The talent show must go on
As this spring’s activities start rolling in, several students take this as their opportunity to show off in the annual talent show on March 24. Even though blended learning has started, to ensure safety, this is the first ever time the talent show has been held online.
Kaiden Pemberton, senior, has been in charge of this year’s virtual talent show, and without a doubt, it is much different than what it used to be. “People submitted an audition video and [did] not rehearse live, since over a call, we felt we weren’t going to do the person justice with all the technical problems that could occur. [This year, the talent show] is a pre-recorded show, with live voting and that it is much shorter, around 30 minutes,” Pemberton said.
Although the show is still happening, Pemberton feels as though hanging out with the students in person is what made the event special. “I miss the atmosphere being in and around the acts the day of. From previously being in [the talent show] before and [even] before that, being a part of the production, it is such a fun night to be with the acts the night of [the show],” Pemberton said.
Eudia Ng, freshman, has been playing the piano for the past seven years and decided to display her experience through the event. “I’m going to be playing the Praeludium by Bach…I’ve been playing it for a couple of months as I had to play it for my [Certificate of Merit testing] as well,” Ng said. “It was kind of a spontaneous decision to do [the talent show] and participate.”
Shortly after the talent show was over, the winner of the show was announced live, via Instagram. Jason Jimenez, sophomore, stole the show with his piano performance of “Sweden” by Daniel Rosenfeld. The win was not anything Jimenez had expected. “I was astonished that I had won. I submitted my performance intending to share a piece of beautiful music, hoping to evoke the same sort of emotion I had experienced,” Jimenez said.
Jimenez had been working on this piece for roughly two weeks; however, he had known this piece for quite a while. In the process of choosing his music, something had pulled him towards the song. “I happened to be going over my piano repertoire, and I thought this song was simple but described my feelings of nostalgia and serenity well. I felt my performance was so simple yet powerful,” Jimenez said.
There is some silver lining to having an online event, giving an opportunity to students who would not have participated if it was held in person. “I don’t think I would have actually [done the talent show] because I’m not completely comfortable like performing onstage in person,” Ng said.
