by Jazmin Otey,
A symphony of young voices rang out July 21 at St. Paul United Methodist Church in praise at an event “Roanoke’s Young Big Shots.” From fervent praise dances to instrument and vocal performances, young gifted individuals as young as six years old and as old as seventeen showcased their talents.
This is the first year of the program founded by Andrea Chubb who was inspired by a youth talent show she attended. Chubb felt that the children needed to be exposed to a larger and different audience given that everyone may not pay to attend a program.
Event director was Mary Neal, former president, Friends of The Roanoke Symphony who for years has been one of the area’s most ardent supporters of children in the arts.
The program included: dancers Jennifer Beane, J. Vincent, Christopher Swann, Malachi Swann, Tenaj Thomas and Nasiya Waddy from Bethel A.M.E. Church Youth; violinist Lany Balthazar, pianist Genelle Balthazar, and pianist Camani Board from Friends of Roanoke Symphony. Also performing were praise dancer Alysha Lamar from God’s House Baptist Ministry; singers Ramessess Staton, Cheriece Davis, Saniyah Penn and Semirah Staton from Jefferson Center’s Music Lab gospel band “UPraize.”
“I was quite pleased with Roanoke’s Young Big Shots this year,” Chubb said. “The children who performed were well trained and well behaved. The parents seemed to have been grateful for the opportunity for their children to be exposed to the public.”
The event was presided by host church pastor, Rev. Lyle Morton who played trumpet during some of the children’s performances. Morton’s effervescent stage presence and his enthusiasm regarding each performer, registered well with the sizeable crowd. During each transition, the pastor boasted about the children and expressed his pride for the level of young talent in the area.
“We were just trying to see what we could do to engage children and have people with talents come together in one arena,” Morton said. “I was very satisfied because we were able to get participants from other churches to come together so it didn’t seem like it was just a program for St. Paul, but instead showed that St. Paul is there for the community.”
The program also featured Roanoke’s Voice Winner, Bernadette Brown, a youth educator for Jefferson Center’s Music Lab. Not only was she the closing performance but she was also responsible for training four young individuals who are members a local gospel band “UPraize.”
In regard to coaching her youth, she said it was an honor to serve and expressed the importance of “shining to help others shine brighter.”
“I believe that God chose how he would gift each of us,” Brown said. “When we recognize our gifts, we are able to share it with other people. I could not find a better way to share my gift than to serve others–not so that I can be praised but, so God’s love and the power of his love can be shared with many.”
Alysha Lamar expressed that she enjoyed participating in the event and said she wanted to relay her message to the crowd through praise dance.
“I wanted to get across to the crowd that I praise God for what he has done and what he is doing throughout my life,” Lamar said. “It was different, and this was my first time performing at such an event but it was a nice crowd and you could tell people were there to support young people and praise God.”
The program concluded with a brief award ceremony for the performers along with light refreshments. Morton claims that he looks forward to having the event again next year and aspires to include both a younger and older pool of talent.
“Roanoke is filled with great talents but so often it goes untapped,” Morton expressed. “The gifts and talents range from here and yonder. I could not say enough to express gratitude for the community, the talent givers and those who worked with the children and so forth as well as their parents.”
