Post by Kaz ~;~ on Mar 2, 2011 2:44:13 GMT -5
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Jacqueline Marie "Jackie" Evancho (pronounced ee-VAIN-koh; born April 9, 2000) is an American classical crossover lyric mezzo-soprano who gained popularity after performing in the fifth season of America's Got Talent,
coming in second place. Her newest CD/DVD, O Holy Night, debuted at #2 on the
Billboard charts. O Holy Night recently achieved Platinum status.
Evancho sings in the "classical crossover" style of singers such as Sarah Brightman and Hayley Westenra. She studies singing with a voice coach, and also plays the violin and piano.
-----------------------------
Early life::
Evancho was born to Michael and Lisa Evancho and has an older brother, Jacob, a younger brother, Zachary, and a younger sister, Rachel. She started singing when she was seven years old, after she watched the musical The Phantom of the Opera on DVD. Her mother heard Evancho singing songs from the musical and allowed her to enter the 2008 Kean Idol, a local talent contest. She sang "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again", finishing, at seven years old, as first runner-up; the winner was 20 years old. Eventually she participated in other talent contests and started a YouTube channel. Jackie began taking vocal lessons when she was 8, in June 2008, after her success in the 2008 Kean Idol contest. She was also a member of the Children's Festival Chorus of Pittsburgh during its 2008–09 season. Evancho lives in Richland Township, a suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
------------------------
Career::
Evancho has performed onstage with producer David Foster, was an invited performer on the PBS Special "Celebrate America" with conductor/composer Tim Janis, also feature video from CreationScapes, sang the US National Anthem at an event honoring aviation pioneer General Chuck Yeager, as well as performing the anthem to start the Pittsburgh Pirates 2010 home opener baseball game at PNC Park. At the invitation of Pennsylvania State Senator Jane Orie, Jackie has also performed. Jackie also performs at numerous events and charity functions in and around her hometown.
She competed in the 15th U.S.A. World Showcase Talent Competition in early 2009, which took place in Las Vegas in which the winner receives $100,000 and the opportunity to create a demo CD. Jackie was invited to perform at the U.S. Open Tennis Championships in New York City, but due to scheduling conflicts with America's Got Talent, had to cancel.
Jackie performed on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on September 23, 2010, after giving her first late-night interview, with Jay Leno. In her appearance on the The Oprah Winfrey Show along with singers Susan Boyle and Debby Boone on October 19, 2010, she named Josh Groban, Charlotte Church, and Andrea Bocelli among the artists that she would like to collaborate with in the future. She sang "Pie Jesu" and said that writing is her favorite subject. The episode also showed tape that was shot by Oprah's crew at Evancho's home and school. Evancho performed in the My Macy's Holiday Parade presented by WPXI in Pittsburgh on November 27. Jackie performed on The Today Show on November 9, 2010 which also featured a brief interview. Jackie is also filming a spot on Wizards of Waverly Place and is currently shooting her first music video. She went on The View on November 15, 2010, and is currently ranked #1 on the British site Classical-Crossover.co.uk. On November 30, 2010, Evancho sang "Silent Night" with Katherine Jenkins on NBC's Christmas Tree Lighting Special, "Christmas in Rockefeller Center".
"She is just truly blessed with a voice that's phenomenal", says classical-crossover composer/conductor Tim Janis, who invited Evancho to perform in his American Christmas Carol show (Dec. 2, 2010) at Carnegie Hall in New York City. She would have been the youngest female vocal soloist ever to have performed there, but her parents withdrew her from the appearance some weeks prior to the date.
Although Jackie describes herself as a Classical-Crossover singer, she currently holds the world record as the youngest Opera singer.
She performed the song Pie Jesu on the 27th annual Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade which aired on ABC television December 25th, 2010.
On January 1, 2011, Evancho performed the American national anthem at the NHL Winter Classic at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh,[33] while Steven Page performed the Canadian national anthem.
--------------------------
Critical reception::
Christopher Hahn, General Director of the Pittsburgh Opera said Jackie's performance of "O mio babbino caro" was "Spellbinding". It's very unusual for a young child to have a voice that sounded so rich and developed."
"I thought she was just lovely, sweetly compelling." "She is compelling," said Hahn. "It is quite unusual to hear a young girl with that level of warmth and roundness." Hahn called Jackie's performance of Pie Jesu strong, with seamless delivery. "Her phrasing was lovely, which she needed for that piece."
Composer Tim Janis said "[Jackie's] voice is so pure and natural, there's no flaw in it. People say 'I can hear her potential coming,' but no, it's here, it's now." "She is just truly blessed with a voice that's phenomenal."
