‘Matilda’ Pit Orchestra Announced for March Production at Jordan-Matthews

SILER CITY, N.C. — Fifteen local musicians — nearly all students and faculty at Chatham County Schools — will perform in the pit orchestra for the Jordan-Matthews High School production of “Matilda: The Musical.” Performances of the beloved Broadway musical are March 14 through 16 at the Jordan-Matthews Auditorium in Siler City.

Coming off wide acclaim for the school’s North Carolina high school premiere of “Frozen: The Broadway Musical” last spring, Dr. Zachary D. Wills returns to lead the pit orchestra for the school’s upcoming production of “Matilda” with Jordan-Matthews band director Aaron Partin serving as the production’s technical director.

Wills, band director at Chatham Central High School in Bear Creek, will conduct an orchestra featuring eight students, four faculty members, one leader of the Northwood Arts Foundation, one community musician and one Chatham County Schools retiree. Together, the orchestra represents seven different schools.

Orchestra members are Nickleus Castevens, Rebecca Clemens, Abby Cockrum, Gina Harrison, Winston Hendricks, Emmaus Holder, Jacob Hoopes, Lisa Johnson, Andrew Kosturi, Ophelia Ledford, Cameron Parker, Kelsey Parsons, Gabriel Thao, Maxy Vasquez Gomez and Wills.

Wills particularly enjoys the music for ‘Matilda’ because of its broad and engaging style. “Dennis Kelly and Tim Minchin created a profound composition on numerous levels with ‘Matilda,’” he says. “Their pithy approach to writing, text painting, and thematic writing reminiscent of Wagnerian compositions and modern movie scores, creates a fun and memorable experience for all involved. Everything from circus music to swing, to Latin styles, to beautiful ballads is included in the score.”

JMArts President Rose Pate, who produces the musical, is thrilled to have Wills conducting once again in a production that highlights and celebrates the entire community. Not only does the pit orchestra draw from musicians all across Chatham, but the live music was possible because of a Grassroots Grant from the Chatham Arts Council. The matching grant allows JMArts to provide the professional musicians a small stipend for the considerable time and expertise they invest in providing a richer theatrical production and this unusual performance opportunity for student musicians and actors.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for our young musicians,” Pate says. “Students get to rehearse and perform with trained professionals, helping them learn how to attack a complex Broadway score. And our actors love the chance to perform with a live orchestra. This collaboration brings out the best in both groups, and we're grateful to the Chatham Arts Council for their support to make it all happen.”

“Matilda” performances are Friday, March 14, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, March 15, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, March 15, at 3 p.m. General admission tickets are now on sale at JMArtsTickets.com. More about “Matilda” and other JMArts projects to create opportunity for Jordan-Matthews artists is available at jmarts.org and through social media @JMHSArts on Facebook, Instagram and Threads.

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Student musicians take top prizes in JMArts’s seventh-annual “Sing and Play”

SILER CITY, N.C. — Seven local students — a soloist, duet and four-member band — took top prizes last night in “Sing and Play ’25,” the seventh-annual student music competition at Jordan-Matthews High School. From auditions through the showcase concert, the event is designed as an educational experience for young musicians and a fun benefit concert for JMArts, the Jordan-Matthews Arts Foundation.

Audience members voted Madilyn Brown of Bonlee School as best performance in the elementary division for her vocal rendition of “Mean,” a song by Taylor Swift.

Avery Jenkins and Craven Smithwick of Margaret B. Pollard Middle finished on top of the middle school competition with their vocal performance of “Anything You Can Do (I Can Do Better),” a song by Irving Berlin from the musical, “Annie Get Your Gun.”

And in the high school competition, Street Mob of Jordan-Matthews High School took the prize for singing “Mi Vicio,” a song by Eslabon Armado and T3R Elemento. Members of the band were Alexander Hernandez Rivas, Ciro Garcia, Emanuel Nolasco Bautista and Gianni Ocelot.

The winner in each of the three divisions received a $50 prize.

Rose Pate, president of JMArts, said there were four more acts than in last year’s show with musicians representing 10 different schools. “Student interest for ‘Sing and Play’ keeps growing,” she said. “And they keep coming back! We now have student musicians who have competed over several years in all three age divisions!”

All money raised by the competition is used by JMArts to expand opportunity for high school artists. That includes JMArts Scholars, the nonprofit’s flagship initiative that allows high school actors, dancers, musicians and visual artists to study over the summer — usually at weeklong, residential workshops on university campuses. Since being launched in 2012, JMArts Scholars program has awarded 101 scholarships to 70 students.

