2018 Open Call CELEBRATING 20 YEARS! PHOTOS BY JACK HARTIN MEET THE 2018 OPEN CALL FINALISTS

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1 2018 Open Call TALENT PROJECT CELEBRATING 20 YEARS! presenting sponsor: The Commander Allen Fund diamond circle sponsor: Harold Matzner emerald circle sponsors: Hal & Diane Gershowitz, Dale & Carole Haes Landon, Connie Tirschwell PHOTOS BY JACK HARTIN MEET THE 2018 OPEN CALL FINALISTS Abigail Carter CK Dance Company Desert Ridge Academy Concert Choir El Mariachi Mil Sueños Allegra Erickson & Bryton Carpio Michelle Fiore Antoine Forehand Jessica Jordan Hannah & Stacey Mills Earl Mitchell Hannah Morgan Lindsay Ouellette PDCMS Jazz Ensemble Christian Quevedo Rival Alaska Kayley Serrano Cecelia Rose Stewart Traveler

2 Abigail Carter STUDENT AGE 15, INDIO I auditioned because it gave me a chance to reach out to others and hopefully make them smile. My mother has always inspired me and to this day continues to inspire me. She is so strong in the way she goes about life. I hope to someday be half as strong as she is. Sucking at something is the first step to being sort of good at something. My general goal is to make people smile. As long as I live up to that, I ll deem myself successful. CK Dance Company DANCERS STUDENTS, AGES 14-18, PALM SPRINGS, RANCHO MIRAGE Waltz of the Flowers is a well-known piece that is usually performed around the holidays. We work incredibly hard every season preparing this ballet and wanted to share one of Tchaikovsky s most famous pieces of music with McCallum audiences and show how demanding and challenging classical ballet really is. We are inspired by some of our favorite dancers, Misty Copeland, Maddie Ziegler and Avery Gay as well as our amazing teachers and coaches at CK Dance. We also love seeing how CK Dance alumni have gone on to be successful in the dance industry. Life without ballet would be pointe-less. Our biggest dream is for ballet to win Open Call 2018.

3 Desert Ridge Academy Concert Choir S STUDENTS, AGES 14-18, INDIO We wanted to showcase our abilities in front of a large audience. Our music director Ruben Flores is an inspiration to us. If your dreams do not scare you, they are not big enough. -Ellen Johnson Sirleaf To make music a career. El Mariachi Mil Sueños S / INSTRUMENTALISTS STUDENTS, AGES 14-18, INDIO To get the opportunity to perform on the McCallum Theatre stage. We re inspired by our colorful culture, our families, and our music director. Never let go of your dreams. Our dream is to continue to perform on a large scale like we are here in Open Call.

4 Allegra Erickson & Bryton Carpio S STUDENT & SALES ASSOCIATE, AGES 16 & 20, RANCHO MIRAGE Seeing the beautiful artistic impact and joy that my brother Everett experienced from performing in Open Call, inspired me to follow my dream to work hard and audition. Wanting to experience the magic and excitement of performing in Open Call on the iconic McCallum Theatre stage has been a dream of not only mine but of Bryton s. We are so excited and grateful to be a part of this amazing opportunity. We are inspired by Musical Theatre University s brilliant and supportive director, David Green who has taught us that No is not the answer or the question to your dreams. He s taught us that when you can no longer say the words, it becomes a song. Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don t matter, and those who matter, don t mind. Dr. Seuss Our biggest dream is to perform on Broadway and inspire others to always follow their dreams. Michelle Fiore SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER, AGE 46, PALM SPRINGS I use music in my classroom every day. To me, music is almost as vital as breathing itself. There is a beautiful choral piece by Michael Adler and Brad Green that says When all words fail, still music speaks. I ve never been an eloquent speaker, but singing allows me to say all that is in my heart. I still have this naive dream that somehow I can bring sunshine and hope to those who are lacking or help them know that they are loved. Music is the only way I know how to truly express myself. I have seen Open Call and have wanted to audition for some time, and at this stage in my life, I feel like it s never too late to pursue my dreams and bring light to those who need it. So much inspires me as an artist and performer. My students bring me so much hope when throughout their struggles, they persevere. I learn so much from them and they bring joy to my heart. I am also inspired by my teachers such as George Shirley, who was the first African American to sing at the Metropolitan Opera. Even through all the adversity that he faced, he continues to have such a positive outlook and wants to help others. Donna Dease, my first university voice teacher, whose bright light was taken from us when she was just 44, taught me so much about life and the great responsibility that we have as artists. Additionally, vocalists Renee Fleming and Frederica von Stade inspire me. These two artists seem to embody the music extraordinarily well. Life inspires me! Do all things passionately and with love. My biggest dream as a performer is to positively touch as many hearts as I can.

