Fourteen contestants gave it their all and when the dust had settled, Caitlin Reader, a junior at Klein Oak came in 3rd and won $200. Second place and $300 went to Jacob Buras, a sophomore at Klein High School. And $500 for first place went to Carl Culley, a junior at Klein Oak. Carl and Jacob get an automatic invitation to the April 9th Finals.

But wait! There's more drama! After rechecking our figures... Hannah Miller tied with Caitlin Reader, so we’re awading her another $175 (to go with her previous $25 winnings). Plus, she'll get to come back in March! And yet another Klein product!

Congratulations to the winners...

Carl Culley

Junior, Klein Oak High School
Grand Prize Winner
$500

Jacob Buras

Sophomore, Klein High School
Second Place Winner
$300

Caitlin Reader and Hannah Miller

Junior, Klein Oak high School, and sophomore, Klein Collins High School, respectively.
Third Place Winners
$200

Watch the performances on Rate My YVOH Performance!

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Congratulations to ALL our finalists, in order of appearance...

ROBERT ABASOLO is a junior at Klein Forest. This is his first year in choir, but he has been in theatre since the 5th grade. This is his first year in Varsity for both theatre and choir. Recently he was in this years region choir as a Tenor 2. He plans on pursuing music after high school whether it’s musical theatre or as a professional guitarist. He will be performing “Why God Why” from Miss Saigon.

REBECCA BLANDA is a junior at Cy Creek and has been doing musical theatre for over 10 years now, performing in over 25 productions, including playing Sister Mary Leo in Nunsense, the Wicked Witch in The Wizard of Oz, and Belle and Jasmine. Aside from theatre, she also loves to sing in the worship portion of her church’s high school Bible study. She will be singing “Astonishing” from Little Women.

MADISON ROBERTS is a sophomore at Klein High School, where she is actively involved in both theater and choir. She has been performing in musical theater productions since the age of 6 and has portrayed such roles as Belle in Beauty and the Beast, Maggie in A Chorus Line, and Maria in West Side Story. Madison will be singing “I Can Hear the Bells” from Hairspray.

CAITLIN READER is a junior at Klein Oak where she is involved in theatre and choir. She also performs at Playhouse 1960, where she has been a part of more than 20 productions. Her favorite role was Tess in Crazy for You. She will sing, “Gimme Gimme” from Thoroughly Modern Millie.

KRIS WATKINS is a junior at Oak Ridge High School. Historian of his Theatre Department, he is very involved in both Theatre and Choir. He recently played the role of Mr. Bumble in ORHS’s January production of Oliver! and was a region choir finalist for the Texas All-State Choir. He hopes to one day grace the stages of Broadway. He’ll sing “Something’s Coming” from West Side Story.

JACOB BURAS is a sophomore at Klein High School. He’s been singing and acting in shows since he was 5 years old. He is currently taking voice lessons with Jody Haas and performing in Oklahoma at Klein. He will sing “Mama Says” from Footloose.

CARL CULLEY is a junior at Klein Oak High School, has been writing music and playing piano since the age of 5. Last year, he was the lead in the inaugural Mainstreet Theatre Teen Production of Les Miserables. He recently auditioned for American Idol, and made the Top 50 out of the Houston Auditions, and auditioned in front of Paula, Randy, and Simon. He will be singing, “Til’ You Came Into My Life”.

BRITTANY THAXTON is a 17 year-old senior at Klein High School. She was in the Dec. Culture Shapers competition where she won third place and now can’t get enough! Brittany is very active at Playhouse 1960 and just finished the musical, Oklahoma at her school. She has been dancing for the past thirteen years and singing for the past two.

KATHLEEN CALLAGHAN is a senior at Cy Creek. Kathleen has recently been seen in Nunsense (as Sister Hubert) and in Grease (as Jan). She is currently student-directing the childrens’ musical, Foxtales. Kathleen would like to put her passions to use by working with at-risk children doing social work through opening her own community theater. She will be singing Goodbye Until Tomorrow.

HANNAH MILLER is a sophomore at Klein Collins High School and loves being involved with choir and theater. Her 1st performance was in Bye Bye Birdie at ACE Theater. She was 1st at NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing) in the musical theater division her freshman year and was 3rd place at the September Culture Shapers and 2nd place at the December 1st competition. She will be singing Change In Me from Beauty & The Beast.

