First Night Star

Rachael Coyer and Shauntae Harmon

2011-12-31T11:18:00.000-08:00

They Are Both Juniors At Big Sky High.

& Have Been Best Friends & Have Played Music Together Since Their Freshman Year.

Music & Close Friendship Has Guided Their Lives Into What They Are Now.

Rachael Is In Her Second Year Of Drama & Has Been Playing Guitar, Self-Taught, For Over 3 Years. Being On Stage Is Her Future Life, Inspired By Her Best Friend Who Passed Away.

Music Is The True Definition Of Passion & She Wants To Live It.

The Song They Will Be Performing Has Been Dedicated To Rachael's Best Friend Who Passed, & Has Taught Them Both The Value Of A True Friend.

Shauntae Has Been Active In Choir & FFA Since Her Freshman Year.

She Has Been Accepted To The All North-West Audition Choir Her Sophomore & Junior Year.

She Is The 2nd Vice President For The Missoula FFA & Competes In Many Competitions Through FFA. Her Environmental & Natural Resource Team Earned Fourth Place At The National Level.

She Plans To Eventually Major In Either Music Or Ag Education Or In Veterinary Science. She Has Been Learning Guitar With Rachael's Guidance For 2 Years.

Humor & Art Are What Their Lives Are About :)

Michael DeGrandpre

2011-12-31T11:16:00.000-08:00

My name is Michael DeGrandpre. I am a Senior at Big Sky High School. I enjoy Theatre and Music. I play Drums, Guitar and Piano as well as write and record my own music. I love acting and have done several high school plays and musicals. I am very excited for Big Sky’s upcoming play Lend Me A Tenor which Myself and First Night Finalists Doug Barrett and Courtney Quincy are also in.

Rachel Castillo

2011-12-30T11:49:00.000-08:00

Hi, it's me Rachel, I am 16 years old and go to Florence Carlton High School. I love my music more than anything in the world. My passion for both writting and music is what fuels my determination for success. I hope to continue with my musical abilities and I thank you for this opportunity.

Taylor Caprara and Dillon Johns

2011-12-29T18:00:00.000-08:00

Taylor Caprara is a senior at Hellgate High School. Music is her passion. She participates in both choir and orchestra at Hellgate, and has been singing for as long as she can remember. She also enjoys participating in musical theatre and has done many MCT productions over the years. Music and performing are her passions and she hopes to attend the University of Montana for Music beginning next year. Taylor plans to pursue music as a career and to live happily ever after…

Dillon Johns is a junior at Hellgate High School. He has twelve years of music training. He has been playing bass since he was only four years old, and since then has become accomplished at drums, guitar, and piano as well as many other instruments. This super sexy musician will be doing music no matter where life takes him.

Michelle Dufflocq Williams

2011-12-29T17:52:00.001-08:00

Michelle Dufflocq Williams was born in Chile, where she lived until she moved to Missoula, Montana at the age of thirteen. Michelle has been singing ever since she can remember, but growing up in Chile there was little musical opportunity. Michelle fell in love with music and performing after moving to Missoula, where she had the chance to take guitar lessons and to be part of a choir at school for the first time. She took voice lessons for a year and has been a part of countless bands. Michelle is a junior at Hellgate High School and has now been playing guitar for about three years. She was a part of First Night Star last year and is greatly looking forward to it again this year, where she will be singing and playing her own song, "Coming Home". Michelle is sure that there is a lot more music in her future, if not in a career it will still remain to be one of the greatest joys in her life.

Courney Quincy and Lakin Lemons

2011-12-29T17:43:00.000-08:00

COURTNEY:

My name is Courtney Quincy and I am a senior at Big Sky High School. Theatre and music are both my passion and my life. I have been singing since I can remember. If it were possible, I would say that I sing in my sleep! But I also love theatre. This year is my fourth year doing theatre at my school. I guess I just love performing.

LAKIN:

Lakin Lemons is a senior at Big Sky High School. She has always loved music from Led Zeppelin to 30 Seconds to Mars. She is involved in the Theatre Department at Big Sky and this year started choir. She is excited to be performing on stage at the Wilma Theatre again.

Shawn Stanley

2011-12-29T17:38:00.000-08:00

Shawn Stanley is a senior at Sentinel High School. She has been singing since she can remember, but didn't get serious about it until middle school. Shawn also plays guitar and has written a few original pieces. She is planning to major in psychology next year at MSU, but singing has always been her greatest passion.

Kaylen Krebsbauch and Mari Wolverton

2011-12-29T17:35:00.000-08:00

"It all started at the Farmer's Market in Downtown Missoula. Since July of 2010, Kaylen Krebsbach and Mari Wolverton have been singing, playing and writing music together. Blending together a mix of acoustic guitar, various percussive instruments, and a blend of crisp harmonies, Kaylen and Mari (or Baby & Bukowski, the name they go by when they perform) try to bring qualities from many of their favorite artists such as Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes, Johnny Cash and Simon & Garfunkel, into their music. Both seniors at Sentinel High School, Mari and Kaylen both love to play music, and look forward to being able to compete in this year's final round of First Night Star. "

Zoe Tate

2011-12-28T13:16:00.000-08:00

My name is Zoë Tate. I'm a sophomore at sentinel high school. Along with my family and friends, music and art are my life. I'm constantly singing and making music because its what I love to do. I play violin, ukulele, and piano. I'm also currently teaching myself guitar. Doing first night star has been so much fun and I can't wait to do it next year!

