The Mabel Mercer Foundation has, besides its annual Cabaret Convention, sought to nurture young artists to carry on the tradition of the Great American Songbook. In this spirit, board members Adela and Larry Elow created an Endowment Fund specifically to encourage teenagers to learn and perform the Songbook, as composed between the years 1900-1970. This year’s third annual competition, presided over by KT Sullivan, the Foundation’s Artistic Director, was held virtually through twelve a cappella student submissions and seven industry judges including Klea Blackhurst, Natalie Douglas, Adam Feldman, Jeff Harnar, Mark Hummel, Sandy Stewart, and Billy Stritch. A virtual concert of the finalists along with last year’s 1st prize winner, Anaïs Reno, will be streamed on mabelmercer.org October 20th.
Participants are nominated from pupils who attend New York City public performing arts high schools which require auditions before enrolling students. The singers compete for cash awards: a $2,500 first prize, a $1,500 second prize, and a $1,000 third prize. The first prize winner will be invited to appear during the 2021 Cabaret Convention. Scores were so close that The Elows have generously allotted an extra $500 each for the two honorable mention prizes. Here are the results of the contest:
WINNER $2,500 Prize
Savannah Lee Henry
The Professional Performing Arts School
“Secret Love”
(Sammy Fain / Paul Francis Webster)
RUNNER-UP $1,500 Prize
Leonay Shepherd
The Professional Performing Arts School
“Everybody’s Got A Home But Me”
(Rodgers & Hammerstein)
SECOND RUNNER UP $1,000 Prize
Jennifer Poroye
Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School
“Misty”
(Erroll Garner / Johnny Burke)
HONORABLE MENTION $500 Prize
Julia Parasram
Frank Sinatra School Of The Arts High School
“God Bless The Child”
(Billie Holiday / Arthur Herzog Jr.)
HONORABLE MENTION $500 Prize
Kylie McNeill
The Professional Performing Arts School
“I Can Cook Too”
(Leonard Bernstein / Comden & Green)
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