March 7 - 20, 2017 • Vol. 2, No. 3
www.santaynezvalleystar.com
Every Issue Complimentary Every Time
Photo by Daniel Dreifuss Seventh-grader Elizabeth Padfield of Solvang wowed the crowd with her rendition of “Summertime” by George Gershwin. The judges were stunned to learn her age and said her vocal talents were astounding.
TEEN STAR
Local singer showcases talent beyond her years by Raiza Giorgi
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T
een Star Santa Barbara judge Catherine Remak thought there was a typo next to Elizabeth Padfield’s name because her maturity and depth of range were astounding during the competition on Feb. 25 at the Arlington Theatre. “Your voice is the instrument and I felt like we were in the 1930s,” Remak said. Elizabeth, 12, a seventh-grader at Solvang Elementary School, ultimately didn’t win the competition but she definitely left an impression on the hundreds of people who came to see the performances. Nolan Montgomery of Dos Pueblos High School was crowned the winner. “Being on stage was mind blowing and I had such a great time. Performing is about bringing a smile to people’s faces, and that’s what I strive for when I perform,” Elizabeth said. She’s no stranger to the stage as she has performed in the valley for various functions-singing the national anthem at Fourth of July and portraying Mary Poppins in last year’s production with the Arts Outreach Summer Theater. This popular event along with Teen Dance Star are now in their seventh season of crowning hardworking students, and creator and executive producer Joe Lambert, a former valley resident, talks about his efforts. “I am really impressed and humbled by their hard work and what’s really amazing is they set their goals to get into the show, or into the top 10 and they keep pursuing their dreams,” Lambert said. This year’s Teen Star drew contestants from all around Santa Barbara County performing their hearts out at the Arlington Theatre. The finalists were Jillian Garnett of San Marcos High School (12th Grade), Elizabeth Padfield of Solvang School (7th Grade), James McKernan of Bishop Diego High School (12th Grade), Nicole Trujillo of Dos Pueblos High School (11th Grade), Daniel Geiger of Pioneer Valley High School (11th
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