Three talented Great Neck singers, Anjali Desai, Jasmine Krause and Adi Sragovich, were among the performers at the Sea Cliff Yacht Club on Wednesday, June 21.
Sea Cliff vocal teacher Patti Dunham holds a showcase each June so that her students can share their musical gift with family and friends in a cabaret setting. During two sets, each student sang one song. At the end of the first set, which coincided with sunset, the club fired the cannon and lowered the colors.
The singers and the audience then took a break to watch the Solstice sunset from the beach or balcony and returned for the second set.
“During the day, the Yacht Club donated their space for the performers to practice,” said Dunham. “Each one had time with the professional band to rehearse their songs. That’s where the real learning happens. They can stop and start, ask questions and experiment. This way, they feel more comfortable and really learn how to perform with a band.”
The performers returned to the yacht club for the show at 7:30 p.m. with their friends and family in the audience.
“I encourage the students to sing any solo they like that fits their voice,” explained Dunham. “They don’t often get an opportunity to do that. We work for weeks before the show to prepare their pieces. The choices range from classical and musical theater to rock and pop. It is always an interesting and diverse show that gives each performer a chance to shine in their favorite kind of music.”
During the performers’ introductions, the vocal teacher reminisced about how impressed she was with Krause, who showcased her love of Broadway show tunes, and Sragovich, who performed from her extensive repertoire of jazz numbers, at Levels productions at the library’s teen center long before they became her students.
