Looking For A New Idol

A Symphony Idol, in fact. That's what they'll be doing next month in Charleston, as the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra (WVSO) stages their own version of the popular TV show. They have some amazing talent lined up, including my pal Ryan Hardiman. Here's the press release with all the info:

WVSO presents SYMPHONY IDOL

CHARLESTON WV - The West Virginia Symphony Orchestra's 2007-2008 ZMM Architects & Engineers Pops Series will continue with Symphony Idol on Friday and Saturday, February 15 & 16, 2008, both performances at 8 p.m. at the Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences of West Virginia.

The concerts will feature nine outstanding finalists, chosen at auditions held April 21, 2007, competing for the chance to be the one-and-only Symphony Idol. The judges from the April auditions (Larry Groce, Randall Reid-Smith and Mariel van Dalsum-Boggs) will offer on-stage commentary, but, just as in the final rounds of American Idol, the decision at the February 15-16 concerts will be up to the audience.

On Friday night, February 15, each of the nine finalists will perform two selections with the WVSO and Maestro Grant Cooper. At the end of the concert, the Friday night audience will vote for their top four choices. The votes will be tabulated overnight.

On Saturday, February 16, each of the nine finalists will once again perform one selection with the orchestra in the first half of the concert. Just before intermission, the names of the top four finalists (as selected by the Friday night audience) will be revealed. It will then be up to the Saturday night audience to make the final selection. They will be asked to vote for one of the announced top four during the intermission of the Saturday concert.

Those votes will be counted in the second half of Saturday's concert, which will feature a performance from each of the remaining four finalists, as well as a song from each of the judges. Then, it will be time to learn the identity of the winner, which will be announced at the very end of Saturday's concert.

The Symphony Idol winner will be offered the opportunity to perform with the WVSO on future occasions, including Symphony Sunday 2008.

Tickets for the Symphony Idol concerts begin at $9 for adults and $5 for students and children and are available through the Clay Center Ticket Office, 304-561-3570 . Tickets may be ordered online at www.wvsymphony.org. The concerts of February 15-16 are sponsored in part by Moreland Law Firm, L.C.

Ticket Prices for WVSO 07-08 Pops Series Concerts
Adult E $ 9
Student E $ 5
Adult D $15
Student D $ 8
Adult C $24
Student C $13
Adult B $39
Adult A $49

SYMPHONY IDOL FINALISTS

Micah Atkinson – Senior at Capital High School, member of show choir “Voices in Perfection”

Elizabeth Cary Lantz Brown – local physician and veteran of numerous productions with the Charleston Light Opera Guild

Ryan Hardiman – veteran of numerous music theatre productions with Charleston Stage Company and Contemporary Youth Arts Company

Jessica Liston - 24 year old mother of two and two-time first place winner in Adult Division of Wal-Mart Idol Competition

Liz McCormick - Sophomore at Capital High School, former member of Appalachian Children's Chorus

Sarah Pauley - Sophomore at Capital High School, veteran of many productions with Children's Theater of Charleston

Tanner Sigman - 8th grader at Poca Middle School, member of Appalachian Children's Chorus

Angela Szbak - lyric soprano from New York City, heard about WVSO's Symphony Idol from her brother who lives here

Jonathan Tucker - violinist with Charleston Neophonic Orchestra; junior at WV State University and starting right tackle on State's football team

SYMPHONY IDOL JUDGES

Larry Groce is host of Mountain Stage, heard around the world on Public Radio International, XM Satellite Radio and on Voice of America's Satellite Service. He has recorded 22 albums including 6 platinum albums for Walt Disney Records, and his accomplishments include a Grammy Award nomination and the top ten hit song "Junk Food Junkie.”

Mariel van Dalsum-Boggs is one of Charleston 's most popular vocal artists. She has performed in operas with the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra and other groups around the Charleston area, as well as at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC and with symphony orchestras throughout her native Holland.

Randall Reid-Smith has enjoyed an international career in opera and as a concert soloist, singing across Europe as well as all around the US and in Japan. In 2005 he returned to his native West Virginia at the invitation of Governor Joe Manchin to serve as Commissioner of the West Virginia Division of Culture and History.