Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops have announced the 16 first-round contestants of POPSearch 2007, the Pops’ first American Idol-style competition that sought talented singers from across the country. The competition gets underway on Monday, June 4 when the 16 contestants perform with the Boston Pops rhythm section for a chance to advance to the semi-final round, which will include six singers. Also, starting today, everyone can vote for their favorite singers by viewing the 16 contestants at www.YouTube.com/group/POPSearch07 and casting their votes at www.BostonPops.org.
Reflecting its place as “America’s Orchestra,” the Boston Pops selected such diverse contestants as Szymona Dolecki in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Rachel DeShon in Kenmore, Washington; flight attendant Lauren Dutterer and second-grade teacher Jill Akins; 21-year-old college grad Patrick Davey and 68-year-old receptionist Anna Norton; and singers specializing in styles from jazz to showtunes. Half of this year’s POPSearch contestants auditioned via YouTube.com. The “Sweet 16” singers were selected from a nationwide pool of applicants, who auditioned live at Symphony Hall, through YouTube.com, or mailed in audition tapes. The winner will sing at the Boston Pops’ marquis event on July 4, in front of a live audience of a half-million people and millions more watching on Boston’s WBZ-TV. This talented singer will also tour with the Pops on the national summer tour and win a $5,000 cash prize.
Tickets for the POPSearch “Sweet Sixteen” concert are $5 and are available to the public by phone through SymphonyCharge (888-266-1200), in person at the Symphony Hall box office, or online at www.bostonpops.org.
REMAINING KEY DATES FOR POPSEARCH 2007
For more information, visit www.bostonpops.org
● May 30 - NATIONWIDE VOTING BEGINS. POPSearch announces top 16 contestants, chosen by Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops artistic staff. Videos of these singers will be posted online at www.YouTube.com/group/popsearch07, and music lovers nationwide can vote for their favorite six semi-finalists.
● June 4 - SIX SEMIFINALISTS CHOSEN after all 16 perform live at Symphony Hall with members of the Boston Pops, 7 p.m. Online voting continues for three finalists.
● June 12 - THREE FINALISTS CHOSEN from six semifinalists after each performs live during a Boston Pops concert at Symphony Hall, 8 p.m. Online voting continues for PopSearch winner.
● June 28 - POPSEARCH WINNER ANNOUNCED after each of the three finalists performs live during a Boston Pops concert at Symphony Hall, 8 p.m.
● July 3 and 4 - POPSEARCH WINNER PERFORMS before a half-million spectators with the Boston Pops in the annual July 4 Extravaganza.
POPSEARCH 2007 “SWEET SIXTEEN” WINNERS
JILL AKINS, Quincy, Massachusetts. Ms. Akins is a 30-year-old second-grade teacher who has been singing with her family for more than two decades.
APRIL ATIBA, Providence, Rhode Island. Ms. Atiba is a California native and 22-year-old medical student at Brown University. She has
sung for 10 years and is now learning how to play guitar.
BRIAN BILLITER, West Barnstable, Massachusetts. Mr. Billiter is a 47-year-old surgical nurse at Cape Cod Hospital. He’s also a foster parent who volunteered in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina.
ANGELA CARR, Quincy, Massachusetts. Ms. Carr is a 27-year-old music teacher, church organist, and choir director who played mallet
percussion and trombone in high school. She wants to teach music in a developing country someday.
PATRICK DAVEY, Cranston, Rhode Island. Mr. Davey is a 21-year-old singer who graduated this spring from Catholic University with a degree in vocal performance. He will be a grad student at Indiana University.
RACHEL DeSHON, Kenmore, Washington. Ms. DeShon studied musical theater at Western Illinois University. This 23-year-old has sung in her church and in Seattle-area community theater.
SZYMONA DOLECKI, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Ms. Dolecki is a 28-year-old student at Berklee College of Music who said her love of music began when her uncle gave her a small keyboard at age 5.
LAUREN DUTTERER, Aurora, Colorado. Ms. Dutterer is a 29-year-old flight attendant who has sung in church and local theater productions all her life.
KELLY FERGUSON, Taunton, Massachusetts. Ms. Ferguson is a 23-year-old singer who plans to study voice at Berklee College of Music this fall. Her previous musical studies, however, have focused on trumpet.
LYDIA HARRELL, Everett, Massachusetts. Ms. Harrell is a 30-year-old singer who began her training at Kellogg Community College in Battle
Creek, Michigan. She discovered her passion for jazz after moving to the Boston area.
GISELA JOHNSON, Hyde Park, Massachusetts. Ms. Johnson is a 32-year-old financial analyst and mother who loves acting and reading. She also used to sing in a band called Blaque Pearl.
BRIANNE KOCHUNAS, Warren, Ohio. Ms. Kochunas is a 22-year-old music teacher who just graduated from Youngstown State University. She was an assistant marching band director at a high school last fall.
KELLEY LENNON, Cumberland, Rhode Island. Ms. Lennon is a 27-year-old who works in marketing and said she dreams of singing the National Anthem at a Boston Red Sox or New England Patriots game.
ANNA NORTON, Chelsea, Massachusetts. Ms. Norton is a 68-year-old receptionist who has been singing since age 12. For the last 45 years, she has been doing a show for the Everett Chapter of the Greater Boston Association for Retarded Citizens.
MARIA PERRY, Kansas City, Missouri. Ms. Perry is a 52-year-old native of Quincy, Massachusetts, who is now preparing for certification to teach “zumba,” a Latin dance-inspired fitness program.
ANDREW RYKER, Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. Mr. Ryker is a 26-year-old administrative assistant at the statehouse. He used to work as a waiter at Symphony Hall, but jokes that he didn’t do a very good job because he just wanted to listen to the orchestra.
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