First Idol named
By Maggie Rhynes
IV Leader Staff
There was a small crowd, but the voices were big at
Illinois Valley Community College’s first IVCC Idol contest. Ashley Stevenson
was voted the winner by the audience after surviving three rounds of elimination
and wowing the crowd with her talent.
Eight contestants vied for the title of IVCC Idol, with two
contestants being eliminated after the first round and four eliminated after a
second round. First round eliminations were decided by the panel of judges,
Norm Engstrom, Megan Zomboracz and Don Grant Zellmer. The second round of
eliminations was decided by the judges and the audience and the final winner was
a decision made solely by audience members.
Performances ranged from oldies like “I Will Survive,”
performed by Gabrielle Green to “That’s Amore,” belted out by Phil Claudnic.
Following each performance, contestants were critiqued by the judges not only on
singing, but also on stage presence, costume choice and dancing.
While the judges avoiding taking on a “Simon Cowle” personae,
they didn’t hesitate to point out flaws or areas of improvement to the
contestants.
They even harassed the eventual winner about a reoccurring
gesture, saying they were concerned she had appendicitis she was holding her
side so often. After the next few rounds, the judges declared the gesture
Stevenson’s signature move.
While many of the performances drew praise from the audience
and judges alike, only three contests survived to the final round.
Rebecca Gatlin, Bee Adana and Stevenson each took the stage a third and final
time before the deciding votes were cast.
Gatlin, a 23-year-old IVCC student from Cedar Point the
contest was a way for her to release energy. Gatlin has been singing for years
and has 8 years of formal training, making her no stranger to the stage.
“Nervousness wasn’t an issue, although, I have to admit that being scrutinized
by a judging panel gave me a bit of a queasy feeling.”
She also saw the competition as a good opportunity to gain
exposure, “I saw the contest as an opportunity to be recognized by the community
as someone who is goal-oriented and optimistic about their musical talents. I
figured that it might grant me adequate visibility within the community and
among the students and faculty of IVCC to ensure that I would have more
opportunities offered to me as a growing musical performer. It’s a stepping
stone…I’m no American Idol, but you just never know if you’ll see me next
season!”
Adana, a 23-year-old Connecticut native said he too has been
singing as long as he can remember.
Adana said his training has come from choir and theatre
classes.
He too enjoyed the experience of IVCC Idol. “I wish I won.”
he joked. “On the real, they should have more of those. And invite more ladies!”
In addition to being named IVCC first idol, Stevenson
received a $100 gift certificate to the Peru Mall.
Other contestants included Jamie Meyer, Peter Hamilton and
Renee Lapa. The event was sponsored by Students of the Performing Arts and
Music Organization (SPAMO).