SILER CITY, N.C. — Showcase contestants have been selected for “Sing and Play ’25,” the seventh-annual music competition hitting the stage later this month at Jordan-Matthews High School in Siler City.
The showcase concert on February 20 at 6:30 p.m. highlights talented student musicians throughout the area and raises money for JMArts, the Jordan-Matthews Arts Foundation, a nonprofit organization created to provide what student artists need to excel.
General admission is $5 per person and includes one vote in each age-based competition. Tickets will be available at the door.
Judges Greg Burriss, Matt Fry and Sandra Gisel Lopez selected 20 musical acts during open auditions to perform in separate elementary, middle and high school competitions. Winners will be selected by audience vote and each receives a $50 cash prize.
Elementary contestants are Emily Bingle of Chatham Charter School, Madilyn Brown of Bonlee, Harley Gaddis of Silk Hope and Mariah McCrimmon and Samuel Melgar of Virginia Cross Elementary.
Middle school contestants are Shanita Asamoah Abetia of George Moses Horton, Emilia Culton of Margaret B. Pollard, the duet of Avery Jenkins and Craven Smithwick of Margaret B. Pollard, Avery Oldham of Chatham Middle, Emilia Smith Pumalpa of George Moses Horton and Madison Wilmoth of Chatham Middle.
The competition will conclude with nine high school performances. Six are by Jordan-Matthews musicians: Brianna Balderas, Felix Banks, Delaney Clark, Ari Ibarra, Natalie Morales Zagada and the quartet of Alexander Hernandez Rivas, Ciro Garcia, Emanuel Nolasco Bautista and Gianni Ocelot. Rounding out the high school roster will be Leesie Frosio Nelson of Chatham Early College, Ayana Lupoli-Rojas of Woods Charter and Kayle Maxfield of Chatham Early College.
This year’s showcase will feature a guest performance by Sandra Gisel Lopez, a JMArts Scholar, recent graduate of Jordan-Matthews and winner of last year’s high school competition.
The concert will be cohosted by Jordan-Matthews actor-musicians David Ta’Bon and Samantha Wieber.
“We are excited by the broad representation from across the county,” said JMArts President Rose Pate, who noted that performers from outside Chatham also were eligible. “And we are planning to offer translation services during the showcase so our Spanish-speaking families can fully enjoy the show!”
All money raised by the competition will be used by JMArts for educational projects, including its flagship JMArts Scholars. Since being launched in 2012, the JMArts Scholars program has awarded 101 scholarships to 70 students for intensive study over the summer, usually at weeklong, residential workshops offered on university campuses. JMArts Scholars develop their talent, explore artistic options before making their college decisions and bring what they learn back to share with other Jordan-Matthews students.
More information about “Sing and Play” performers will be published on JMArts social media. Details about JMArts and other events scheduled for this season are online at jmarts.org.
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Sandra Gisel Lopez, a JMArts Scholar and recent graduate of Jordan-Matthews, won the high school competition at last year’s event and will return to perform as guest artist for “Sing and Play ’25” on February 20 at Jordan-Matthews High School. The annual competition was created as a performance opportunity for student musicians and a fundraiser for JMArts. (Photo by Chip Pate)