Ohio has talent, area has young artists

This is a good week to talk about two events related to Music in Van Wert. It’s a good week because “Ohio Has Talent!” is moving its show onto the Central Insurance Stage of the Niswonger this Saturday night. It starts at 7 p.m. and capacity is filling quickly! I would get your tickets quickly to make sure you don’t get closed out if you plan on attending.

We at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center are proud to have teamed with Community Health Professionals for the past several years to help showcase some of the best talent Ohio has to offer. It is a unique show where the audience actually gets to vote on the winner. So when you buy a ticket you become part of the show, see some very talented up and coming performers, and you support a very good cause! Anyone who has used or had family members use the services of Community Health Professionals know how blessed we are to have them in our community.

Some of the past winners and finalists have gone on to become great performers and musicians. Case in point: I just received a phone call and email from the father of the 2013 OHT winner. His name is Alex Wunder. He is from the Dayton area and is now studying classical vocal music at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. Since performing on the Niswonger stage in 2013, he has recorded, sung “The Star Spangled Banner” at a Cincinnati Bengals football game, Dayton Dragons baseball game, Cleveland Indians baseball game, numerous NCAA events and placed at national singing competitions. We would love to get him back to our stage someday. He truly has an outstanding voice!

This is the type of talent you might see when attending “Ohio Has Talent!”.  And like I said, it’s for a very good cause.

On Sunday, February 26, The Van Wert County Foundation will sponsor Van Wert County High School students from Crestview, Lincolnview, and Van Wert. It is held at First United Methodist Church in Van Wert and is an excellent opportunity to hear young student musicians who have prepared musical selections for the OMEA Solo & Ensemble contest, which was just held at St. Marys Memorial High School. This music program begins at 3 p.m. and admission is free.

There is great talent in our area and region and here are two opportunities to experience it. Tickets for “Ohio Has Talent!” may be purchased at the Niswonger Box Office. Don’t delay! And while you’re at it, don’t forget about the great professional shows we still have coming to the Niswonger this season. And there are still some available seats to purchase for our Ten Year Gala celebration with Bernadette Peters and the Boston Pops.

Who knows, maybe someday we will be featuring a young VW County artist or OHT winner on our stage with the Boston Pops?  Well, if not THE Boston Pops, then someone of their dreams. See you at the show!

FINÉ.