Youth take center stage at Town Hall Theater

Local teenagers displayed their talent in the performing arts to a sold-out audience in the Town Hall Theater on Saturday, April 3. The Young Artists Showcase is an annual event, now in its fourth year, which encourages budding artists in Addison County.

The audience, comprised largely of proud parents and supportive friends, witnessed a diverse array of performances. Among them were vocal feats by a soprano and a tenor, and from a sampling of different genres, including opera and a cappella. The showcase also indulged dance aficianados, with ballet, hip hop and tap dances. Performances on the piano, cello, violin and guitar enhanced the repetoire, which was rounded out with an oral monologue.

Middlebury Union Middle School seventh-grader Alexia Hernandez was the youngest performer at the show and played Carl Webster’s “Scherzo” on the cello.

“It’s really nice that they let kids younger than high school students participate [in the show],” said Hernandez, who has been playing the cello for eight years.

Seventeen-year old Jess Wolvington from Burlington High School and 18-year old Caney Demars from People’s Academy agreed with the value of youth performance. The high school students have undergone professional voice training for opera since the eighth grade under the guidance of their teacher, Bill Reed.

“I think it’s great for the kids, for the community spirit, and for all the parents to see their kids up there being capable and competent young artists,” said Reed, who has been instructing in vocal music for over 40 years.

“Bill has been shaping us since we were puppies, as he says,” said Demars.

“He expects professionalism from us,” added Wolvington.

The duet sang “Ah Guarda Sorella” from “Cosi Fan Tutte” by Mozart.

“I think they’re really fun, said Demars, referring to opportunities like Saturday’s talent show. “We don’t usually get a place to show our talents and schools don’t offer [opportunities] like that. Besides, we get to meet these kids that we’ve never seen, doing stuff and we weren’t even aware other people could do the same things.”

“It’s cool to see other schools’ kids too,” said Wolvington. “Here [you get to see] other Vermont kids.”

Brady Winslow and Ethan Roy, both eleventh-grade students from Middlebury Union High School, performed Blue Bossa by Kenny Dorham. The transcendental jazz-fusion guitar duo believes that the show is a great platform for building confidence and giving opportunities to young people who might not have otherwise performed.

“They really exhibited the talent that Addison County has to offer its young people,” said Winslow, referring to the other acts.
There are no auditions to participate in the show. Rather, Douglas Anderson, the executive director of the Town Hall Theater, asks teachers from the county to choose their most talented students.

“I can’t pick and I also don’t want to have this massive audition with 10,000 students,” said Anderson. “I send out an e-mail in the fall to all the teachers [asking them] if [they] have a student who really needs this opportunity and has been working very hard. Also, it motivates kids throughout the year. If they know in November they’re going to be singing or playing in the Town Hall Theater in April, that’s something really to work for.”

The show has been a starting point for local performer Tim Woos, who is now entering the realm of national recognition. In the showcase, Woos accompanied Vergennes Union Middle School eighth-grade violin-player Ruby Dombek on the piano, playing the third movement of Bach’s “Concerto # 1.”

“[Woos] will be on National Public Radio, he’s written compositions played by the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, he’s a brilliant bassoon player and he’s just been accepted to the Curtis Institute,” said Anderson, predicting a bright future for Woos. “In 10 years, he’ll be a household name.”

The talent show has been key to promoting budding talent in the county.

“As long as I can put a seventh-grade cellist on the stage, I’m very happy,” said Anderson, who plans to have two shows a year in the future.