Everyone looks forward to an array of exciting events here at Urbana. The talent show is one of those events enabling a variety of individuals to come together in order to share their artistic abilities.

Jarod Armstrong, a senior, said that the talent show is “not necessarily a whole bunch of people doing separate things but more an exposition of the artistic side of Urbana. There are a total of six categories consisting of instrumental,  combo, musical, vocal, one man band, and unique.

In the collaborative category,two seniors, Micah Tsoi playing the piano and Juliana Lynch singing,  put their own spin on a well-known song Can’t Help Falling in Love originally performed by Elvis Presley.

Lynch said “This was an opportunity to collaborate because it is always so impressive to see all the talent that UHS has to offer.”    Lynch and Tsoi have IB music fourth block, giving them the capability of practice during school hours.

“It is good to have the ability to listen to each other and help improve one another,” Tsoi said

They both agreed that working with another person was enjoyable.

Lynch said, “It’s been a cool experience to work with another student and we look forward to putting forth the product.”

Junior, Justin Farmer, will be singing Stars from Les Miserables. The most enjoyable part of this experience thus far has been “being able to show people what I’m able to do,” said Farmer. He is in the one man band category.

Hannah Schipper, a freshman, who will be singing Someone Like You by Adele said she feels her voice “has matured and strengthened over the past year.” She said “auditioning was really exciting.”

Senior, Megan Schlesinger, has been participating in the talent show all four years of her high school career. “It’s fun being able to hang out with everybody backstage and I love to perform.”said Schlesinger  She will be singing Sitting on the Dock of the Bay by Otis Redding. Schlesinger has been singing since third grade and and has been involved in a collection of activities since middle school. “It’s really cool getting to be up on stage in front of everybody. It’s one of my favorite things to do,” said Schlesinger.

Schipper and Megan Schlesinger are in the vocal category.

Jackie Hubbard, a freshman in the instrumental category, will be playing a piano piece from the Romantic period of the early-mid 1800s and is called Tarantella by Albert Pieczonka. She has been working on the talent show since January and practices one to two hours a day. Hubbard said she chose this song because it has a “distinct sound and catches attention.”Hubbard said, “Making the auditions was a very exciting part.”

Jarod Armstrong enjoys playing music and performing; he thought the talent show would be a good way to express a part of himself that many people don’t necessarily see or know.  He will be in the one man band category, will be playing guitar and singing The Boxer by Simon & Garfunkel. Armstrong said, “I try to practice at least 5 times a week or whenever the chance comes along that I’m able to pick up the guitar”. Armstrong began playing the guitar in ninth grade, didn’t have any formal lessons, and was highly inspired by the blues musician Joe Bonamassa.

Come see Urbana’s Talent Show on Thursday, November 19th to see the variety of artistic skill Urbana has to offer.