Students, teachers, and families packed the auditorium on Friday, February 27 for the annual Ward Melville’s Got Talent. The event, sponsored by Ward Melville’s Tri-M Music Honor Society, featured 20 acts showcasing the school’s numerous talented musicians and dancers.
The event began with Mia Liu’s impressive piano performance of Franz Liszt’s Ballade No. 2, S.171. The accurate fast-moving octaves and beautifully played melody wowed judges, with English teacher and judge Jeremy Oatis calling the performance “ridiculous” given Mia’s mastery of the difficult piece. Kaylin Zeidler’s vocal performance of “As we Stumble Along” from The Drowsy Chaperone also stood out, showcasing Zeidler’s powerful vocal solo and her humorous engagement with the judges throughout.
Ward Melville’s musical talent was on display in full force at the event. Jeremias Maldonado Sanchez’s breathtaking piano performance of his original piece “Rainy Days” blew away the judges, who described the performance as “amazing.” JP Parkinson, Jiyong Sugimoto, and Matt Pugliese’s performance of “YYZ” by Rush awed viewers with precise drum solos, a tight electric guitar, and a crisp piano performance. The final performance of the night, a rendition of Katseye’s “Gnarly,” was performed by Elva Pan, Atulya Tripathi, Vivian Blatt, Jordana Latham, Sophia Fang and Yuxi Jiang. The impressively choreographed act brought energy to the auditorium and was a fan favorite. The judges praised the dancers for their exceptional synchronization.
“I was impressed by the level of preparation and talent the students demonstrated,” says Christopher Muscarella, one of four judges at the show. The audience was equally amazed by the talent on display, with Milan Bozin, a Ward Melville sophomore who attended the show, stating that “Everyone was extremely talented.”
This year, the judging of the event differed from previous years. Audience members were provided with a QR code, allowing them to evaluate each of the acts. Audience scores were compiled with those from the judges to provide each group with their final score. At the end of the night, the performance of “Gnarly” took first place, earning the dance group the grand prize of $250. Parkison, Sugimoto, and Pugliese’s performance of “YYZ” took second place, and Ziedler’s performance of “As we Stumble Along” took third.
The talent show came with an impressive amount of preparation. Auditions were held from January 20 to 23–six weeks before the show itself. Volunteers from the Tri-M Music Honor Society helped coordinate lighting, sound, stage management and set-up, as well as hosting the event. Sophomore Bharath Kanagal Raj, a member of the lighting crew, said, “Helping with lighting taught me how much precision and teamwork goes into a live show.”
