culture to the community by celebrating the voices of singers of diverse cultures and backgrounds through high-quality choral performances. The ensemble was born out of a need to create space for singers of all skill levels to share their musical gifts with the Moorestown, NJ community and Burlington County at large. In 2018, after becoming more involved in the choral community nationwide, she recognized a need for an inclusive community choir that could spotlight choral works by a diverse range of composers, including African American, women, and Latinx composers, whose music found little room elsewhere in the state's choral landscape; Essence of Harmony was built to fill that void, not only as a choir but as a movement meant to inspire other communities to do the same. A lifelong member of the AME church, Bonefont was previously a member of Bethel AME in Freehold before taking on her current role at Bethel AME Moorestown, where she continues to shape the church's youth and adult choral program.

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As a teaching artist, Bonefont has extensive experience working with children and teens in church and community settings, leading the Youth Choir at Bethel AME Church for several years with singers ranging from elementary through high school age. She leads weekly rehearsals, prepares her choirs for worship services and special programs, and guides students in developing healthy vocal technique, musicianship, and confidence as young performers. Her teaching approach emphasizes listening, movement, and age-appropriate technique, helping students connect music to expression, story, and community. Drawing on her own performance experience across spirituals, gospel, classical, and concert repertoire, she helps young singers understand how vocal technique, text, and musical storytelling work together, creating a supportive, engaging environment where they are encouraged to explore their voices and grow as leaders.