Musicians from Chatham County and across the state were eligible for “Sing and Play.” Contestants in the showcase concert were selected during open auditions by judges Greg Burriss, Matt Fry and Sandra Gisel Lopez, the Sing and Play ’24 high school champion who also performed as guest artist at this year's showcase concert.

Pate expects “Sing and Play” to return next year with registration for auditions opening sometime around December 1. JMArts is already looking at possible dates for next year’s competition, which is likely to be held once again in mid- to late-February.

More information about “Sing and Play” and other arts events scheduled this season is available at jmarts.org. Photos from this year's showcase concert will be available online at facebook.com/JMHSArts.

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Champions of “Sing and Play ’25” with the show’s co-hosts are co-host David Ta’Bon, high school champion Street Mob (Alexander Hernandez Rivas, Ciro Garcia, Emanuel Nolasco Bautista and Gianni Ocelot), middle school champion Avery Jenkins and Craven Smithwick, elementary champion Madilyn Brown and co-host Samantha Wieber. (Photo by Chip Pate)

High School Champion: Street Mob of Jordan-Matthews High School. Band members are Alexander Hernandez Rivas, Ciro Garcia, Emanuel Nolasco Bautista and Gianni Ocelot. (Photo by Chip Pate)

Middle School Champion: Avery Jenkins and Craven Smithwick of Margaret B. Pollard Middle School. (Photo by Chip Pate)

Elementary School Champion: Madilyn Brown of Bonlee School. (Photo by Chip Pate)

Contestants Set for ‘Sing and Play ’25’ Student Music Competition on February 20

SILER CITY, N.C. — Showcase contestants have been selected for “Sing and Play ’25,” the seventh-annual music competition hitting the stage later this month at Jordan-Matthews High School in Siler City.

The showcase concert on February 20 at 6:30 p.m. highlights talented student musicians throughout the area and raises money for JMArts, the Jordan-Matthews Arts Foundation, a nonprofit organization created to provide what student artists need to excel.

General admission is $5 per person and includes one vote in each age-based competition. Tickets will be available at the door.

Judges Greg Burriss, Matt Fry and Sandra Gisel Lopez selected 20 musical acts during open auditions to perform in separate elementary, middle and high school competitions. Winners will be selected by audience vote and each receives a $50 cash prize.

Elementary contestants are Emily Bingle of Chatham Charter School, Madilyn Brown of Bonlee, Harley Gaddis of Silk Hope and Mariah McCrimmon and Samuel Melgar of Virginia Cross Elementary.

Middle school contestants are Shanita Asamoah Abetia of George Moses Horton, Emilia Culton of Margaret B. Pollard, the duet of Avery Jenkins and Craven Smithwick of Margaret B. Pollard, Avery Oldham of Chatham Middle, Emilia Smith Pumalpa of George Moses Horton and Madison Wilmoth of Chatham Middle.

The competition will conclude with nine high school performances. Six are by Jordan-Matthews musicians: Brianna Balderas, Felix Banks, Delaney Clark, Ari Ibarra, Natalie Morales Zagada and the quartet of Alexander Hernandez Rivas, Ciro Garcia, Emanuel Nolasco Bautista and Gianni Ocelot. Rounding out the high school roster will be Leesie Frosio Nelson of Chatham Early College, Ayana Lupoli-Rojas of Woods Charter and Kayle Maxfield of Chatham Early College.

This year’s showcase will feature a guest performance by Sandra Gisel Lopez, a JMArts Scholar, recent graduate of Jordan-Matthews and winner of last year’s high school competition.

The concert will be cohosted by Jordan-Matthews actor-musicians David Ta’Bon and Samantha Wieber.

“We are excited by the broad representation from across the county,” said JMArts President Rose Pate, who noted that performers from outside Chatham also were eligible. “And we are planning to offer translation services during the showcase so our Spanish-speaking families can fully enjoy the show!”

All money raised by the competition will be used by JMArts for educational projects, including its flagship JMArts Scholars. Since being launched in 2012, the JMArts Scholars program has awarded 101 scholarships to 70 students for intensive study over the summer, usually at weeklong, residential workshops offered on university campuses. JMArts Scholars develop their talent, explore artistic options before making their college decisions and bring what they learn back to share with other Jordan-Matthews students.

More information about “Sing and Play” performers will be published on JMArts social media. Details about JMArts and other events scheduled for this season are online at jmarts.org.

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Sandra Gisel Lopez, a JMArts Scholar and recent graduate of Jordan-Matthews, won the high school competition at last year’s event and will return to perform as guest artist for “Sing and Play ’25” on February 20 at Jordan-Matthews High School. The annual competition was created as a performance opportunity for student musicians and a fundraiser for JMArts. (Photo by Chip Pate)