Contestants Continue to Sing Their Hearts Out in Kean Quest Competition

Aspiring singers continue to vie for the top spots in the 2012 Kean Quest Talent Search, formerly called Kean Idol.

Semi-finalists chosen in the first five rounds will compete in Sunday's semi-final competition at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. at the  on the St. Barnabas campus in Richland Township.

The finals are scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, March 30. Winners will be presented with the title of Audience Choice and Judges' Choice. 

Tickets are available at the door for $10; proceeds benefit the St. Barnabas Free Care Fund.

Round 5 Winners

Jaira Burns, 15, of Vandergrift, won the Audience Choice Award by playing guitar and singing “Man Down” by Rhianna.

Based on scores from a panel of judges, Jaira and six other contestants moved on to Sunday's semi-final competition. The semi-finalists are: 

• Amarianna Busa, 10, Gibsonia
• Fernando De La Cruz, 18, Latrobe
• Brittany Dilliott, 15, Arnold
• BrittNee Watkins, 16, Pittsburgh
• Savannah Wiggins, 14, Penn Hills
• Megan Zolnosky, 14, Johnstown

Round 4 Winners

Madison Lapre, 13, of Robinson Township, won the Audience Choice Award. She performed “If I Ain’t Got You” by Alicia Keys. 

Lapre and 12 other contestants moved on to the next round:

• Hope Albert, 10, Apollo
• Kira Augustine, 12, Gibsonia
• Dominique Cagliuso, 14, Sewickley
• Leila Cenk, 8, Gibsonia
• Kelsey Crawford, 9, Weirton, WV
• Morgan Engle, 11, Gibsonia
• Claire Fonzo, 13, Irwin
• Kate Hardy, 9, Peters Township
• Paige Hurbanek, 13, Cranberry Township
• Michaela Isenberg, 12, Bethel Park
• Chloe Sebest, 11, Toronto, OH
• Jordan Versaw, 13, Mars

Vocal Round 3

Taryn Zeigler, 16, of Renfrew, won the Audience Choice Award by performing “I Can Hear the Bells” from the musical Hairspray.

The semi-finalists are:

• Melanie Berexa, 15, Gibsonia
• Reed Daemangone, 11, Latrobe
• Abbey Evanko, 10, Scott Township
• Kelsey Hillock, 16, Gibsonia
• Allison Huff, 15, Butler
• Ashley Irwin, 9, North Strabane
• Hannah Kwiecinski, 11, Pittsburgh
• Hope Morgan Savasta, 11, Nottingham Township
• Abigail Stewart, 11, Mars
• Megan Swift, 10, Murrysville
• Amanda Sybert, 16, Butler

Vocal Round 2

Allison Mizgorski, 15, of Butler, won the Audience Choice Award by performing “In His Eyes” from the musical Jekyll and Hyde. 

The semi-finalists are:

• Vanessa Clark-Deaver, 12, Latrobe
• Sarah Fair, 15, McCandless Township
• Trio
  • Olivia Gill, 14, McCandless Township
  • Samantha Lucas, 13, McCandless Township
  • Jenna Peluso, 13, McCandless Township
• Sara Hopkins, 14, Avalon
• Holly Jones, 13, Wexford
• Madison Starr Kunst, 13, Kittanning
• Brynn Lesher, 12, Franklin Park
• Marlee Manuel, 17, Connoquenessing
• Nicole Matos-Perez, 14, Franklin Park
• Paige Nelson, 10, Franklin Park
• Anna Thomas, 13, Kittanning
• Maura Yates, 15, Franklin Park
• Maria Zervos, 14, Mars

Vocal Round 1

Nicolina Marra, 12, of Cranberry Township, won the Audience Choice Award by performing “Hurt” by Christina Aguilera.  

The semi-finalists are:

• Ashlyn Beatrice, 8, New Brighton
• Cheyenne Cenk, 13, Franklin Park
• Kiersten Kelly, 16, Finley Township
• Julia Maletta, 9, Franklin Park
• Kenzie Palmer, 17, West Middlesex
• Hannah Roadway, 9, Scott Township
• Greta Schaltenbrand, 16, McCandless Township
• Delaney Schmidt, 13, McCandless Township
• Emily Smith, 15, Cranberry Township
• Shane Treloar, 10, North Fayette Township
• Tabitha White, 15, McCandless Township

Pine-Richland Patch encourages readers to submit information about happenings in the community. The information above was submitted by Shelli Sommariva and Megan Hoffman on behalf of St. Barnabas Health System. If you have news you'd like to share, please email the information and photos to Editor Cindy Cusic Micco at cindy.micco@patch.com

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