Oprah Staff:
The video is of my 10 year old son, Jackson, who is also the youngest professional movie critic in America. Jackson (a.k.a. "Lights-Camera-Jackson") has had his own movie reviews website (www.lights-camera-jackson.com) for about a year and a half, and in September he got his own weekly film critic segment on a local TV station. He's also been doing movie reviews on the radio since he was 7 1/2.
Jackson is an amazing talent. I couldn't link his TV review work for you due to copyright issues, but you can see his segments here:
http://capitalnews9.com/content/living/lightscamerajackson/Default.aspx
and you can read his reviews, listen to his podcasts and see his box office wrap-up on his site.
But one of his most incredible talents is his ability to do impressions. He was born with the ability to hear a voice, sometimes only once or twice, and then duplicate it. Obviously his love for the entertainment business leads him to doing many celebrity impressions (the one's on this clip are of some of the 2008 Oscar nominees), but he also does political figures, cartoon characters and regular people. It's really something to watch and hear.
Nothing against the other kids you have on your site, they're all very talented, but when was the last time you heard a 10-year do impressions...and just NAIL THEM? I'm guessing never.
The other thing that makes Jackson so unique is that he is a "Kid Critic" - he reviews Kids/Family movies from a kids point of view. Other kids, and PARENTS especially love this, because they get insight and advice on a movie they might be thinking of taking their kids to...from a real kid...and not some 45 year old man who, for obvious reasons, can't relate to these films the way a 10-year old can.
And Lights-Camera-Jackson knows his stuff. He is a student of film and pop culture. He can tell you the actors, plot, release date and box office take of practically every movie that's been released in the past 3-years. And he knows the year that every Disney film came out - cold.
Last year he saw 46 films in the theater. Some weekends we hit one Friday night another on Saturday.
And, along with his reviews, he also does celebrity interviews. I know he'd love to ask Oprah a few questions about her film career.
Check out his website and on-air work. I think you'll agree that Jackson fits your criteria as both smart and talented.
Thanks for allowing me to write to you about him and I appreciate you considering him for the show.
Sincerely,
Dan Murphy
Jackson would make a great guest on your show as he could also do review some recent films or, and this would be very timely, do a SUMMER MOVIE PREVIEW.
Hello Oprah Show!
This is Matthew Dane Peavoy. I just turned 15 years old. I'm a classically trained accordionist and pianist from Central Alberta, Canada. I've been playing piano since I was 4 and accordion since I was 8.
Normally the words accordion and classical never meet in the same sentence, but I have put a unique twist on this largely traditional, yet absolutely magnificant instrument. I have come to love the classics, being much more complicated and appreciated by everyone that I play for. I have been found to get numerous standing ovations, while also being able to bring some audience members to tears with my interpretation and feeling of the piece. This is what sets me apart from other performers, as I literally feel the music and listen and enjoy it while I play.
The accordion is the only instrument that can represent a full 50 piece orchestra, and I have not found an instrument that I can't represent with this versatile instrument [piccilo, oboe, violin, basoon, organ, snare drum, egg shaker, etc]. The accordion, unlike instruments like the piano for example, can make notes start soft and grow into grand chords, like many wind instruments. I can also represent the violin's bowing by use of the bellows and I have discovered how to make the accordion laugh and cry.
The accordion is also one of the most difficult instruments to play, balancing bellow control, note accuracy, dynamics, touch, phrasing, which bass buttons to press [impossible to see], and all at the same time remembering to breathe [least important to me, yet very crutial!]
I have been through many competitions and great performances. I have competed numerous times in local festivals on piano and accordion. I have performed at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, in August of 2007 with the Calgary Jarosh Accordion Ensemble. I have also competed in the American Accordion Association/American Teacher's Guild International Competition in Washington D.C, placing second in one category.
My greatest achievement to date is winning the Red Deer Festival of the Performing Arts' top award, out of 6,000 people, which was a performance opportunity to perform with the Red Deer Symphony Orchestra, which took place on December 8, 2008, with Maestro Claude Lapalme conducting. I played this piece, Czardas, with the full 50 piece orchestra backing me up, along with playing Ave Maria that evening. It has been the highlight of my musical career and an absolutely amazing experience!
I am currently also studying Grade 10 Royal Conservatory piano in addition to playing Trombone, Alto Sax, Euphonium, Trumpet, and numerous percussion instruments. I have also arranged several pieces for my Junior High Band, and composed several pieces on piano and accordion. I have also been referred to numerous times as a prodigy on accordion and piano, though I am not yet willing to place this title on myself.
I hope you enjoy these selections, "Czardas" and "Dark Eyes" as much as I do. Please listen to my other submissions. This opportunity would revolutionize the entire accordion world, as this style of playing is largely unknown.
Thank you!
Matthew Dane Peavoy
Hi Oprah,
Let me start by saying that my wife and I are big fans of your show! We, along with our 7 year old son, caught the episode with all of these talented kids from around the world and we loved it. Especially my little boy!
