Why

[Towntalk]

ALLAN, FYI KDKA was the first radio station to go on the air in the United States, and their FIRST broadcast was the election returns.KDKA was owned by Westinghouse, and their FIRST studio was located on the roof of one of Westinghouse's plant buildings. The station later moved to the Grant Building in Pittsburgh. It is a 50,000 watt clear channel station.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KDKA_(AM)

[AllanY2525]

Let's see....those call letters sound familiar....KDKA is channel 2, in Pittsburgh(?)


What would be great as far as prizes, would be a tuition grant or scholarship for
Dana School, or another well-established performing school in the area for all of
the winners.

Maybe have some music professors, members of the media, the Mayor or other
city representatives, some local teachers, etc. act as judges for the talent show,
selling tickets to the public and with internet video streaming.

A lofty goal, but it would be great fun and a wonderful opportunity for kids
and young adults who are just getting started.

[Towntalk]

As part of her radio program back home, Mother had a talent contest limited to children, and for the finals, it was done at one of the local theaters, and a movie and TV actor friend of hers from New York came in as MC, and a band that played on KDKA provided the music. It was a really big deal. WYTV would be the perfect channel, and it could be MC'd by Stan Boney. He's great at that sort of stuff.

[AllanY2525]

Excellent idea.  They could call it "Youngstown's Got Talent"


 

[Towntalk]

That my friend is a good question. The Youngstown Symphony Orchestra has a Junior Symphony Orchestra, and Stambaugh Auditorium also has a youth orchestra. Perhaps it might be a good idea for one of the local TV stations to have a local version of America's Got Talent say once a month. I also understand that the Music Director of the Youngstown Symphony has a mentoring program, but unfortunately he also conducts two other symphony orchestra's and is in demand as a guest conductor with other orchestra's, so his time here in Youngstown is limited. Dana could step in and help develop a local talent show that could ultimately lead to more young people enrolling in YSU's music program.

[AllanY2525]

Does the Dana School Of Music at YSU have a mentorship program for promising
young high school performers?  My brother is a YSU graduate with a Masters degree
in music and sings classical music beautifully.  He was fortunate enough to meet
Dr. Reardon of the Dana School through the high school music teacher before he
even began college

[Towntalk]

A very rare exception. But when you look at the young talent coming out of Europe ... Now there was a young lady out of Pittsburgh who rose to be a star, but most of her work, like the gentleman you referred to is in Europe, and not the United States. The girl in the video was 9 years old ... she had no formal training ... she won the Holland Has Talent contest, a large orchestra took her and her brother under their wings and paid all the expenses for formal training and their education. That doesn't happen here. The young lady from Pittsburgh records in Europe and is under the guidence of people who see to it that these young people are not exploited. What do we have here in America ... garbage that passes for music and performers that aren't fit to even spit on being passed of as greats ... most of the female singers have the morals of alley cats, and the men who are passed of as great singers of "popular music" aren't any better. As to audience, most Americans wouldn't know good music if it slammed them up side the head.

[AllanY2525]

I just read an article about an upcoming performance in Youngstown
by a young man who sings classical music - and graduated from East
High School. 

He performs all over the world.

[Towntalk]

Why can't we produce young talent like this in our schools?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66-A2MyVDbU