While Charmaine and Jonathan Thulin are our main performers for the evening, we have a few excellent local performers joining us for the evening.

Loren Kim - Piano Solo

Loren Kim attends Canyon Rim Elementary in Anaheim Hills and is in the 4th grade. He started playing piano when he was 5 years old. He seemed to understand music theory quickly and started composing short pieces when he was 7. He is now 9 years old and studies piano with Dr. Heewon Kwon at the Colburn School. He has been invited to play at several recitals the past few years including the MTAC Honors recital, and most recently performed a Mozart Concerto with the LA Dream Orchestra at Zipper Hall in Los Angeles. Loren also plays classical guitar, sings in the church youth choir, and likes to play basketball and golf.

Elise Newen - Vocal Solo

Elise Newen is 12 years old and is in the 7th Grade at Orangewood Academy. Elise studies classical ballet with Ms. Hanna Karacic and Ms Salwa Rizkalla, contempory ballet with Ms Lillian Barbeito, at Southland Ballet Academy, piano under Dr. Felix Tao Chang and Dr. Susan Wong, violin under Ms Deborah Kim and Christine Chen, voice under Mr. James Woods and Rachel Koons. Elise has won numerous awards in music and art competitions, including winning 2nd place in Piano Division A at the MTAC South Coast Classical and Romantic Showcases in November 2010, 1st place in Vocal Division 1 at the OCKCC Young Musician’s Competition in May 2011, 1st place with her ballet performance at her school’s 2011 talent show and 1st place in the vocal division at the 2012 Irvine Korean Festival (IKF) Talent Competition. 

Between school and her various extracurricular activities, Elise also enjoys performing with her church’s drama, choir and praise groups. Elise loves to read, draw, write and experiment with clay art.

Keri Lynn Adams - Vocal Solo

I was born and raised in Southern California, and I am so grateful to be giving back to my community. It is Orange County that shaped me into the person I am today. Thanks to this supportive community I have studied classical voice for almost four years, and I will pursue a degree in both Psychology and Vocal Arts at USC’s Thornton School of Music. Thank you to all the families and friends I have known in Orange County for your endless encouragement and love. This truly is a community worth investing in, and I’m so pleased to have the opportunity to make a difference.

Sydney Danci - Modern Ballet Solo

Sydney Danci is finishing up her sophomore year at Troy High School. Sydney has been dancing for 10 years, starting in rhythmic gymnastics. She transitioned into ballet last year, and ballet has quickly become her first love. She has been a dancer at the Youth American Grand Prix for the last 3 years through Southland Ballet Academy. Sydney loves drawing and painting, and is an avid reader. Sydney plans to attend university as a dance major.

Silvi Lybbert - Modern Ballet Solo

Hi, my name is Silvi Lybbert, I am 10 years old, and I have been dancing full-time at Southland Ballet Academy for about a year and a half. I am in fifth grade at Top of the World Elementary School and am included in the school's gate program. In the past, I have played two instruments, piano and guitar, as I am currently playing flute. I think this music gave me a good start with learning how to connect to the piece I am dancing to, hear the beats, counts, and timing, and feel the moods of the character I am portraying in my classical or contemporary performance. In my first and only year, so far, of competing, I earned first place in contemporary and top twelve in classical variations. Therefore, I was invited to travel to New York for the finals which was an exceptional experience for me. This is a bit about me and a few accomplishments I have worked hard to go through with.

Andrea Thomas - Monologue

Andrea attends Fullerton College studying both Theater Arts and Business. She plans to pursue both A Bachelor of Fine Arts and A Masters of Fine Arts Degree. Andrea was a student in the Irvine High School’s Theatre Department for four years. During her four years she was casted as an actress in the productions of The Tempest, You Can’t Take it with you, Music Man, Frankenstein: 1930, Is He Dead?, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Bye, Bye Birdie, Rehearsal For Murder and The Boy Friend.

Andrea was also the Director of the A Piece of my Heart which was shown for the 2012 Unity Week at Irvine High School, a member of the Theatre Arts Club for four year and in her senior year served as club’s president. Andrea received the Heritage Award, the highest honor at Irvine High School and Herb Alfred Scholarship Award while attending California Summer School for the Arts. (CSSA) at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. She was honored with 2012 (MACYS)Childress Music and Arts Commendation for Youth Bright Spot Award for her performance in the production “The Boyfriend”.

Garden Grove Drama Team

• Director Sonny Angel Boloico
• Casts:  
  • Sonny Angel Boloico
  • Jonathan Gomez
  • Lily Elansari 
  • Edson Verde
  • Alex Briceno
  • Daniel Real
  • Jackie Hirshfeld
  • Shiphrah Fepulea'i
  • Elizabeth Perez
  • Paula Perez
  • Joseph Osorio
  • Clarisse Bonang
  • Jennifer Salvin

Modern Ballet Quartet (accompaniment to Charmaine's "Fighting Furies"): 

• Alice Danci
• Bella Hoy
• Elise Newen
• Sarah Grant

Modern Ballet Trio (accompaniment to Charmaine's "All the Lights"): 

• Elise Newen
• Gaby Voskanian
• Sammy Werle