Aspiring Musicians Chase Dreams at Baysox Stadium

It was a cold and blustery day on Saturday, but that was not enough to stop more than 80 participants from auditioning for the chance to sing the national anthem before a Bowie Baysox game at Prince George’s County Stadium.

Groups of 10 began to audition early in the morning at the stadium. The chilly, windy conditions did not deter eager contestants from singing their hearts out.

While it was simple to register and try out, certain rules had to be adhered to:

• Singers faced the flag on the field (not the audience)
• Singers needed to sing from memory, with no written notes or aids
• The anthem must not exceed 90 seconds (in order to start games on time)
• The performance needed to remain reverent

Vocalists, ensembles and instrumentalists traveled from as far as Virginia and Calvert County to showcase their talent and earn a chance to sing. Successful candidates were placed on a roster on Monday and will be contacted as needed to sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" at home games this season. Out of all the contestants, only 23 performers made the cut.

Stephanie Kerley of Bowie saw the sign a few weeks ago while driving by the stadium and said, “I used to sing in college and people tell me I have a good voice, so I figured, 'Why not?'”

Madeline McArdle of Annapolis brought her mom, Inga, and sister, Tess, for moral support.

“I sang the national anthem at my school [St. Mary’s] and I decided to try this,” McArdle said.

Caleb Ward also auditioned with his baritone horn, called a euphonium.  The 11-year-old homeschooler from Laurel “thought it would be awesome” to play his instrument. Ward is one of the 23 finalists invited to perform.

Ensembles with professional experience such as the , based out of Severn, and the six-piece band, Bullpen Brass, made the final cut.

Lucy Odoi traveled from Virginia with her 11-year-old daughter, Janet Lagah-Bona, to audition. No stranger to performances, Janet is the 2010-2011 Ms. Virginia Pre-Teen Queen and runs the Children Empowerment Foundation.

As the clock ticked and the number of performers dwindled down, the last group of contestants from different walks of life formed an instant camaraderie. 

Scott Varney, a veteran from Silver Spring, could barely contain his emotion as he said, “I’m here because I love to sing. I love my country and I love singing [the national anthem].”

Mary Retort–George, a communications student from Bowie, said, “I love singing more than anything else in the world and it’s amazing to sing the anthem for any occasion.” 

Tracey Warren, an attorney from Odenton and chair of the Anne Arundel County Commission for Women, said, “I think the anthem is a beautiful song and I thought it would be an honor and a privilege to sing it.”

In the end, no one in the trio made the cut, the adrenaline rush of singing the song in public and treasuring the freedom of this country will not be soon forgotten. Visit the Baysox website to see the final list of performers.

Maribel Ibrahim is a Patch contributor and although she won’t be tapped to sing the national anthem this year, she had a great time meeting other dream seekers on the journey.