PAPER TRAILS: Arkansas musicians measure up

CARNEGIE KELLY: This week, Little Rock Central High School junior Kate Kelly will make her first trip to New York City.

What is she most excited about seeing? Carnegie Hall. Only the 17-year-old is not visiting as a tourist.

She'll be the talent.

As part of the High School Honors Performance Series, Kelly will sing at the iconic concert hall Thursday through Feb. 11. She'll also perform at Australia's Sydney Opera House this summer.

"I had to turn in an audio audition, and I sang the suggested song. ... It's an Italian piece, so I had to learn that, which was really fun," she says in her low speaking voice that reveals her vocal range. Kelly is an Alto 2.

She says she was thrilled to be accepted, given about 18,000 students from around the world auditioned and only about 300 were selected.

While in New York, she'll see the sights and My Fair Lady on Broadway. But her main focus will be singing with the Honors Women's Choir. She was required to learn six pieces in preparation.

Any nerves?

"I'm very anxious," Kelly says with a laugh. "But I'm really excited to be performing on a stage that so many big names have performed on."

SCOTT'S SHOT: Another rising Arkansas musical talent achieved a milestone of note: Singer-songwriter Jake Scott -- a Fayetteville native and University of Arkansas grad -- recently got a writeup on Billboard.com, as well as in February's Music Connection magazine for his new publishing deal with Angry Mob Music.

Growing up, Scott, who played instruments "for fun" and in church, never considered a career in music. But, he says, watching The Avett Brothers in concert changed that: "I was like, 'I think I can write a song,' so I started trying to write songs and fell in love with the process."

His 2013 EP Of Life and Love and Longing, released under the name Tossing Copper, got the attention of another Arkansan -- David Hodges of Evanescence -- who encouraged Scott to move to Los Angeles and join the songwriting scene.

Since then, Scott says, "I got to write a few songs with Jason Mraz, I got to write a few songs with Aloe Blacc, with ... some top artists across the board. It's been really fun."

The 27-year-old also releases a new song of his own each month on Spotify and plans to tour this spring.

He says, "Of course I'm coming to Arkansas! I've got to. I've gotta come home."

Email: jchristman@arkansasonline.com

SundayMonday on 02/03/2019

Upcoming Events