It had almost everything - from singing to dancing to a memorable rendition of Rebecca Black's smash Internet hit, Friday.
The 2011 Howe Sound Performing Arts Association (HSPAA) Star Search saw 18 talented Sea to Sky residents sing, dance and entertain their way to victory at the Eagle Eye Theatre on Friday (May 13).
Howe Sound Secondary School (HSSS) student Audrey Aurellano, 17, took home first place in the youth division, crooning a version of Adele's Rolling in the Deep. She won the contest despite a limited amount of time learning the song.
"I heard it once on the radio, liked it and decided to do it," she said. "I learned the song in two weeks, but I'm just still a little surprised I won. It's my first year competing in this so it feels really nice to win."
Aurellano, who has taken vocal lessons, said she hopes to use the Star Search victory to propel her to bigger things in the music field. Aurellano edged second-place Emma Wong, who sang a medley from the play Thoroughly Modern Millie. In the kids' division, Carli Leppard, singing Taylor Swift's Stay Beautiful, finished second, with Hannah Van Spornsen's performance of Cyndi Lauper's Time After Time winning.
Someone who might have a little advice for Aurellano could be former winner Emma Pederson. She was back in town to appear as a special guest performer for the event and thrilled the crowd with her vocal ability. Since winning Star Search in 2006, Pederson has moved on to Sheridan College in Oakville, Ont., where she's taking a Music Theatre Performance program. She said it's a pleasure to return to one of the events that helped put her on the map.
"I love this whole competition," she said. "It was a great experience for me and I just love coming back to check it out and sing."
The 2010 HSSS graduate said it was nice to see the potential realized in several of the young performers.
"I grew up with lots of the younger kids and it was great seeing them," she said. "Me and Emma Wong are quite close and I thought she and everyone else did a great job tonight."
Event organizer Kristine Miles said getting former participants such as Pederson, Scott Verbeek and Jocelyn Pettit to perform at this year's event wasn't too difficult.
"The good thing about these kids is that they're more than willing to come back, perform or help in any way," she said. "I thought it was an awesome show overall today. This has been going on for 18 years now and back then there was nothing, but the community has grown, the skill level of the kids has grown and it's good for everyone involved."
Proceeds from the show will go the Access Music Education fund, which awards bursaries to local youth to pursue music education. The bursaries are meant to encourage young performers who might not otherwise have the chance to shine.
"Every year we get more and more applications," Miles said. "The funds are going to kids who really need it and it feels good to give these kids that opportunity."
For more information on the HSPAA, visit www.howesoundarts.ca.
