Home for the Holidays Concert: ; Christmas Presence; Young Soloists Audition for Previous Event Impressed Conductor

Summary

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If you go What: West Virginia Symphony Holiday Concert When: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday Where: Clay Center Tickets: $12.50 to $64.50 Info: www.theclaycenter.org or 304-561-3570

Hannah Peterson is a little nervous about taking the stage with the West Virginia Symphony for four concerts this week. At 10, you would think she might be a lot nervous. But Hannah already is a veteran of the stage, including the Clay Centers Maier Performance Hall. She has played the title role in a production of Annie and has been a member of the Appalachian Childrens Chorus since she was 5. She has performed in the West Virginia All State Childrens Chorus and in the West Virginia Solo & Ensemble Festival for three years. And shes in a band. Im more nervous if my mother is there, she said. In fact, shes more comfortable singing to a performance hall full of strangers than she is for family and friends. Her mom, Steffanie, said its been a very busy year for the young soprano, so much so that Hannah has been home-schooled to allow for flexibility in her schedule. Steffanie manages a doctors office but makes assignments that Hannah works on with her grandparents each day, followed by lessons at home in the evening. Next year Hannah will enter Horace Mann Middle School, but this year has been special. This is a joy for me to watch her in her element, Steffanie said. Music is very important to our family. She was surprised that Hannah got an invitation to sing in the symphonys Home for the Holidays concert, which takes place Friday and Saturday at the Clay Center, with additional performances Thursday in Lewisburg and Sunday in Parkersburg. Hannah was among singers who auditioned for Symphony Idol this past spring the winner gets to perform as a guest with the symphony in a series of concerts. Hannah sang two songs, one of which she nailed, Steffanie said. The second, a Miley Cyrus piece, not so much. She tanked it; Ill be honest, Steffanie said. Hannah didnt get picked as Symphony Idol, and Steffanie didnt expect symphony conductor Grant Cooper to invite Hannah to perform for the holiday concert. And despite Steffanies description of Hannahs song that day and Hannah agrees it didnt go well Cooper said he was struck by Hannahs potential. All of us in the performing arts know that things dont always go according to plan, he said. This is only a problem if the performer lets it be one. I had an overwhelmingly positive impression of Hannah as a performer, and this has only deepened as time has passed and I have seen her perform in other productions. Hannah has a wonderful presence, both in her personality and in her general demeanor. Hannah has been preparing for this weekend for about five months, starting with song selection. We sent five songs and he picked two, she said, and they are quite different. Hannah will sing In the Bleak Midwinter and then change it up with I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas. At the same time, Hannah performed the title role in Annie for the Alban Theater in St. Albans and the role of an orphan in the Charleston Light Opera Guild production. Shes had weekly Appalachian Childrens Chorus rehearsals and concert commitments, voice lessons with Noel Hardman and performances in a praise duo she formed with Charleston Catholic seventh-grader Jared Cunningham called 8:2, a reference to Psalms, Chapter 8, verse 2. And shes a worship leader for the youth at River Ridge Church. She began piano lessons a year ago, recently started dance lessons and plans to take up guitar soon. Steffanie said Hannah has come into her own this year. Her voice has matured and her range has grown and shes developed poise and confidence. Not that Hannah was ever shy about singing. At 4, she belted out a country song for Steffanie that stopped her up short. I thought, Oh, heavens, Steffanie recalled. Hannah has proved to be a quick study, absorbing direction well and memorizing quickly. For the Alban Theater production of Annie, she was the first one off the script. When it comes to practicing or trying out or performing, Steffanie said the impetus is all Hannahs. She pushes me, Steffanie said. Im going to have to let her fly. There are rules, however, and Hannah can tick them off. Family and friends come first. Keep Jesus with you always. And if your feet leave the ground, its all over. Mom has a fourth rule, and that is that she wont allow Hannahs music to be a source of financial burden. She figures Hannah has a God-given talent and if she is meant to pursue her music, God will provide. I wont mortgage the house for this, she said.

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Home for the Holidays Concert: ; Christmas Presence; Young Soloists Audition for Previous Event Impressed Conductor

BOB WOJCIESZAK/DAILY MAIL Wes...

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