Amazing Kids! is proud to highlight the Amazing Kids! of the Month!

Each month, we showcase kids who are accomplishing amazing things.  We hope that by telling their special stories, we will inspire other kids to accomplish their own amazing achievements. 

If you love music, whether listening to it or performing or creating it yourself, then stay tuned to read (and hear!) our September Amazing Kids! of the Month!  Amazing Kids! is pleased to bring you the profiles of four musically talented youth, three of whom come from the United States; the fourth, from Canada.   

Read about their diverse musical talents and who knows?  You may be inspired to grab the nearest musical instrument and start playing, composing, singing or dancing --or all of the above!-- too!  

And don't forget, if you, or a young person (or persons!) you know, has an amazing project you are involved in, or a special skill, talent or ability you want to tell the world about, be sure to let Amazing Kids! know about it!  Teachers are invited to nominate their entire classroom and the amazing projects they are working on too!  Simply complete a nomination form for an Amazing Kid! of the Month award, or email us! 

Table of Contents 

Amazing Adam Ho
Amazing JessE
Amazing Matthew Tishler
Amazing Heather Hershow
Related Links

Amazing musician Adam Ho, age 14,
peforming his own music live

It's not every day that a 12 year old's picture is featured on the cover of the Los Angeles Times, but that's exactly what happened two years ago to Adam Ho, now age 14.  Originally from Dallas, Texas, Adam moved with his family to Southern California, where he has been studying electric guitar with a private music teacher and composing and playing his own music.  Adam not only plays guitar, but he writes and performs his own original music and has his own home recording studio.

Like many passionate young artists, Adam "lives, eats and breathes" his music.  He practices at least two hours every day, and performs at venues throughout Southern California.  He has performed at many fundraising campaigns for charities in California, and performs regularly at the 3rd Street Promenade, a pedestrian-only shopping district in Santa Monica, California known for its lively street performances by highly talented people like Adam.  He has also performed at Irvine Spectrum Center and at the Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa, both in Southern California.

Amazing Adam has received many awards and much recognition for his musical talent.  In 1997, he won first prize in a music contest of the Orange County Performing Arts Center.  In 2000, he received the "Outstanding Musician of the Year" award from the Eagle Award of Excellence for a commercial he did for the Library of Congress.  Adam also made his tv debut on the "Gong Show" on CBS and won first prize, after having received the maximum score possible!

In addition to his amazing advanced guitar playing, composing and singing, Adam's special skills include acting, swimming, tennis playing, martial arts and street/stage performing.

Adam's musical influences are Jimi Hendrix, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, and Yogi Malmsey.

For those kids reading this who are dreaming of becoming a professional musician, Adam offers this advice:

Adam also gives private lessons for beginning to intermediate guitar players. Private performances can also be arranged.  For more information, contact his mother, June Ho at: (714) 425-4672 or by e-mail: adamtranho@hotmail.com

Read a review of Adam's playing in Inner Circle Magazine at:
http://www.nycfame.com/innercircle/miscellaneous/155-Misc-GettingDiscovered.htm

Listen to a sample of Adam's amazing electric guitar playing and composing!  You'll hear a selection from a song he wrote and performs, called "Empty Wheatfield."

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Amazing JessE

17 year old Jessica Palter (also known as "JessE") was born in Detroit, Michigan, and has been singing and performing since she was two.  This amazingly talented R & B (Rhythm and Blues) singer writes her own music as well as performs it!  She has been receiving a lot of attention from the recording industry recently, as she has teamed up with Grammy award winning writers/producers Jeff and Mark Bass of FBT/WEB Productions (Eminem, D12) to write her songs, and with producer/director David Sherline of Watchtower Music.  She has just completed two new singles, Creepin’ and Don’t Rush Me.  JessE has been named the winner of the Bon Jovi song contest through Olympia Entertainment and she was recently accepted into the University of Michigan Vocal Jazz program, which only accepts one new student a year!

Like many young musical talents, JessE has a musical talent that spans many generations in her family.  Her grandmother Dorothea Ranier was a child opera sensation, considered one of the best voices of her time. Multi-talented JessE has had extensive dance training in tap, ballet, jazz, hip-hop and lyrical and has won several dance competions.  She also dances and performs in musical theatre. (She performed in her first musical, Alice in Wonderland, at the age of 6!) She

JessE attended a performing arts middle school, where she performed in many of the school plays and musicals.  While she was a middle school student, she learned to play the oboe and trumpet, and became a member of the school's award-winning jazz band.

