Katie Kurilko, 15, winner of the Southern Great Lakes Symphony Junior Division Downriver Idol contest, plays her saxophone. Kurilko, a sophomore at Trenton High School, also plays the piano and organ and is active with Downriver theater groups.
By Evelyn Cairns
The Southern Great Lakes Symphony has announced the winner of the Junior Division Downriver Idol contest and the program for the SGLS Feb. 26 “Fantasia” concert, at which the finalists in the Senior Division Idol contest will compete for the latter crown.
Katie Kurilko, 15, a sophomore at Trenton High School, won the first-ever Junior Division Idol contest finals on Feb. 10. Kurilko plays the saxophone, piano and organ, takes dance lessons and is active with theater groups, including the Downriver Youth Performing Arts Center and Southgate Community Players.
Competing against Kurilko Olivia Anderson, 14, of Southgate; and Ellen McCartney, 16, of Wyandotte; and Emma Rathfon, 9, of Brownstown.
The singers were accompanied by the SGLS Jazz Ensemble.
Vying for the Senior Division title at the concert will be Dave Martin of Wyandotte, and Jill Ryan and Lara Semetko of Grosse Ile. The SGLS orchestra will accompany the singers.
Ryan is well known as the executive director of the Grosse Ile Boar’s Head Festival and her work with numerous theater and arts groups.
Semetko, a lyric coloratura soprano, is majoring in vocal performance and music education at Central Michigan University. She has won many voice competitions and grants.
Martin, a vocal music teacher for 16 years and director of choirs at Robert J. West Middle School also has taught music at the DYYPA fine arts camp and is the lead singer and guitarist in several bands.
The concert, scheduled for 3 p.m. at the Flat Rock Community Auditorium, will feature music from Disney’s classic movie “Fantasia,” including “Dance of the Hours,” “Symphony No. 6” and “A Night on Bald Mountain.”
In addition, the Seaway Chorale, directed by Gerald Custer, will sing “Ave Maria.”
Tickets, $25, are available by calling 734-246-2890 or going to www.sgls.org. The auditorium is at 28100 Aspen Drive.
Caregiver event set
A free caregiver workshop will be conducted by The Information Center Friday at Wayne County Community College, Taylor, 21000 Northline.
Registration will begin at 8:45 a.m. with a complimentary continental breakfast. A complimentary lunch will be served as well.
Topics will include Medicare and Medicaid, Alzheimer’s disease and Huntington’s disease.
Among the speakers will be Dwight Cloutier of the Veterans Support Center; Bettie Hughes, Michi-gan Medicare/Medicaid Assistance Program; Carol Waarala, social worker; and Dina Vannice, The Infor-mation Center.
To pre-register, call Erica Hartman at 734-287-7858.
DCA seeking show entries
The Downriver Council for the Arts is seeking entries for a mixed-media fine-art exhibit, “Embracing Global Peace,” to be held March 8 to April 21 at the Wyandotte Arts Center.
The deadline for entries is 5 p.m. March 6. An entry fee of $15 allows two entries.
A copy of a brochure containing details about the exhibit and an entry form is available on the DCA website, www.downriverasrts.org.
Coming up . . .
Feb. 22 — Program on “Downtown Detroit’s Magnificent Movie Palaces,” by Michael Hauser; 7 p.m. at the Heinz C. Prechter Educational and Performing Arts Center at Wayne County Community College, Taylor; artifacts, photos, DVDs and question session; popcorn and soda will be provided; no charge; for more information, call 734-374-3232 or go to www.wcccd.edu.
Feb. 22 — The Information Center program on poverty and unemployment by professor and author Sheldon H. Danziger, followed by question period; 1 p.m. at Wyandotte Community College, Taylor; no charge; for more information, call 734-282-7171.
Feb. 24, 25, March 2, 3 — Play, “Baby With the Bath Water,” by the Wyandotte Community Theatre; 7:30 p.m. at the Wyandotte Arts Center, 81 Chestnut; for tickets ($11, adults; $10, seniors and students), for more information, call 734-775-9635.
Feb. 28-March 11 — Play, “Shrek the Musical,” the story of a swamp-dwelling ogre who goes on a life-changing adventure to reclaim the deed to his land; at the Fisher Theatre; tickets, $29 to $79 (including parking), are available at www.ticketmaster.com or www.BroadwayinDetroit.com; for more information, call 313-872-1000; children 5 and younger will not be admitted.