Students aspiring to pursue a singing career showcased their talent recently when they performed at the Scholarship Fundraiser, “An Afternoon of Comedy, Soulful Jazz & A Showcase of Rising Star Artists,” held at Our House Culture Center, 6380 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia — under the direction of International Vocal Artist Sherry Wilson-Butler and vocal coach at the Philadelphia Clef Club and her service “Vocal Persona!.” The students range from 13 to 65 years old.
These students performed with great confidence, honing the techniques they learned with perfection.
According to Sherry, this was their introduction to the next level of performance. Sherry explained, “I was so proud of my students and how they delivered their performance. Some have never performed in front of a crowd.” She added, “But you would never know it by their performance.” Among those students performing was Nathanael Barlow, who was a contest winner at Showtime at the Apollo Theater. It was apparent from his delivery that he was on stage before and was quite comfortable with the stage.
Student performers included A’Isha Whitaker, Nathanael Barlow, Chase Hollis, Tracey Jones, Kai Gray, and Ykesha Milbourne.
Comedian Gene Norris also joined the line-up, and Sherry joined Aaron Graves Trio as a treat to the audience. The trio (Aaron Graves on piano, Timothy Hudson on drum, and Charles Baldwin on Bass guitar) volunteered their time to assist with the student performances. “As musicians, this is what we do. We like to reach back and help those trying to follow in our footsteps,” Graves said. “It is a rewarding experience,” he added.
It was an afternoon of pure delight. Proceeds will go to developing scholarship funds for African-American students pursuing higher education in the field of performing arts. This is the first of many showcases to come.
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