Harford’s Got Talent Offers Group Discounts

From the Harford Center for the Arts:

Bel Air, MD (April 21, 2010) Group discounts are now available for Harford’s Got Talent tickets. The event will be held on Saturday, May 1st at the Amoss Center.

Tickets are $10 each for 10-24 people (includes adults, children and seniors) and $5 each for 25 + people (includes adults, children and seniors). Individual tickets are $24 for adults and $15 for those under 15 years of age. Call (410) 838-2177 to order tickets.

Harford’s Got Talent finalists have been chosen and one person is a finalist in both the Performing Arts and Visual Arts categories. Seventeen year old Samuel Howlett will compete for the Performing Arts $1500 award singing a hip hop song that he wrote. He also has an oil and acrylic painting titled “Red Car” that was selected as a finalist in the Visual Arts competition for a $500 award. This multi-talented young man is a 17 year old student at Edgewood High School.

The finalists in the Performing Arts category include:

*David Breth- Illusionist- He has been performing professionally for more than seven years. He is based in Bel Air and frequently teaches his art on college campuses.

*Emalyn Bullis-Vocalist- She is a Harford County resident and has been a soloist for the Deer Creek Chorale for two years and sang a solo at the Great Wall of China as part of a pre-Olympic music tour in 2008.

*Mark Edwards-Classical Guitarist- He is a guitar instructor at the Maryland Conservatory of Music. If granted this award, he will use the funds to make his debut album.

*Lexis Firestone- Dancer-She is thirteen years old and in seventh grade at Southampton Middle School. She has danced with the Maryland School of Ballet and Modern Dance for eight years.

*Samuel Howlett-Hip Hop Singer- He is a seventeen year old who attends Edgewood High School who writes his own music. He works on his art as a member of the Boys & Girls Club of Harford County.

*Harford Ballet Company-Kathryn Henschen, Lindsey Hinchliffe, Natalie Muneses, Rachel Cockerham, and Kaitlyn Green. Kathyrn serves as the Harford Ballet Company Manager. Lindsey started dancing at three and is a junior at Aberdeen High School and is a resident of Bel Air. Rachel started dancing at six and is a Kingsville resident and attends New Covenant Christian School as a junior. Kaitlyn is a 9th grader at Bel Air High School and has been dancing for eleven years. Natalie is an 8th grader at Bel Air Middle School and is the youngest of the dancers.

*Bryce Monroe-Vocalist- He is a junior attending C. Milton Wright High School.
He writes his own music and aspires to produce, engineer, and market his own music. He hopes to inspire others to pursue their dreams in the performing arts.

*Dorio Morales-Vocalist- He is a New York native who now resides in Havre de Grace. His style is a mix of Latin, and R&B pop.

*Monica Rosenblatt-Vocalist- She is a Harford County resident and has played the lead Harford Day musicals and in “Remembering Uncle Scrooge. She hopes to be on Broadway one day.

*Becky Titeleman- Vocalist- She grew up in Harford County and began performing in musical theater at the age of six. Becky also lived in New York and performed in off Broadway shows. She teaches at County Ballet in Bel Air.

*Makenzi Trenton- Vocalist- She is 13 years old and has been singing since she was two. Makenzi also plays the piano and mandolin. She is looking forward to a singing career.

*Upper Chesapeake Chorus “A Cappella 15”-Linda Brown, Mary Gray, Diana
Jurist, Carol Klein, Deb McCallum, Lacey Moore, Peg Nichols, Sue Peretti,
Irene Richardson, Beth Rupert, Diane Sengstacke, Beth Thatcher, Debbie Verbillis,
Vicki Walton, and Linda Wood. They perform primarily in Harford County at shows and community events. Music education, vocal productions and performance skills are the focus for the chorus.

*Jeff Willig- Guitarist & Vocalist- He was born in Havre de Grace and graduated from Bel Air High School. Jeff has been playing the guitar, singing and writing songs since he was sixteen.

*Eric Zuber- Pianist- He was born and raised in Harford County and has performed all over the world. He is currently working towards a master’s degree at the Julliard School.

*Emma Zyriek- Vocalist- She is a 14 year old 9th grader at C. Milton Wright and has always aspired to be a professional singer. Emma has performed with the Susquehanna Symphony, school concerts, and Harford Community College productions.

Visual Arts Finalists Include:
*Carol Albert- Acrylic
*Kate Barnes-Photography
*Elizabeth Daigle-Photography
*Alexandra Goins-Photography
*Kristin Hessenauer-Acrylic
*Samuel Howlett- Acrylic and Oil
*Germaine Hughes-Watercolor
*Taylor Nelson-Photography
*William Turner-Pen and Ink
*Jessica Yurkiewicz-Photography

Harford County can vote for their favorite performers at the Amoss Center on May 1st and the audience will determine the winners of both the performing and visual arts awards. There will be a $1,500 Performing Arts Award and a $500 Visual Arts Award. The doors will open at 6 p.m. and attendees can view the visual arts finalists and cast their votes for the winner. The audience will enjoy an array of entertainment at the event. The Good Company Recorder Consort will perform from 6 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. and there will be a performance by the Havre de Grace High School Jazz Ensemble.

Entertainment will also be provided by the Crooner & the Comic: A Tribute to Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, with Eric Richardson and Matt Macis. The program begins at 7:30 p.m. and celebrity judges will also be on hand to add to the festivities. They include Billy Boniface, Harford County Council President; Jack Gerbes, Director of the Maryland Film Office; and Karen Green, Recreation Specialist, Havre de Grace Activity Center, Harford County Department of Parks & Recreation.

The Honorary Chair is Dr. James LaCalle, President of Harford Community College and the emcee is Wayne Thibeault, Principal of Patterson Mill High School. The Kelly Group, a tax and accounting/asset management firm will oversee the ballot process and voting at the Harford’s Got Talent event. The competition was open to individual artists and group performers (up to 15 people), and visual artists, age 13 and older who live, work, perform or study regularly in Harford County or who have done so in the past. Performers who auditioned to be chosen as a finalist were judged on artistic expression, choice of materials, level of difficulty, technical ability, presentation, stage presence, and charisma. Finalists for the visual arts were selected based on subject, choice of materials, use of media, technical ability, presentation, and artistic excellence.

Harford’s Got Talent sponsors include Comcast, Harford Community College, Harford Mutual Insurance, ShopRite, Harford County Government, GWWO, Inc. Architects, Harford’s Heart Magazine, PollyAnna Publishing, 2 K Marketing, KidsTV News, and the Aegis.

The goal of Harford’s Got Talent is to provide opportunities for emerging artists with roots in Harford County and to assist them in their development and practice of their art.

Proceeds raised will help to build a Center for the Arts in Harford County. The Center For the Arts will include music, dance, visual, traditional, & literary arts, theatre, and arts education. In addition, it will include special event/business meeting spaces and a heritage museum. The Center for the Arts is a 501 (3) ( c ) non-profit organization.

Visit www.CenterForTheArtsHarford.org for additional information.