Student musicians take top prizes in JMArts’s eighth-annual Sing and Play

SILER CITY, N.C. — Seven local students — two soloists and one five-member band — took top prizes last night in Sing and Play ’26, the eighth-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 Mariah McCrimmon of Virginia Cross Elementary School as best performance in the elementary division for her vocal rendition of “Read All About It,” a song by Emeli Sandé, written with Stephen Manderson, Tom Barnes, Ben Kohn, Peter Kelleher and Iain James.

Eleanor Hueske of Margaret B. Pollard Middle School finished on top of the middle school competition with her vocal performance of “Rolling in the Deep,” a song by Adele, written with Paul Epworth.

And in the high school competition, Keylor and the Chipettes of Jordan-Matthews High School took the prize for “Creep,” a song by Radiohead with Albert Hammond and Mike Hazlewood. Members of the band are Hernan Cortez, Griselda Escobar Umanzor, Titiana Eliana Escobar Umanzor, Sarah Preciado and Keylor Ureña-Seceña.

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

“I’m thrilled with the tremendous talent and the tremendous support our whole community showed to our students and their love of making music,” said Rose Pate, president of JMArts. “This event really was a showcase — and a great evening of family entertainment.”

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 113 scholarships to 79 students.

This year’s receipts were designated for the JMArts-Summer Soria Mora Scholarships to honor the memory of the Jordan-Matthews musician who passed away earlier this year.

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, Gina Harrison and Sandra Lopez.

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 are online at facebook.com/JMHSArts.

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Champions of “Sing and Play ’26” with the show’s co-hosts are, from left, co-host Hunter Scott, Keylor Ureña-Seceña, Hernan Cortez, Griselda Escobar Umanzor, Mariah McCrimmon, Sarah Preciado, Titiana Eliana Escobar Umanzor, Eleanor Hueske and co-host Delaney Fuquay.

Elementary School Champion: Mariah McCrimmon of Virginia Cross Elementary.

Middle School Champion: Eleanor Hueske of Margaret B. Pollard Middle School.

High School Champion: Keylor and the Chipettes of Jordan-Matthews High School with show co-hosts. From left, Hunter Scott, Sarah Preciado, Titiana Eliana Escobar Umanzor, Griselda Escobar Umanzor, Hernan Cortez, Keylor Ureña-Seceña and Delaney Fuquay.

Contestants Set for Sing and Play ’26 Student Music Competition on February 19

SILER CITY, N.C. — Showcase contestants have been selected for Sing and Play ’26, the eighth-annual music competition hitting the stage later this month at Jordan-Matthews High School in Siler City.

The showcase concert on February 19 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, Gina Harrison and Sandra Lopez selected 18 musical acts during open auditions to perform in separate elementary, middle and high school competitions. Winners will be selected by audience vote and each winning act receives a $50 cash prize.

Elementary contestants are Charlie Lutterloh of Pittsboro Elementary School, Riley Mason of J.S. Waters School, Mariah McCrimmon of Virginia Cross Elementary and home school student Amelia Parker.

Middle school contestants include Emilia Culton, Eleanor Hueske and August Olsen, all solo acts from Margaret B. Pollard Middle School, as well as Avery Murphy of Chatham Middle School and Paisley Pieper of George Moses Horton Middle School.

The competition will conclude with nine high school performances. Four acts represent Chatham Early College — Tori Adams, Leesie Frosio Nelson, Kayle Maxfield and the duet of Emilia Smith Pumalpa and Evienne Swihart. Three are from Jordan-Matthews — Evan Andrews, Keylor and the Chipettes and Los Bakers. And rounding out the high school roster will be Josephine Chen of Woods Charter School and Zachary Klingel of Seaforth High School.

Members of Keylor and the Chipettes are Hernan Cortez, Griselda Escobar Umanzor, Titiana Eliana Escobar Umanzor, Sarah Preciado and Keylor Ureña-Seceña.

Members of Los Bakers are Uriel Figueroa Sandoval, Daniel Hernandez, Ismael Martinez Lara and Shawn Roblero Morales.

This year’s showcase also will feature guest performances by two of last year’s champions: Madilyn Brown of Bonlee School, winner of the elementary competition, and the duet of Avery Jenkins and Craven Smithwick from Margaret B. Pollard Middle, who won the middle-school competition.

The showcase concert will be cohosted by Jordan-Matthews actor-musicians Delaney Fuquay and Hunter Scott.

“I’m excited to see so many different schools and musical genres represented in this year’s Sing and Play,” said JMArts President Rose Pate, who noted that performers from outside Chatham also were eligible. “These talented young people love making music and we’re proud to share their efforts with our community.”

All money raised each year is used by JMArts for educational projects, including its flagship JMArts Scholars. Since being launched in 2012, the JMArts Scholars program has awarded 113 scholarships to 79 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.

This year, the money will be used to fund the JMArts-Summer Soria Mora Scholarship to remember the Jordan-Matthews High School musician who passed away earlier this year.

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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Madilyn Brown, a student at Bonlee School, won last year's elementary competition and will return to perform as a guest artist for “Sing and Play ’26” on February 19 at Jordan-Matthews High School. The annual event was created as a performance opportunity for student musicians and a fundraiser for JMArts. (Photo by Chip Pate)

Last year’s middle school champions, Avery Jenkins and Craven Smithwick, will return to the stage as guest artists for “Sing and Play ’26” on February 19 at Jordan-Matthews High School. The musicians from Margaret B. Pollard Middle School will provide entertainment while votes in this year’s competition are being counted. (Photo by Chip Pate)

JMArts names summer arts scholarship to remember student Summer Soria Mora

SILER CITY, N.C. — A JMArts Scholars award has been named to celebrate the life of Jordan-Matthews High School sophomore Summer Soria Mora, who passed away earlier this month.

JMArts Scholars are selected each year and presented a scholarship for intensive study over the summer, usually at weeklong, residential workshops offered on university campuses. Soria Mora, an inspiring alto saxophonist who performed in the Jordan-Matthews and All-Chatham bands, was a 2025 JMArts Scholar who cared for everyone and made life better for all who knew her.

The award will be named the JMArts Summer Soria Mora Scholarship at least for the next three years when she would have been studying at Jordan-Matthews, with the possibility that it may be extended indefinitely. JMArts President Rose Pate said the board wanted to make sure that her high school classmates could honor and carry on her legacy.

“Being a JMArts Scholar was a game-changer for me while I was a student at JM,” said band director Aaron Partin, who was awarded scholarships in 2017 and 2018 before studying at Greensboro College and returning to teach Soria Mora at his alma mater. “I’m glad we can honor Summer’s memory and impact in this way.”

Since being launched in 2012, the JMArts Scholar program has awarded 113 scholarships to 79 students, who develop their talent and explore artistic options before making their college decisions. Anyone wanting to contribute in memory of Soria Mora can find information online at jmarts.org.

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Summer Soria Mora, a talented alto saxophonist, was honored last spring as a JMArts Scholar and now a scholarship has been named to celebrate her life. (Photo by Chip Pate)