Soprano Cass Panuska is passionate about fostering connection with others through vocal music, and has sung and taught professionally throughout the United States.
For many of her early performing years, Cass’s home base was the San Francisco Bay Area, where she enjoyed bringing opera roles to life with professional organizations such as Berkeley Opera, Opera San Jose’s Outreach Program, Opera Frontier, Pocket Opera, Goat Hall Productions, and Solo Opera. Prior to her time there, she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Music at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, and her Master of Music Degree in Vocal Performance from Colorado State University.
In 2021, after moving to Central Florida, she made her role debut as Mother in Hansel and Gretel with Opera Orlando, and she prepared and rehearsed the character of The Rose in “The Little Prince,” with First Coast Opera (Saint Augustine, FL).* Cass has since returned to First Coast Opera to perform Mrs. Gobineau in Menotti’s “The Medium,” and was also in Opera Orlando’s ensemble for “The Daughter of the Regiment.”
Prior to becoming Unity of Daytona’s Director of Music Ministry, Cass was a soloist at First Church of Christ, Scientist, Daytona Beach. She owns and operates Banana Street Voice Studio, where she teaches private and group voice lessons. She and her husband, Torlef, also run an intimate concert series at their studio, called “Porch Concerts,” and are founding members of Central Florida’s Pinnacle Singers, a professional group offering various programs ranging from Opera to Music Theatre and Movie tunes.
Cass is thrilled to be a part of the Unity team.
*canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic