43
Poland’s Julia Cooper is a ‘Rising Star’
Photo
Neighbors | Sarah Foor .Poland Middle School student Julia Cooper will be competing in the final round of the Greenville Symphony Orchestra Rising Star competition on April 14. Cooper has shared her voice singing at the Covelli Center and was a winner multiple times at the Poland Idol competition during celebrate Poland. Cooper showed off her album, Decade, on March 31.
By SARAH FOOR
Julia Cooper, a 12-year-old seventh-grader at Poland Middle School, has followed her passion for singing to the center stage of the Greenville Symphony Orchestra’s Rising Star competition.
After excelling in preliminary rounds in early March, Cooper is heading for the finals on April 14 and is eyeing the competition’s top prize.
The journey to Rising Star has been long, but Julia’s mom, Sandy, said she isn’t surprised her daughter has become a singer.
“Since Julia was a baby, she was always humming and singing to herself. When she does it, she’s completely engrossed. It takes her away to somewhere else,” Cooper said.
However, Julia only found her passion after being invited to sing at a nursing home for Veteran’s Day at age 8.
“I sang that day and I saw that my voice made people happy. I knew then that singing is what I want to do and that I’ll do it for the rest of my life,” Julia said.
In the four years since, Julia had taken every opportunity offered to her. She participates in workshops with Easy Street Productions, Liz Rubino Studios and the New Castle Mini-Stars. Cooper acts in plays and just recently finished her runs in “Mulan, Jr.” in New Castle and “Beauty and Beast” in Salem.
Locally, she is part of the Poland Middle School choir, has performed the national anthem at the Covelli Centre and won the Poland Idol singing competition twice.
Her Poland Idol win at 10 years old earned her studio recording time, which she used to produce a CD of cover songs called “Decade.” Uncomfortable with receiving any funds from selling the CD, Cooper donated all the proceeds from the sale of the album to the American Cancer Society, in the memory of her late grandfather.
“I think giving back will always be part of what I do. It’s important to me and I want it to stay that way as things get bigger,” Julia said.
While juggling her many appointments, Julia is preparing for the Rising Star competition with plenty of practice, followed by tea, as to not strain her voice.
The final round of the competition is based on the judges’ decision and 25 percent audience vote. Any local and vocal supporters of Cooper can help her win the audience vote at Thiel College’s Passavant Center at 7 p.m. on April 14.
“The finals will be nerve-wracking, but I’m ready,” Julia promised.