CHANDLER ROBERTS is a home-schooled junior and is excited about returning to YVOH, having been a finalist in last year’s competition. She recently performed as a Narrator in the ACT@TUTS performance of Aladdin Jr. and sings weekly at her church. She played the supporting role in CrossWind Productions’ film, The Saber. She’ll be singing “Jimmy” from Thoroughly Modern Millie.

ROBIN VAN ZANDT is a junior at Elkins High School. She has numerous theater credits, and is a member of Knightbeats, who perform throughout Houston and record annually. Robin has been selected for the All-Region Choir 5 years in a row and has received superior ratings four years in a row for her solos at the UIL Solo & Ensemble competition. She will sing, “I Want to Go to Hollywood”.

CHRISTINE HOBBS is a junior at Oak Ridge High School and an officer in the ORHS Choir Program. Christine has been in Choir since the 4th grade, and her life revolves around singing. She hopes to major and pursue a career in music. She’s done a few musicals in the past, and she’s looking now for experience in performing. She will be singing “What I Did For Love” in the musical A Chorus Line.

ERIN HARDY is a junior at Cy-Creek. She is heavily involved in her high school’s theatre and choir department. The past two years she has qualified for the International Thespian Festival in Group Musical, and this year Duet Musical, with the help of her friend Kristyn Chalker. Erin has also been a part of the TMEA All-Region Mixed Choir for the past 3 years, and has been a Pre-Area candidate for the past 2 years. She will sing “At Last”.

About the Judges...

Debbie Moore

Debbie Moore is in her 23rd year of teaching, serving the last four years as choral director at Wunderlic Intermediate School in the Klein Independent School District. Prior to teaching in Klein, she taught junior high and high school choirs in Tyler, Magnolia and Aldine school districts. While at Wunderlich, her choirs have consistently earned Sweepstakes awards at UIL Concert and Sightreading Contest and at D.C. Festivals Competition.

A product of Texas public schools, Debbie graduated from McAllen High School and was a two year member of the Texas All-State Choir. Upon graduation, she attended The University of Texas at Austin, earning a Bachelor of Music degree in music education. Debbie is a member of Texas Music Educator’s Association, Texas Choral Director’s Association and Texas Music Adjudicator’s Association. She is also a member and section director of the Houston Choral Society.

Megan Truelson

Megan Truelson is a 2003 graduate of Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa and holds a bachelor’s degree in Vocal Music Education. While attending Iowa State, Megan was a member of the Iowa State Singers, Cantamus Women’s Choir, and Oratorio Chorus. In the summer of 2003, Megan toured Europe with the Iowa State Singers, and performed in venues throughout Sweden, Finland, Estonia, and Latvia. At the end of her college career, Megan moved to Houston, TX to do her student teaching. She began her career as the assistant choir director and general music teacher at Teague Middle School. During her two years at Teague, the choirs there received Superior ratings at UIL contests, and Best in Class awards at various competitions.

When Plummer Middle School opened in the fall of 2005, Megan became the head choir director. Throughout the past two years, Megan has built up the choir program at Plummer Middle School and turned it into a very successful program. Her students have won several Superior ratings at Solo and Ensemble contests, and Excellent ratings at UIL contests. Megan is also in her third year performing with the Houston Choral Society. Megan is a member of Texas Music Educator’s Association and Texas Choral Director’s Association.

Jesse Fernandez

Jesse Fernandez earned his Bachelor of Music degree from Southwestern University, where he graduated cum laude. He was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, Alpha Chi, Pi Kappa Lambda, and was an active member of Delta Omicron, the national music fraternity. At Southwestern, Jesse was active as a soloist, performing with the university chorale and orchestra in great choral works such as Bach's Mass in B Minor and Handel's Judas Macabeus.

He recently toured Chicago as a part of the University opera theater program, performing art songs by Debussy, Faure, and Schubert, as well as Puccini's opera Gianni Schicchi. In April 2000, Jesse was invited as a soloist to perform with the Austin Youth Symphony. He has also actively pursued theatrical interests, as a featured performer in Dames at Sea, Godspell, Anything Goes, and Man of La Mancha. Michael Barnes of The Austin American Statesman, in his review of Godspell, described Jesse's voice as "especially agile [and] expressive". In the summer of 2000, Jesse was invited to be a featured actor in the University of Wyoming's summer theater program, where he starred in productions of You're a Good Man Charlie Brown and The Foreigner. Since graduation, Jesse has been a member of the Austin Vocal Arts Ensemble, recently returning from a performance of Haydn's Mass in time of War at Carnegie Hall, and is a current member of the Houston Choral Society.

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