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JOANNE BOLLINGER, choir director for the Thornton Singers, leads the group through a practice at Thornton Oaks in Brunswick on Friday afternoon. The group is preparing to perform in the Brunswick Rotary Club’s first “Hometown Idol” competition, in which musicians and other performers will compete in three different age categories for prizes and the “2012 Hometown Idol” title. The concert will take place at 7 p.m. April 7 at the Crooker Theater at Brunswick High School.
JOANNE BOLLINGER, choir director for the Thornton Singers, leads the group through a practice at Thornton Oaks in Brunswick on Friday afternoon. The group is preparing to perform in the Brunswick Rotary Club’s first “Hometown Idol” competition, in which musicians and other performers will compete in three different age categories for prizes and the “2012 Hometown Idol” title. The concert will take place at 7 p.m. April 7 at the Crooker Theater at Brunswick High School.
BRUNSWICK — You don’t have to be a teen idol to win recognition as a “Hometown Idol.” With that in mind, a group of senior singers at Thornton Oaks Retirement Community is rehearsing with vigor in an attempt to bring home “Hometown Idol” honors.

In April, the group will compete in the Brunswick Rotary Club’s first “Hometown Idol” talent challenge, in which singers, dancers and other performers from Brunswick, Topsham, and Harpswell will compete for prizes, a cash award and the 2012 “Hometown Idol” title.

Barbara Gray, a founding member of the Thornton Singers, said she started the group with just four members. Heading into competition, the group numbers around 20, including the retirement community’s executive director and Rotary president Don Kniseley.

Kniseley, who took the helm at Thornton Oaks in November, said he joined the Thornton Singers after hearing music wafting in from the retirement home’s main meeting room.

Kniseley will harmonize with the group in the competition on April 7 at the Crooker Theater at Brunswick High School.

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Kniseley said that the panel of judges will include Maine State Music Theatre (MSMT) executive director Steve Peterson, Rob Jarratt of the Brunswick Downtown Association and former MSMT communications director, and performer and former MSMT development director Lynne McGhee.

The Rotary Club will accept new entries for the competition until Saturday. Applications can be submitted online at http://ow.ly/9K1p1 or can be picked up in person at Brunswick or Topsham schools, at Shaw’s Supermarket in Cook’s Corner or at Riley Insurance, 139 Maine St.

Contestants will compete in specific age categories, with contestants from 6 to 12 years old, 13 to 18 years old, and 19 to 99 years old competing separately.

Award categories include vocal solo, vocal ensemble, instrumental solo, instrumental ensemble, dance and other.

Tickets for the April 7 concert, which starts at 7 p.m., can be purchased at Riley Insurance. Admission costs $12 per person, $10 for seniors or $30 per family. Proceeds benefit Rotary Club projects.

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