America's Got Talent judge, Piers Morgan said that Jackie has more talent than any act he has seen after witnessing her version of "Ave Maria": "I have never seen an act, on this show or the British show or any of the other talent shows in the world, with more potential than Jackie Evancho. That was perfection."
Claudia Benack, Assistant Professor of Musical Theater at Carnegie Mellon University said that "[Jackie] has an unusually adult feel for the repertoire...I think she's very good."
Etta Cox, a jazz singer and instructor at the Creative and Performing Arts High School in Downtown Pittsburgh said: "Her voice just doesn't fit her body. I've never heard a voice like that in a 10-year-old, and I've been teaching voice for many years. The maturity of her voice is incredible for someone her age."
--------------------------------
America's Got Talent::
She was accepted as a contestant on the fifth season of the America's Got Talent TV show by placing first in a YouTube competition sponsored by the television show. On August 10, 2010, Evancho performed O mio babbino caro by Giacomo Puccini. The aria is also on her debut album. She received a standing ovation after her performance, and was awarded a trip to Universal Studios Florida for receiving the most fan votes from the submissions to the show from YouTube. She was then voted into the semifinals by viewers. Her second performance was Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman's "Time To Say Goodbye" and once again received great critical reaction. In the Top 10, Jackie performed Pie Jesu by Andrew Lloyd Webber and advanced through to the Final 4.
After Evancho's initial performance on America's Got Talent, there were online accusations that her performance had been lip-synched. These rumors were quickly denounced. One judge, Howie Mandel, had her sing a random voice exercise on the next evening's live show as proof that it was her voice that was heard.
Evancho performed a celebrity duet with Sarah Brightman of "Time To Say Goodbye" during the final episode of the season, aired on September 15, 2010. During this same episode, it was revealed that she came in second place in the final voting results of season 5. Evancho performed in 10 of the 25 cities scheduled for the "America's Got Talent" road show.
-----------------------------
Performances and results::
Week Round Song choice Original artist/Composer Performance order Result
Quarterfinals YouTube "O mio babbino caro" Giacomo Puccini 12 Advanced to Semifinals
Semifinals Top 24 "Time To Say Goodbye" Andrea Bocelli 11 Advanced to Top 10
Top 10 Top 10 "Pie Jesu" Andrew Lloyd Webber 10 Advanced to Finale
Finale Top 4 "Ave Maria" Charles Gounod 3 Runner-up
Jackie is a work in progress an will be updated
Jacqueline Marie "Jackie" Evancho (pronounced ee-VAIN-koh; born April 9, 2000) is an American classical crossover lyric mezzo-soprano who gained popularity after performing in the fifth season of America's Got Talent,
coming in second place. Her newest CD/DVD, O Holy Night, debuted at #2 on the
Billboard charts. O Holy Night recently achieved Platinum status.
Evancho sings in the "classical crossover" style of singers such as Sarah Brightman and Hayley Westenra. She studies singing with a voice coach, and also plays the violin and piano.
-----------------------------
Early life::
Evancho was born to Michael and Lisa Evancho and has an older brother, Jacob, a younger brother, Zachary, and a younger sister, Rachel. She started singing when she was seven years old, after she watched the musical The Phantom of the Opera on DVD. Her mother heard Evancho singing songs from the musical and allowed her to enter the 2008 Kean Idol, a local talent contest. She sang "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again", finishing, at seven years old, as first runner-up; the winner was 20 years old. Eventually she participated in other talent contests and started a YouTube channel. Jackie began taking vocal lessons when she was 8, in June 2008, after her success in the 2008 Kean Idol contest. She was also a member of the Children's Festival Chorus of Pittsburgh during its 2008–09 season. Evancho lives in Richland Township, a suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
------------------------
Career::
Evancho has performed onstage with producer David Foster, was an invited performer on the PBS Special "Celebrate America" with conductor/composer Tim Janis, also feature video from CreationScapes, sang the US National Anthem at an event honoring aviation pioneer General Chuck Yeager, as well as performing the anthem to start the Pittsburgh Pirates 2010 home opener baseball game at PNC Park. At the invitation of Pennsylvania State Senator Jane Orie, Jackie has also performed. Jackie also performs at numerous events and charity functions in and around her hometown.
She competed in the 15th U.S.A. World Showcase Talent Competition in early 2009, which took place in Las Vegas in which the winner receives $100,000 and the opportunity to create a demo CD. Jackie was invited to perform at the U.S. Open Tennis Championships in New York City, but due to scheduling conflicts with America's Got Talent, had to cancel.
