MONTCLAIR, NJ — More than 200 young people from grade school through high school involved with the Salvation Army NJ Corps Music & Creative Arts programs recently competed in the “Star Search” music and creative arts talent contest.
Started in the 1990s to encourage arts and music development for young people, the contest highlights the talents of New Jersey youth in a huge range of areas: brass solos, guitar solos, vocal solos, monologues, dance solos, drum set solos, piano solos, youth band, youth chorus and drama troupe. Winners of the various categories will go on to compete with other regional Corps in Hershey, Pa., on Saturday, June 11.
The Montclair Corps had the most winners, as follows: Micah Hodgson, Elizabeth Davitt, Sarah Knaggs and Jenna DeMichael, all for drama monologue; Adam Avery for snare drum; Leo Rodriguez for piano solo; Natalie Smith and John Ferreira, both for brass solo; and Romina Espinoza, Gianmarco Rodriguez and Liana Padillo, all for dance solo. Also, the Montclair Corps won in the drama troupe, youth chorus and youth band categories.
From the Orange Corps, Joey Boyd won in the bass guitar category. The Newark Ironbound Corps drama troupe also won.
Other winners hailed from the units in Englewood, Kearny, Asbury Park, Morristown, Trenton, Camden, Flemington and Red Bank.
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