LAMORINDA WEEKLY | Lamorinda Idol finals return to Orinda Theatre


Winner of the 6th to 8th grade group award, Treble and Base, members - Aubrey Peterson and Isabelle Porcella. Photo Sora O'Doherty

Following some difficult years logistically during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Lamorinda Idol singing contest made a joyous return to the Orinda Theatre on Sunday, Aug. 14. Starting at 11 a.m. finalists performed for a panel of judges. After the judges deliberated, the winners were announced at an awards ceremony starting at 7 p.m. There were some very high heels and high spirits as the contestants gathered, supported by family and friends who whooped for their favorites. The audience at the contest also gets to select the recipient of the audience award, the person who earned the most audience votes and did not win in any other category. This year the award went to Ruby Vanhouten, a finalist in the 9th to 12th grade soloist contest. Vanhouten brought home a check for $300. All of the winners receive cash awards, ranging from $200 for winners in grades kindergarten to 2nd up to $500 for winners in grades 9 to 12. The contest is open to performers from throughout Contra Costa County. This year, Rena Wilson led Zoom-based workshops for solo finalists and runners-up, which parents were welcome to audit. Wilson was a founder of Performing Academy, a former lead in Beach Blanket Babylon, and a highly regarded private coach, now living in Southern California. The winners of the 2022 Lamorinda Idol contest, as announced by Master of Ceremonies, The Voice of Orinda Steve Harwood, are: K-2 solo: William Tanner; 3-5 solo: Cara Impallomeni; 6-8 solo: Palig Horoupian; 9-12 solo: Mina Lim; K-5 group: Biggy Smalls (Colette Goodman and Vivian Welch); 6-8 group: Treble and Bass (Aubrey Peterson and Isabelle Porcella); 9-12 group 4 O’clock (Mina Lim, Jaden Maspaitella, Svea Peterson, and Sadie Poole): and Audience Award: Ruby Vanhouten. The names of all of the finalists and runners-up will be posted to the Lamorinda Arts Council website, which will also link to videos of the contestants’ performances on YouTube. The Arts Council website can be found at https://lamorindaarts.org