Celebration of Music - Talent Search

Hello! I’m Catherine Coryat, an 11 year-old in the 5th grade at Lausanne Collegiate School in Memphis. I love to sing, dance, act, and play the piano and violin.

I started in Lausanne’s Conservatory program at four years old, with piano and ballet. Since then I have added violin, tap, and acting to my resume.

While I adore all the performing arts, piano is my first love. I enjoy mastering and playing many classical favorites, as well as composing my own music and lyrics. I have loved performing and being on stage ever since I was young. Stage fright has never been a problem for me.

I started writing music around second grade. The first time I played a song I had written at a recital, people would come up to me and ask what the song was called or who had written it. Everyone was shocked when that little second grader told them I had written the music on my own!

My parents love music, so I grew up going to Broadway shows at the Memphis Orpheum Theater and performances of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. I’ve seen Lindsey Stirling twice in person and just love her!

One of my favorite things to do is go on the backstage tours when I attend Orpheum’s Dinner on Stage. My favorite shows are Hamilton, Wicked, and Waitress. I hope to see a Broadway show in New York someday and maybe even be in one! I have been acting for five years and some of my roles have been: Tessie in Annie, Jr., Lahdalord in James and the Giant Peach, Hot Box girl in Guys n’ Dolls, just about every part in Lausanne’s annual Nutcracker and Party Girl in Moscow Ballet’s production of Nutcracker.

I would like to thank Ethan and everyone at Celebration of Music for this incredible opportunity. I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for my amazing parents, who insisted that kindergarten Catherine keep practicing through her tears. Mommy kept whispering in my ear “you’ll love this someday”, and she was right! I would also like to thank all the people who have nurtured me and my love of music: Mrs. Dianna Samples, Dr. André Duvall, Ms. Neile Martin, Ms. Rachael Arnwine, Ms. Courtney Tucker, Mr. Aaron Tubergen, Ms. Roxanne Daws and Ms. