Yes it was an amazing night - I understand they started turning people away at 700 ... James and the Country Gentlemen won with an overall total of 5100 votes (for all of the top ten) and the grand prize of $5000 and will play a 45-minute set at the Rarearth Jazz and Blues Fest. The very talented Raquel Warchol in second place for the $3000 prize, and Lucy & the Lucky 4 - third place for the $1000 prize. Chloe, Kyle & Co. won for the "Best Performance of the Night" and Rick Doling of the Music Shoppe presented a 58 microphone as a gift. Brandon Schmor played and sang on the beautiful Steinway and was presented with vocal lessons from BettyAnne Northup of Vernon Recording and also a recording session with Henry Piovesan's Piano Jam Studios, Jeff Wuolle of the Cracked Pot presented the runners up with Gift Certificates. All of the competitors won bags of memorabilia, personalized pictures of their auditions and promo shots from Kevin Keinlein and Stan Csapo of Looking at You Photography as well as their interviews with 107.5 Kiss FM on disc and as extra thankyou a cheque for $300., and Meeka Rowat won 107.5 Kiss FM's and the Rarearth 'Giving Foundation's' award for being 'brave' while facing her challenges. The kids went away with a HUGE sense of accomplishment - "I went from playing a few tunes for my parents to playing in front of an audience ... I just never thought people would want to listen to me", says "Elle O'Brien" who has now been contacted by a Production company who is interested in her. "Thanks for thinking I'm somebody Kath" says Brandon Schmor. "this was the best thing I've ever done" says 8 year old Rachel Pavlikovik and beautiful Emma Magirescu, says her mother "thanks Kath - this is magical for her"... with hugs and kisses all around this 'love fest' of fantastic high energy with every good intention has been unbelievably successful for it's first year ... Double Trouble had the crowd tapping their toes smiling at how talented and 'cute' they were - just pals and just love to play music together. The amazing harmonies of Melissa Yano who played like the true professional she is with songs from her heart to the sweet, perfect voice of Mica Lemiski complimented by her own accompaniement on the piano made for an all-round wonderful evening of talent that left the audience in awe.

Every single one of the artists played from the depths of their souls - they all did such a fine job of presenting themselves and marketing themselves. The lesson to market and get their names out there was totally heard by them and between them all bringing in excess of 5100 votes is pretty amazing in a six week time frame.

.. RANDOM ORDER ..

DOUBLE TROUBLE Jacob Bennett and Kai Kirk are eight year old friends who love to get together to play fiddle tunes. They've been playing classical violin since they were four and three years old. Kai got into fiddle playing first and it was through her influence that Jacob began fiddling this year. Together they have a lot of fun playing with the Kelowna Old Time Fiddlers and with a group of their friends and siblings. Both Kai and Jacob love stories and enjoy learning the stories behind the songs they play as well as making up their own stories to the music.CLICK HERE to BLOG
MICA LEMISKI - I would definitely say I am the type of girl who likes to do everything.  I enjoy soccer, golf, piano, musical theatre, singing and songwriting; I also have played hockey for the past 10 years.  I wrote my first song when I was about 11 years old on a miniature purple keyboard that my grandfather gave me when I was 6.  I soon upgraded to playing my songs on the ancient piano in the basement and ever since then, songwriting has been something I absolutely love.  Check out a few of my songs on MySpace
CHLOE, KYLE & CO. CHLOE & KYLE DAVIDSON's musical maturity goes well beyond their years! These award-winning fiddlers begged to play violin at the age of 3.....Now 11 and 9 years old, they have shared their gift of music from Hawaii to Nova Scotia.....touching hearts and delighting audiences wherever they've been! Their diverse global repertoire includes original compositions, Celtic music, eastern European, jazz and blues, American and Canadian fiddle styles - and anything else they can pluck or bow!!! Semi-finalists in the Vancouver P.N.E.'s Red Robinson Talent Showdown (voted Fan Favourites) in 2008, they were also selected from acts across North America and the U.K. to perform in the 2008 Celtic Colours Int'l Festival Youth Showcase in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. "Chloe, Kyle & Co." took their popular ""Around the World in 45 Minutes" show to the 2008 Salmon Arm Roots & Blues Festival and will be playing at the 2009 Vancouver Children's Festival . Regular performers for Kelowna's Canada Day, the Life & Arts Festival, the Fat Cat Children's Festival and Parks Alive! concerts, Chloe & Kyle are in demand for special events throughout the Valley year-round. Music is sure to make you smile when it's Chloe & Kyle style!
"CLICK HERE" to VISIT THEIR SITE

 

