SILER CITY, N.C. — Showcase contestants have been selected for “Sing and Play,” the new talent competition set to debut on February 22 at Jordan-Matthews High School in Siler City.
Sixteen student musicians will compete in elementary, middle and high school divisions. The showcase concert highlights local talent and raises money for JMArts, the Jordan-Matthews Arts Foundation, a nonprofit created to provide what student artists need to excel.
Elementary contestants are Kaitlyn Evans, Jessie Griffin, Alyssa Hussey, Skylar Lynn and the duo of Breanna Armstrong and Abigail Steele from Chatham Charter School. Also performing are Zariay Brantley, representing Bonlee Elementary, and Ayana Lupoli-Rojas from Willow Oak Montessori Charter School.
Brenda Morales Zagada and Edith Soto, both from Chatham Middle School, will compete for the middle school prize.
The showcase will conclude with six high school performances. Corrine Collison, Adriana Gonzalez, Dayshone Sanford, Jennifer Trejo-Benitez and Samantha Zarate compete from Jordan-Matthews High School, and Chloe Simmons represents Northwood High School.
“This is going to be an absolutely fantastic show,” said Rose Pate, the event director and president of JMArts. “Even though this is our first year, we had some extremely talented musicians audition and we’re excited that everyone will have a chance to hear their friends and neighbors perform on the big stage."
Though “Sing and Play” is open to both instrumental and vocal acts, all of this year’s performances will be vocal, with students competing for a $50 prize in each age division. All performers appearing in the showcase were selected during auditions and evaluated by judges Greg Burriss and Joey Walden.
Winners will be selected by audience vote during the showcase concert on February 22, at 6:30 p.m., in the Jordan-Matthews Auditorium. General admission is $5 per person and includes one vote in each category.
All money raised by the competition will be used by JMArts for educational projects, including its inaugural New York Arts Adventure. That trip scheduled over spring break gives upperclass musicians, actors and visual artists an opportunity to explore one of the world’s great cities, experience the very best in the arts and gain new perspectives and experiences that will influence their lives and work.
Not only will participants attend several performances at the Metropolitan Opera, Jazz at Lincoln Center and on Broadway, but they will have lunch with Peter Marks, chief theater critic for The Washington Post, and meet with Broadway actors Ari’el Stachel and Etai Benson after “The Band’s Visit” to discuss their performances and other aspects of the hit new musical.
More information about Sing and Play performers is online at facebook.com/JMHSArts. Details about JMArts and other events scheduled for this season are available at jmarts.org.
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