Former 'Idol' singers will accompany orchestra

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The Youngstown Symphony Orchestra and conductor Randall Craig Fleischer will perform with three “American Idol” finalists this Saturday.

The 8 p.m. performance, titled “Symphony Idol,” will be at Powers Auditorium. For advance tickets, call 330-744-0264 or go to youngstownsymphony.com.

LaKisha Jones and Haley Scarnato from season six of “Idol” and Matt Giraud from season eight of the vocal-competition show will sing jazz, rock, Broadway, country and pop songs, including “My Heart Will Go On,” “Georgia on My Mind” and “I Will Always Love You.”

“American Idol” is now in its 14th season.

Jones, the Flint, Mich., native who was a top-four finalist, has appeared on Broadway in the musical “The Color Purple.”

Scarnato, of San Antonio, Texas, is a frequent performer with symphony orchestras and also devotes time to philanthropic endeavors, including a recent appearance as the celebrity ambassador for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Texas.

Giraud, a singer-songwriter and musician from Kalamazoo, Mich., was the first recipient of the “judges’ save” on “Idol,” where he finished as third runner-up.

Symphony patrons can enjoy a full Valentine’s Day by dining at Overture Restaurant, adjacent to the venue, before the performance. Call 330-744-9900 for reservations.

Overture also will be open after the concert for dining and live music with the Youngstown Symphony Jazz Project.