5 Antoine Forehand PIANIST STUDENT, AGE 13, INDIAN WELLS I ve enjoyed watching Open Call at the McCallum all the years I ve gone, and it looked as though the performers were really enjoying their finale number at the end. As a piano player, I rarely get the opportunity to play with others, and I m really looking forward to our rehearsals together. My piano teacher, James McCormick, inspires me. Be like Antoine. To be able to make others happy with my playing. Jessica Jordan TWIRLER STUDENT, AGE 18, CATHEDRAL CITY Open Call is the perfect opportunity to perform for this wonderful community that I have grown up in before I leave for college in the fall. This is my way of saying thank you for the support I have received at all my performances throughout the Desert. I want to share my passion for baton twirling. Knowing that I can put smiles on faces through my twirling inspires me the most. Be Positive. Stay Strong. Celebrate Life. - Samantha Palumbo (cousin) My biggest dream is to twirl for the Spirit of Troy Marching Band at the University of Southern California.

6 Hannah & Stacey Mills S/INSTRUMENTALISTS TRADER JOE S MATE & RETIRED WORSHIP LEADER, AGES 23 & 55, PALM DESERT Hannah: I thought it would be a great bonding experience for me and my Mom. Stacey: My daughter invited me to audition with her, and I m like What? You want to sing with Mom? OK!!! Hannah: My inspiration comes from the beauty and simplicity of nature. I m in awe how overlooked something can be and yet how inspiring it is if you just stop and appreciate it. That is how I want my art to be. Stacey: First and foremost, I am inspired by my journey with God. What an adventure. Having a famous musician for an Uncle has always spurred me on to reach for the stars, something I ve had to learn to balance with the value of simple living and the joy of family. Life s true treasures! Hannah: Transparency is essential to inspiring others. Stacey: There is always a better singer on every street corner than I, but if I can move and inspire you for all eternity, I ve succeeded. Hannah: To revolutionize the music industry by reminding people what music is all about through my art. Stacey: To see my children and grandchildren use their many talents to inspire and minister God s love and compassion, impacting their generation. Earl Mitchell RETIRED, AGE 72, PALM DESERT I have always loved singing and would have loved to pursue it at a young age. However, my wife Sandra and I got married very young, and I was the first in my family to attend college. All things considered, I gravitated to the very practical major of Business Administration. I was able to pursue my dream after retiring in the Desert from 50 years in the world of work. I have taken six music related classes at College of the Desert and thoroughly enjoy singing karaoke, at open mic and in the Sun City Performing Arts Club. I also enjoy singing at fundraising events for the Vela Youth Fund, an all-volunteer 501c3 charity. If I m blessed to win an award at Open Call, it will be donated to Vela Youth Fund, whose mission is to support needy black children in USA, Africa and the Caribbean. Male performers who inspire me most are Sammy Davis Jr. and Tony Bennett. In my opinion, despite tremendous odds, Sammy is still the greatest all around entertainer. Tony, also despite tremendous odds, has endured as the greatest of the best male standards singers. I have read each man s autobiography, and learned much from them. I love Ella Fitzgerald and Rose Mary Clooney. They both embody the heart and soul of standards and jazz singing, and have set the gold standard for that genre. These four are my most inspirational favorites, but I love many others who sing the Great American Song Book, and modern songs with quality lyrics, great melodies and heart-warming love stories. Songs that make you smile, stir the soul, and encourage the heart. The ability to share joy with song is a gift from God. Be thankful for that and do it with honor and joy. My biggest dream is to win a recording contract so I can share my music with listeners and earn significant funds to donate to the Vela Youth Fund Charity, which my wife Sandra and I founded two years ago.