JessE's love of jazz, pop and rhythm &  blues began when she was 12 years old. Lately, she has been traveling to record her songs in studios in Los Angeles, Nashville and Detroit.

JessE has been working with Watchtower Music to create two new music videos, choreographed by
 up and coming dancer and choreographer, Tyler Matkowski. The videos will include JessE's feature performance at the Miss Michigan Pageant 2002.
 
A review of JessE's work on the Watchtower Music website sums up her talent and amazing potential like this:

"A dynamic performer who exhibits a combination of powerful vocals, innovative dance style
and Hollywood looks, JessE is geared to be a major star!"

Listen to JessE's amazing musical talent and watch some of her performances here:

www.watchtowermusic.com/jesse/media.cfm

Read JessE's bio on the Watchtower website:  www.watchtowermusic.com/jesse

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Amazing Canadian Matthew Tishler is 17 years old and is an accomplished pianist, bass player and drummer, as well as a singer/songwrier.  He was recently interviewed on the Austin-Nicole talk show for teens.  He's what he has to say about himself and his love of music:

"I'm 17 years old, going into my final year of high school.  I've been playing piano for 10 years, singing for 5 years, writing songs for 3 years, and playing bass, drums and guitar for 2 years.  My Dad got me started in music (he was a public school music teacher for 13 years).  He gave me weekly piano lessons and encouraged me to practice.  Both of my parents are extremely supportive of my choice to pursue music as a career.  I have had several music teachers since my father, some in school and some outside of school.  I will likely attend university next year to get a degree in music composition and performance. 

"Elton John has been my primary musical influence (because he sings, plays piano and writes his own songs - just like me!).  Also, John Lennon and the Beatles, Stevie Wonder, and Michael Jackson have shaped my musical sound and style.  My favourite musical artists are singer/songwriters (like all of the artists mentioned above), who write, sing and play their own songs.  I've learned that the music business is tough to break into, but it is important to not give up.  If you keep playing, writing and perfoming -  eventually the right opportunities will come along.  Practice makes perfect - and do everything you can to be the best that you can be.  Surround yourself with people that support you and inspire you.  I encourage young musicians to become involved in their school's music department (sing in choirs, play in bands, even just take a music class or two), and also if young musicians explore songwriting, then they may discover things about themselves and their environment that they may never have realized otherwise.  Self expression is very satisfying and is something that I recommend all musicians try.

Listen to some of Matthew's amazing music here:  www.tonos.com/matthewtishler

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Heather singing a solo with L.A. Hip Kids

Here's what amazing Heather has to say about her experience in the world of performing and entertaining:

"I have always loved performing.  Whether it is singing, dancing or acting, I've always dreamed of being on stage.  I first tried to break into 'the Business' (the Entertainment Industry) when I was six, becoming involved with a musical theatre group coached by Karen Tobey.  Under her direction we performed skits from many Broadway plays for our families and friends. About three years ago, I became a member of another local performing group called L.A. Hip Kids.  We have entertained at various places around the Los Angeles area, including Knott's Berry Farm and Magic Mountain.  It has been a lot of fun, and while I hope to go on to bigger things in life, I will never forget the friends that I have met in this group.

My parents have taught me to give back to the community, so I pick a charity each year and donate a portion of any money that I earn to that charity.  First it was Children's Hospital, then Child Share (to benefit foster children) and Foundation for the Junior Blind, and this year it's the Friends for Pets Foundation.  You see, we have a saying in our family:

'Every individual is born with a special gift, and each person's gift is different. It does not matter what your particular gift may be. What is important is how well you use it to make the world a better place.'"

Heather attends Chaminade College Preparatory in Chatsworth, California.  She is also a member of their choral performing group, the C Notes.  The C Notes recently performed at Disneyland in Anaheim, California.  Heather not only performed but helped choreograph the performance!   The C Notes had such a good time that they plan to return next year to perform at Disneyland again.

Here's a link to an article in the Chaminade C Notes online newsletter, which talks about their performance:

Best of luck to all of you amazing musical talents!  We'll be listening for you on the radio soon...

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