LUCY & THE LUCKY 4 ..We are four young guys from two small towns, who have gotten together and started up a band. We have been together for almost a year now and have been practicing every Friday of every week. Our objective with the band was to have some fun in our teenage years, and we are sure doing what we set out to do. The band consists of (Left to right) Shane Coates, Liam Tyner, Levi Glass, and Nathan Marcetta. We have been writing our own songs as well as covering some good tunes. Liam brings the psychedelic blues with his guitar, Levi shines through with the funk on bass, and Nathan sends the great sound of classic rock out on the drums. And Shane tops it all off with his low bluesy vocals. We are a four piece rock band with an assortment of influences and styles with a love for music and playing together in this band. Lucky 4 MySpace

RACHEL PAVLAKOVIC, a talented 11 year old singer, loves performing and it shows when she is on stage. This past Christmas Rachel had the opportunity to sing Christmas songs with legendary Kenny Rogers at his Christmas and Hits Tour in Kelowna. She is no stranger to the stage and has performed at the PNE in Vancouver for the past three years as well as many events around her hometown of Kelowna. Rachel is also an anthem singer for her local hockey and baseball teams. When she is not playing music and singing, her interests include dance, tae kwon do and skiing.
ELLE O’BRIEN is a 17 years old and has been playing guitar for 6 years, rocking out on the piano for 13 years and singing her heart out for most of her life. She has been living in Kelowna, BC since she was three years old and is graduating from Kelowna Secondary School this year. She just recently started writing her own music and preforming infront of audiences. She is planning to create a demo this summer in order to further her career in music. The future looks bright for this talented young lady who persuing her life long dreams.

EMMA MAGIRESCU (AGE 14) has already proven that she’s a talented singer-songwriter, accomplished musician and gifted recording artist well beyond her years. Born in Kelowna into a musical family, Emma has travelled and performed in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, the Caribbean and throughout Canada since the age of five. When I started writing and singing”, says Emma, “I felt that I had a tremendous responsibility because I had a voice and the power to make people think about global issues through my lyrics”. Schools, churches, conferences and drug and alcohol rehab centres have been some of the venues where Emma has shared her rich blend of jazz-infused thought-provoking songs. Her 2007 debut CD, “Dreaming of Living” has already garnered radio attention on CBC and stations across Canada.

EmmaMySpace .. EmmaYouTube

MELISSA YANO is a passionate seventeen year old, and anyone who knows her, knows how much music has an impact on her everyday. She has been singing her whole life, but on one particular day she decided to take it more seriously. She was with her mom in their old purple aerostar van listening to Genie in a Bottle. Of course Melissa was breaking out pretending to be a super star. Her mom looked at her and told her that she had a beautiful voice, and when Melissa looked up at her mom, she knew she wouldn’t lie. She was always a performer, dancing and singing in front of her family, trying to steal the show. At the young age of 10 tragedy struck her family – her mother had passed away of Cancer. That was when Melissa wrote her first song, a song dedicated to her forever remembered, unbelievably beautiful mother. Her mom, Sharon Yano, is still her on-going inspiration. A couple years down the road Melissa decided to take up guitar. Since then Melissa has been singing and writing, on while keeping up with her school work, loyally volunteering for the Canadian Cancer Society, helping around her school and well, just being a teenager! MelissaMySpace

 

 

RAQUEL WARCHOL  - Raquel s a seasoned performer and world traveler who has already opened for the likes of Aaron Pritchett and Foreigner.  Raquel has been invited to perform twice, at the Merritt Mountain Music Festival that featured such music icons as Ian Tyson and Tim Magraw.  With appearances on the Leeza Gibbons Radio Show, Raquel demonstrated her media maturity and ability to represent herself as the true performer that she is. Raquel is from Vernon, BC and has just completed two new recordings with executive producer, writer, legendary R&B vocalist, and top radio personality, Al B Sure http://www.albsurelove.com/  and highly regarded, Grammy nominated producer/writer Terence Dudley, who wrote the number one groundbreaking hit song, "Ya Life's On The Line" for 50 Cent.  www.raquelwarchol.com

JAMES AND THE COUNTRY GENTLEMEN (Stefan Raupach, Johann Lingohr, Daniel Favell) James and the Country Gentlemen: is an acoustic guitar trio comprised of Daniel Favell, Stefan Raupach and Johann Linghor who play jazz, blues, funk, and latin. As a trio they have played together under the direction of Neil Fraser for three years. Over the past few years they have been featured at many benefit concerts such as: Amplify Youth Centre grand opening, Rwandan Orphans and B.C. Children’s Hospital as well as the Komasket Music Festival in 2008 and a Vernon Art Gallery opening. Most recently they were awarded most outstanding combo at the Lionel Hampton International Jazz Festival. They create a very unique, expressive sound where their individual musical styles - check them out at  www.purevolume.com/james3

2009 OUR KIDS PICS 'HERE'