7 Hannah Morgan /TRUMPET PLAYER STUDENT, AGE 17, PALM DESERT I decided to try out for Open Call again for self-growth and fun. In addition to playing the trumpet, I ll be singing in front of an audience for the very first time. Chet Baker, Herbie Hancock, Donald Byrd, Lee Morgan, Donald Fagen, Sade, Hiroshi Sato and Patrice Rushen really inspire and shape me. I listen to all kinds of music and find lots of inspiration in music like Ariel Pink, Mild High Club, Erykah Badu and Yellow Magic Orchestra. To keep creating you have to be about change. - Miles Davis I have lived in the desert for a very long time, so my biggest dream currently is to move out of the desert as soon as I graduate and study music in different ways and forms. Lindsay Ouellette RETIRED, AGE 79, PALM SPRINGS I had the wonderful opportunity to perform in Open Call in 2012 and It was such a positive experience that I knew if I had the chance again I would audition for this great show. It is so awesome to perform in such a beautiful, professional theatre. I love singing music from the Great American Songbook. Many of the great singers, such as Frank Sinatra, Andy Williams and Perry Como have inspired me over the years. Current singers such as Michael Bublé, Michael Feinstein, Harry Connick Jr. and of course Tony Bennett help keep this wonderful style of music alive. My intention when I sing is to express the lyrics with feeling. My motivation is to tell a story when I sing and sell it to the audience with all my heart! My dream at my age is to just keep on singing as long as I can. I love the positive feedback from an audience.

8 PDCMS Jazz Ensemble INSTRUMENTALISTS STUDENTS, AGES 12-14; PALM DESERT, DESERT HOT SPRINGS, RANCHO MIRAGE, CATHEDRAL CITY, LA QUINTA Performing on a huge stage for thousands of people with people we consider family is a once in a lifetime opportunity. We are carrying on the tradition of the jazz ensemble from previous years, while creating our own memories with this year s PDCMS Jazz Ensemble. Musically, we are inspired by the jazz greats such as Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Ray Brown, Max Roach, Duke Ellington and so many others. But, as performers and as an ensemble, we inspire one another to have fun and be our best. We are also inspired by the PDCMS Jazz Ensembles of years past. The whole idea of music, from the beginning of time, was for people to be happy. Robert Plant Our dream is to share our love and passion for music with the people around us. Having music in our lives and being a part of the jazz ensemble has made a huge difference in who we are as people, and we hope to share that appreciation with everyone that listens to us perform. Christian Quevedo STUDENT, AGE 27, PALM DESERT I remember the first time I attended Open Call and witnessed the experience as an audience member. It was simply breathtaking to watch so much talent in one room. I remember sitting in my seat thinking how amazing it would be to be on stage and be a part of that experience. I have always been a believer that there is something beautiful and magical that happens when talents join forces and come together to work as one. Open Call allows performers of all backgrounds to come together as one and become vessels that will take audience members on an amazing journey as it did for me. It is that very reason that I auditioned for Open Call. Inspiration never truly comes from one place. As a performer it often feels like just about anything in the arts can be inspirational, if you know how to apply it. If I had to pick just one, I would say that my biggest inspiration as a performer would have to be Juan Diego Flores. He is a magnificent tenor with a humbling personality and a gifted ability to connect with his audience. His hunger for knowledge and growth as a performer is not only admirable but inspiring. In today s times it is very easy as a performer to get caught up in fads and styles and the best ways to showcase and represent yourself. For me, as an artist, it is very important to let my heart and soul do all the singing. It is a beautiful thing when your heart and soul connect with your audience because only then can you allow them to escape their daily lives and join you on the beautiful journey, even if only for a few minutes. My biggest dream as a performer is to always have the ability to connect with my music and audience and to travel all over the world performing on some of the most beautiful and grand stages this world has to offer.

