Teen Talent Show coming to Aurora library
The Aurora Public Library's sixth annual Teen Talent Show and Competition, presented by the library's three teen librarians, is set for 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9, at Copley Theatre, 8 E. Galena Blvd. in downtown Aurora. The show is free and open to the public. The performers range in age from 12 to 18.
Last year's Teen Talent Show and Competition winner, Jake Julian of Aurora, will take the stage to perform during the judges' deliberations. Julian, a singer and composer who accompanies himself on guitar, is a sophomore at Waubonsie Valley High School, where he takes honors classes, plays football, and wrestles.
Julian also finished second in the 2012 "Chicago Has Talent" competition at the Chicago Theatre.
There are 15 contestants in this year's show. They are:
• Soloist Ally Filicicchia of Aurora, a freshman at Oswego East High School.
• Soloist Kimani (Kimani Grayson) of Aurora, a junior at Waubonsie Valley High School.
• Poet K-Nicole (Kylia Hathorne) of Aurora, a senior at West Aurora High School.
• Band Iron Legion, featuring Tyler Daniels, Josh Irby and Ryan Lantz, all of Aurora. Daniels will be a freshman at the University of Iowa this fall; Irby will be a freshman at College of DuPage; and Lantz will be a freshman at the University of Minnesota.
• Soloist/pianist Haley Julian of Aurora, a seventh-grader at Fischer Middle School.
• Soloist/pianist Laila McCurdy of Aurora, a junior at West Aurora High School.
• Soloist/guitarist Isaias Ponpa of Aurora, an eighth-grader at All Saints Catholic Academy in Naperville.
• Soloist Magdelyn Rogers of Aurora, a home-schooled sophomore.
• Soloist San Sandberg of Geneva, a senior at Geneva High School.
• Soloist/guitarist Shannon R. Scott of Aurora, a junior at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy in Aurora.
• Soloist Corinda Sing (Corinda Singphothighal) of Aurora, a sophomore at Waubonsie Valley High School.
• Mr. Baby Rick (Rick Stevenson) of Aurora, an eighth-grader at Fischer Middle School.
• Soloist Ive Torres of Aurora, a freshman at Aurora Central Catholic School.
• Soloist Mariam Walker of Aurora, a sophomore at West Aurora High School.
• Flag twirler Brianne Whipple of Aurora, a freshman at Waubonsee Community College.
Emceeing the competition will be Jaime Gutierrez, the host and producer of "Fox Valley Voice," a local-interest talk show on YouTube. Gutierrez is an account executive at Neighbors Magazines and also hosts live team trivia Wednesdays at Oak Street Restaurant and Bar in North Aurora.
Performers will be judged by two adult judges who are knowledgeable about music and the music industry and three Library Teen Advisory Board members. The winning performer will receive a trophy.
Judge Charles Staley is the fine arts chairman at Neuqua Valley High School in Indian Prairie Unit District 204, where he teaches the wind and jazz ensembles.
Staley's bands and orchestras have performed at the International Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, Chicago's Symphony Center, the University of Illinois' Krannert Hall and at concert venues in England, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic.
The Neuqua Valley Band is the first band from the United States to be invited to perform at the 2015 Festival Bandas Maestro José Guillén. The band will perform at the festival as part of its concert tour of Spain.
The Neuqua Valley Fine Arts Department was awarded the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts National Schools of Distinction in Arts Education Award and the John Philip Sousa Foundation's Sudler Flag of Honor. Neuqua Valley has been honored by the Grammy Foundation seven times and was twice recognized as the Grammy National Signature School.
Judge Clarence J. Welton is an entrepreneur and owner of INOJ Music Artist LLC. He has spent the past 15 years developing and motivating artists to master their craft and reach their maximum potential.
Artists Welton has worked with have toured internationally and worked with Grammy award- winning artists and producers. Welton has partnered with multiple performing arts programs in the Chicagoland area. He is the father of Joshua Welton, engineer/producer of Prince's just-released and yet-to-be-named album.
Joshua Welton's wife, Hannah Ford Welton, is the drummer for 3rd Eye Girl, the band that has been touring internationally with Prince.
If you go
What: Aurora Public Library's sixth annual Teen Talent Show and Competition
Who: Performers range in age from 12 to 18
When: 2 p.m. Aug. 9
Where: Copley Theatre, 8 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora
Cost: Free
Info: aurorapubliclibrary.org