THE CREAM of the region’s young talent will gather on stage at the grand final of Highton Rotary’s 2015 Star Search.
This year’s Star Search finale, at Sacred Heart College’s McAuley Hall on 29 May, will offer $5000 in prize money.
A mix of vocalists and instrumentalists will showcase their talents after an exhaustive entry and audition process.
Vying for the prizes will be vocalists Sarah Krndija, Celine Torres, Sam Porter, Casey Reid, Jessica Nelson, India Ney, along with pianist/vocalist Zoe Marshall.
They will be joined by instrumentalists Sasha Capill (piano), Darwie Fang (cello), Shae Stabryla (alto saxophone) Maddi Anderson (trumpet), Callum Edwards (trombone), Nathaniel Chong (piano) and a Christian College VCE jazz group.
Each category winner will receive $1000 with the overall winner taking away $1300.
Singer Casey Reid is just 15 years old but has already been involved in many Geelong theatre productions and will join the adult ensemble of Evita in July.
Self-taught singer Sarah Krndija, 17, was awarded best female lead actor by Entertainment Geelong, the only junior ever awarded an individual prize.
Maddi Anderson picked up the trumpet for the first time aged eight, “oblivious to the incredible challenges and experiences” it would bring. She twice toured Europe and America playing at major music festivals with Geelong’s famed Sweethearts.
Maddi studied with a trumpet professor in North Carolina, USA, for 18 months before returning to perform with the Cat Empire last year on its Australian tour.
VCE student Jessica Nelson has already graced the stage at the Sydney Opera House as a soloist at the tender age of 11 with the Australian Girls’ Choir.
Sasha Capill, a year 12 student at Sacred Heart College, has competed at the Geelong Eisteddfod, plays with Geelong Community Orchestra and was a previous Star Search finalist.
Trombonist Callum Edwards plays with the Belmont High School Senior Band and Jazz Syndicate and the Geelong Concert Community and Senior Bands.
Tickets to Highton Rotary’s Star Search grand final are available at starsearch.net.au.
