Jordyn Walker wins Pittsburgh Penguins national anthem singing contest
A Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School senior will sing the National Anthem prior to the Pittsburgh Penguins preseason game versus the St. Louis Blues.
Jordyn Walker of Cranberry Township was the top performer chosen from a pool of 10 contestants who were competing for the chance to sing the National Anthem.
A musical theater major, Jordyn will perform 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 24 on the ice at the nationally televised NHL preseason game at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry Township.
Jordyn said she is often seeking opportunities to showcase her talents.
“I just kind of audition for anything I can find online. I have a Backstage [.com] page and they will always put out ads on what’s auditioning for young people. Also my mom does a lot of this for me.”
This time it was her mother, Dawn Walker, who submitted a video on Jordyn’s behalf, surprising the 17-year-old when she was picked as one of 10 finalists.
Candidates were required to submit a link to a YouTube video no longer than 90 seconds showing a solo performance of any song. The 10 finalists were chosen based on those video submissions.
The final competition took place Sept. 6 at the Hard Rock Cafe in Pittsburgh. Contestants gave live singing performances to an audience and five special, celebrity judges, including Jeff Jimerson, who regularly performs the national anthem at Pens home games.
Jordyn’s singing skills landed her in the top-three championship round, which required a full rendition of the National Anthem. She was pronounced the winner at the conclusion of the night.
“I was never shy,” said Jordyn, who enjoys singing and dancing, and Broadway music. “I always liked to talk, and perform and sing.”
Jordyn has sung the national anthem for the Altoona Curve, a minor league baseball team, and at Uniontown sports games. She is also performing in the Pittsburgh Musical Theater’s production of Beauty and the Beast. Her future plans include becoming a musical theater professional in New York City.
Jordyn will be featured as a guest on “Frontiers in Learning,” a radio show with veteran broadcasting host Chris Shovlin. The show airs at noon Sept. 30 on WBVP (1230 AM) and WMBA (1460 AM), and will be available via podcast on TalkShoe.com.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