Jackie performed on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on September 23, 2010, after giving her first late-night interview, with Jay Leno. In her appearance on the The Oprah Winfrey Show along with singers Susan Boyle and Debby Boone on October 19, 2010, she named Josh Groban, Charlotte Church, and Andrea Bocelli among the artists that she would like to collaborate with in the future. She sang "Pie Jesu" and said that writing is her favorite subject. The episode also showed tape that was shot by Oprah's crew at Evancho's home and school. Evancho performed in the My Macy's Holiday Parade presented by WPXI in Pittsburgh on November 27. Jackie performed on The Today Show on November 9, 2010 which also featured a brief interview. Jackie is also filming a spot on Wizards of Waverly Place and is currently shooting her first music video. She went on The View on November 15, 2010, and is currently ranked #1 on the British site Classical-Crossover.co.uk. On November 30, 2010, Evancho sang "Silent Night" with Katherine Jenkins on NBC's Christmas Tree Lighting Special, "Christmas in Rockefeller Center".
"She is just truly blessed with a voice that's phenomenal", says classical-crossover composer/conductor Tim Janis, who invited Evancho to perform in his American Christmas Carol show (Dec. 2, 2010) at Carnegie Hall in New York City. She would have been the youngest female vocal soloist ever to have performed there, but her parents withdrew her from the appearance some weeks prior to the date.
Although Jackie describes herself as a Classical-Crossover singer, she currently holds the world record as the youngest Opera singer.
She performed the song Pie Jesu on the 27th annual Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade which aired on ABC television December 25th, 2010.
On January 1, 2011, Evancho performed the American national anthem at the NHL Winter Classic at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh,[33] while Steven Page performed the Canadian national anthem.
--------------------------
Critical reception::
Christopher Hahn, General Director of the Pittsburgh Opera said Jackie's performance of "O mio babbino caro" was "Spellbinding". It's very unusual for a young child to have a voice that sounded so rich and developed."
"I thought she was just lovely, sweetly compelling." "She is compelling," said Hahn. "It is quite unusual to hear a young girl with that level of warmth and roundness." Hahn called Jackie's performance of Pie Jesu strong, with seamless delivery. "Her phrasing was lovely, which she needed for that piece."
Composer Tim Janis said "[Jackie's] voice is so pure and natural, there's no flaw in it. People say 'I can hear her potential coming,' but no, it's here, it's now." "She is just truly blessed with a voice that's phenomenal."
America's Got Talent judge, Piers Morgan said that Jackie has more talent than any act he has seen after witnessing her version of "Ave Maria": "I have never seen an act, on this show or the British show or any of the other talent shows in the world, with more potential than Jackie Evancho. That was perfection."
Claudia Benack, Assistant Professor of Musical Theater at Carnegie Mellon University said that "[Jackie] has an unusually adult feel for the repertoire...I think she's very good."
Etta Cox, a jazz singer and instructor at the Creative and Performing Arts High School in Downtown Pittsburgh said: "Her voice just doesn't fit her body. I've never heard a voice like that in a 10-year-old, and I've been teaching voice for many years. The maturity of her voice is incredible for someone her age."
--------------------------------
America's Got Talent::
She was accepted as a contestant on the fifth season of the America's Got Talent TV show by placing first in a YouTube competition sponsored by the television show. On August 10, 2010, Evancho performed O mio babbino caro by Giacomo Puccini. The aria is also on her debut album. She received a standing ovation after her performance, and was awarded a trip to Universal Studios Florida for receiving the most fan votes from the submissions to the show from YouTube. She was then voted into the semifinals by viewers. Her second performance was Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman's "Time To Say Goodbye" and once again received great critical reaction. In the Top 10, Jackie performed Pie Jesu by Andrew Lloyd Webber and advanced through to the Final 4.
After Evancho's initial performance on America's Got Talent, there were online accusations that her performance had been lip-synched. These rumors were quickly denounced. One judge, Howie Mandel, had her sing a random voice exercise on the next evening's live show as proof that it was her voice that was heard.
Evancho performed a celebrity duet with Sarah Brightman of "Time To Say Goodbye" during the final episode of the season, aired on September 15, 2010. During this same episode, it was revealed that she came in second place in the final voting results of season 5. Evancho performed in 10 of the 25 cities scheduled for the "America's Got Talent" road show.
-----------------------------
Performances and results::
Week Round Song choice Original artist/Composer Performance order Result
Quarterfinals YouTube "O mio babbino caro" Giacomo Puccini 12 Advanced to Semifinals
Semifinals Top 24 "Time To Say Goodbye" Andrea Bocelli 11 Advanced to Top 10
Top 10 Top 10 "Pie Jesu" Andrew Lloyd Webber 10 Advanced to Finale
Finale Top 4 "Ave Maria" Charles Gounod 3 Runner-up
Jackie is a work in progress an will be updated