Need something to do over the long Thanksgiving weekend — besides binging on turkey leftovers?
On Friday, November 28 at 7.00 p.m., YouthNet — a non-profit organization serving the teen community of Maplewood and South Orange — will host its first-ever talent show/coffeehouse at the SOPAC Loft in South Orange.
Suggested donation is $5.
Performing will be YouthNet alumni, CHS talent and professional musicians, including:
- MOA — MOA stands for Music Over All or Motivation Optimism and Ambition. MOA has been playing together for about 4 years. Members were drawn together by their common love for funk and hip hop music; the groups fuses the two together to create a positive and fast pace style of expression. MOA was a frequent participant in the YouthNet YAB (Youth Advisory Board) and contributor the YouthNet coffeehouses.
- The Hopewell Valley Boys — a newly formed bluegrass group featuring Jamie Fried (mandolin), Sam Godsey (guitar), Chris O’Neil (banjo), and Ian Kenselaar (bass). Hopewell Valley Boys have been playing music together since their first basement bands in high school. Ian was involved in organizing some of the first YouthNet coffeehouses at the Baird Center.
The father-daughter duo Dave and Emma Hart will be playing tunes from their debut album “Hold On” at the YouthNet coffeehouse and talent show on Nov. 29 at the SOPAC Loft.
- Dave and Emma Hart — a father and daughter Americana duo, have just released their first Nashville recorded album “Hold On.” Dave is an award-winning composer and guitarist from Connecticut. Emma is currently studying jazz violin at McGill University after studying with Sara Caswell at The Manhattan School of Music in a two-year pre-college program. Emma is a young master of the “fiddle” but also glides easily into mandolin, guitar, banjo as does her dad. The duo moves seemlessly into different music genres.
All performers will participate in a Q&A with the audience and share their varied experiences with the audience.
“YouthNet is grateful to SOPAC and Board member Diana Hart for opening up their doors to our community organization and continuing to foster this relationship!” wrote YouthNet director Diane Malloy.
