11 yr old Sofia Parfomak at auditions to sing National Anthem at Nats home game.
— Kathy Stewart (@KStewartWTOP)
Nats auditions to sing National Anthem at home games. American Idol contestant Sara Sturm from Centreville, Va.
— Kathy Stewart (@KStewartWTOP)
WASHINGTON 鈥� After getting a taste of summer-like weather this past week, it鈥檚 time to start thinking baseball.
Saturday morning at Nationals Park, contestants were warming up their vocals cords getting ready to sing their hearts out.
It was the ninth聽annual national anthem auditions. Fifty people were invited to perform The Star-Spangled Banner a cappella in the empty stadium to a panel of judges.
They were competing for a chance to sing at a Nationals home game this upcoming baseball season.
Sara Sturm, from Centreville, Virginia, was among those who were auditioning. .
鈥淚 have my own style. 聽… It鈥檚 more raspy and bluesy,” she says.聽“So I guess I kind of bring that to the song.鈥�
Eleven-year-old Sofia Parfomak, from Arlington, was also auditioning.
鈥淚鈥檓 very excited, but I鈥檓 not too nervous,鈥� she says.
Tom Davis, director of entertainment for the Nationals, says he doesn鈥檛 have a single number in mind as far as how many people he鈥檚 going to select. But he says if they have talent, he鈥檒l find a spot for them, especially since there are 81 home games and two home exhibition games.
鈥淚t鈥檚 always great to find that diamond in the rough,鈥� he says.
The contestants should know by Friday if they鈥檒l be singing at a home game. The Nationals home opener is April 7.
Davis says you still can apply聽by sending聽a demo or a YouTube link to anthem@nationals.com.