Ashley Horn

2011-12-28T13:13:00.000-08:00

Hi, I'm Ashley Horn and I am 16 years old. I started vocal lessons, playing piano, and writing my own songs almost a year ago. I have fallen in love with this industry and have chosen to make it my career. You can also find me and my music on YouTube as " AshleyA". My YouTube Channel is: "SLNOco". Have fun if you go there and thank you for your support.

Morissa Trunzo

2011-12-27T21:17:00.000-08:00

Morissa Trunzo is a senior at Frenchtown High School and takes classes at UM, Missoula. This will be her fourth appearance in the First Night Teen Star competition. She will be performing her own song “Stay Off My Mind,” singing it with a backing track on which she plays piano.

Morissa has been singing, performing, and writing songs since she was 8. Earlier this year she was awarded a trip to Greece by Montana Special Olympics for her song “Just Believe,” which the judges said best embodied the spirit of their Project Unify. Last summer Morissa spent 6 weeks in the Musical Theater Pre College Program at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. She hasn’t decided where she’ll attend college, but Morissa is certain she wants to pursue a career in music and theater. You can find many of her performances on Facebook and YouTube.

Last Chance!

2011-12-01T22:33:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is the ABSOLUTE last chance to sign up for the First Night Star preliminaries! This is a wonderful community event that only comes around once a year! Send an e-mail to k_vincent25@hotmail.com to sign up!! See you there!

Sign Up Today!

2011-11-21T21:09:00.000-08:00

It's time to just get brave and choose a song and go for it! Our judges this year include Greg Boris of the Missoula Children's Theater, Bob Wire, and Eden Atwood! All are supportive, positive, and care very much about everyone having a great experience. So just do it. It's fun, and a little scary, but bring a huge pack of friends and family to cheer you on when you try out. Our staff and judges admire you all for your courage, and we aren't just saying that. Watching everyone sing on the stage is inspiring for us all.

Here are the dates for the Preliminaries:

Monday, December 6 For/At Big Sky 3:30-5:30

Thursday, December 8 For/At Hellgate 3:30-5:30

Monday, December 12 For Sentinel at Missoula Children's Theater 4-6

Monday, December 12 For Willard, and all surrounding schools at Missoula Children's Theater 6-8pm

Star Judge: Eden Atwood

2011-11-21T21:07:00.000-08:00

Eden Atwood is an international renowned recording artist and vocalist. She has 12 full length albums to her credit and has played all over the globe from Thailand to the Netherlands. Eden has been teaching private voice and piano for 16 years. Eden recently married Montreal native Claude Pineault, Claude is an accomplished singer/songwriter with number one hits to his credit in French speaking markets. Together Eden and Claude have launched Pinewood Studios to mentor up and coming artists through the process of singing, songwriting and producing albums.

Star Judge: Greg Boris

2011-11-21T21:02:00.000-08:00

Greg Boris is Project Development Director for the Missoula Children’s Theatre as well as Managing Director of MCT’s Summer Musical Theatre High School Program – Next Step Prep. Greg Studied Musical Theatre Performance at the University of Cincinnati’s College Conservatory of Music. A long time staple of the Missoula Performing Arts community, you may recognize Greg as a Missoula Community Theatre performer, member of the Missoula Community Concert Band, Director of Music Ministries at First United Methodist Church, Missoula Children’s Theatre Actor/Director, former Band and Music teacher at St. Joseph and Loyola-Sacred Heart schools, or as a member of MCT’s cabaret group Bits and Pieces.

Star Emcee: Billy Jenkins

2011-11-21T20:53:00.000-08:00

Billy Jenkins began reading the morning news and weather report at a community college just three months out of high school and after his first time “on-air” he was hooked! Within three more months he was running his own morning show, and with that his passion for radio got more intense. He worked in Market #14 (Seattle) as a mix-show host and overnight on-air personality until he became a producer for the Syndicated Show Host “Delilah”. His desire to always want more is what lead him to Missoula, MT to be a Morning Show Host and Station Manager at what he calls, “the best station in the world” 98.7/92.7 STAR FM.

Star Judge: Bob Wire

2011-11-21T20:51:00.000-08:00

Missoula’s honky tonkin’ “man about town,” Bob Wire’s main mission is to entertain. Bob is a prolific songwriter, and has recorded four CDs of original material since 2006. His latest release, “Off White Christmas,” is his most popular album yet. His first Montana band, the Fencemenders, was voted Best Local Band twice by the Independent reader’s poll. Bob was voted the Trail 103/Missoulian Entertainer of the Year in 2007.
Bob is also a successful writer, having published more than 500 humor columns for regional websites over the last five years. His articles, usually about music, have appeared in the Missoulian, the Missoula Independent, Montana Magazine, and other publications.
His blog is posted at bobwirehasapoint.com. You can hear his music at bobwiremusic.com, or download it at iTunes, Amazon, and other online music providers.