Attached is a video of my son this past summer hitting balls at our local driving range. He was 6 years old here and he's been playing since he was 3 years old. Enjoy.
Cheers,
Eric Reyes
14 year old Allison in the recording studio recording her version of Ave Maria. She released this recording in 2008 as a tribute to her grandmother who is battling cancer. The recording has been nominated for single of the year for 2008 in the Hawaii Music Awards. We are asking for everyone's prayers for her grandmother. To hear the completed version go to : myspace.com/allison808 or hawaiimusicawards.com .
Allison was recently chosen Hawaii's Super Kid of 2008. To see the story go :http://kgmb9.com/main/content/view/12497/104/ .
to see more of Allison check out her you tube channel at at youtube.com/allisonhawaii .
Allison loves to watch Oprah every night with her mom!!
Dear Oprah,
Last year at Christmas I suggested to my husband, Larry, that he teach our three boys (ages 14, 12, and 10) how to solve the Rubik's cube. During the past year, they have taken up an extraordinary interest in learning all the algorithms necessary to solve the Rubik's cube. And solve it rather quickly they do. The older two have record times of 52 and 45 seconds and Nathan can solve it in under two minutes. Of course, we believe they are very talented kids and hope you will consider them for one of your shows.
Happy New Year!
Mary Lund
(Josiah, Zachary, and Nathan)
Hello Oprah,
I would like to present to you my son Stephan Rashad Burton who is unique in his own way. He's in the 11th grade now but in the 10th grade he asked his music teacher could he have a Scott Joblin piece to learn name Mable Leaf Rag. I was as many of my family members was blown away when we heard him play this piece. He has played this piece and won 1st place at the Jackson State University competiton, University of Memphis Beethoven competition, and selected as overall CAPA student of the year at his high school Overton. I would like to present to you this selection and hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
Jordyn started singing before she could even string together a proper sentence. At age 2 she performed onstage at a church festival, and she has been performing ever since! I have never seen a child so passionate about music. She loves it all, and naturally picks up songs and instruments. Without any vocal or instrumental lessons, I have seen her grow from a toddler belting out a song (albeit while-butchering the lyrics,) and pounding on the keyboard, to a promising young singer who can sing show tunes, pop, and opera, write her own songs, and play the piano, harmonica, and guitar. Jordyn also loves to act and dance, and frequently performs in musicals. She also writes her own scripts and at times, has turned our house into a theater! In Kindergarten, Jordyn wrote a scaled down version of the musical "Wicked," cast it with children from her class, designed fliers and tickets on her computer, and held rehearsals during recess at school. In first grade, she put together a band called "The Super Stars," asked Santa for a guitar, and went to work writing songs, rehearsing, and designing a website for the group. She even wrote a book about the band called "The Super Stars," which was professionally printed and read at her school. On any given day you can find Jordyn with her music notebook, where she writes lyrics to the songs she has composed on her computer. Jordyn is a very driven young lady and I have no doubt she will make her dreams come true. That dream of hers, has been the same as long as I can remember- to star on Broadway, and open a farm for homeless animals.
Jordyn receives a lot of accolades and attention due to her musical abilities, but she never lets it go to her head. I know as her mother, I am biased but I am just so proud of her humility and her heart. Like most families, we have certainly dealt with our share of hardships and loss over the years, but Jordyn always seems to remain positive. In addition to being an excellent student, she is a great friend, daughter, sister and budding humanitarian. Jordyn has volunteered with me at a local crisis center for years, entertaining the little children as I help their mothers. She is always willing to lend a hand, and she is rarely argumentative (well maybe a little when is comes to picking up her room!) One thing I have always tried to instill in both my children is, if you don't use your talents to help others then you are wasting the gift God gave you. Last Spring Jordyn was in a local production of "Annie," when she met an amazing young man named Tyler Page, who started the organization Kids Helping Kids (www.kidzhelpingkids.com .) 10 year old Tyler, had been inspired while watching an episode of Oprah, and started this awesome group that does exactly what it says, it allows kids to help other kids! The children in the group all have various talents, and with Kids Helping Kids they can use their talents to provide support and inspire other children. Jordyn is so excited to be a part of this group, and wanted me to mention it.
I haven't allowed Jordyn to audition for an agent (much to her dismay.) I prefer to allow things to happen naturally, and we decide which opportunities to pursue together. Right now Jordyn is in between shows, so she is working on her own pod cast, and writing "Eloise, the Musical." She is also now teaching her self to yodel, after seeing the young lady do it on Oprah (thank you for that!)
There are a lot amazing children on this site, thank you for taking the time to include my little one among them.
Hi Oprah,
My name is Anita Gormley and I'd like to present to you my amazingly talented son Sean Michael.
He is twelve years old and is very gifted in many different areas, among them math and music. What makes him so special is that he has these extraordinary gifts because he has Asperger's syndrome which gives him the ability to do math very easily. He can convert almost any number into binary form. He also won second place for his school in a regional math competition. He has perfect pitch and plays the piano beautifully. He especially loves to play classical and ragtime. Here is a piece he composed called "The Colors of Autumn".