9 Rival Alaska S INSTRUMENTALISTS MAX POWELL, JAMES JOHNSON, HUGO CHAVEZ; PROMOTIONS/ALPHA MEDIA, SALES/SPRINT, SUPERVISOR/BEST WESTERN; AGES 20-22, DESERT HOT SPRINGS We have been working on ourselves for five years as musicians here in our Desert. This competition is a great showcase of true-evolving talent, and we have yet to experience it. This year we decided to take a spin at it, only when we felt absolutely ready. We are incredibly grateful to have any impact on this showcase and look forward to performing our anthem on the McCallum stage. We all have very different inspirations. That allows us to have a lot of different creative outlets that help our imagery. As a group we have all been very fond of Two Door Cinema Club and The 1975, but are also anchored in old roots and inspired by The Beatles and The Beach Boys. Any artist that s going to become anything in this world faces humility. With great humility comes great success. Be Happy. Go Platinum. Kayley Serrano STUDENT, AGE 19, INDIO As a little girl, I went on field trips to the McCallum Theatre and it made me realize I wanted to be a performer and have a chance to be on the McCallum stage. I accomplished my goal as a finalist in last year s Open Call. I auditioned once again because now I can t get enough. I had the greatest experience last year and continue to strive for another great one. Performing and sharing my talent inspires me. Having the ability to sing in both English and Spanish really inspires me because I have the chance to really embrace my Hispanic culture through music and share it whenever I perform. Beyoncé wasn t built in a day. My biggest dream as a performer is to pursue a musical career and perform worldwide.

10 Cecelia Rose Stewart REAL ESTATE AGENT, AGE 28, PALM DESERT I recently moved back home to the valley, after being gone for many years. Singing and theatre was always a passion of mine, and something I have not done in a very long time. I remember hearing about Open Call when I was younger, and thought that maybe I would give it a try in an attempt to step out of my comfort zone and go back to something that I loved. I am so glad that I did. I am blessed to have grown up around a lot of music and powerful musicians. Every person in my family, the one I was born into and the ones I have collected along the way, has some beautiful musical or artistic talent and they inspire me daily. I absolutely love and am moved by Whitney Houston, Frank Sinatra, Doris Day, Joni Mitchell, Barbara Streisand, Tom Petty, Prince and oh so many more. I love music, all of it. Anything that makes me want to move inspires me. Have courage and be kind. In many ways I am living my dream. I have been given an incredible education, have had many successes and made many mistakes. I am surrounded by love from friends and family and have an incredible support system. It is my dream to continue living a life with an open heart, and one that is full of love, laughter, meaning, and music. As the years come, I hope that I will keep perspective and maintain the ability to dance in the rain. It is my dream to give back to the people who have given so much to me. Traveler S INSTRUMENTALISTS AIDEN SCHAFFER, GAIA CALDERIN, LAUREN VARELA, BRAYDEN DAVLANTES, JASON ZEMBO STUDENTS, AGES 12-15, PALM DESERT, RANCHO MIRAGE, INDIO We wanted to challenge ourselves as a band and share our music with the community. We are inspired by the way music changes lives. Music makes us travel to places unknown. Our biggest dream is to travel the world playing original music together.

11 OPEN CALL 2018 PERFORMANCES Thursday April 19 7pm Friday April 20 7pm Saturday April 21 2pm & 7pm McCALLUM THEATRE Fred Waring Drive Palm Desert, CA Tickets: For sponsorship information, call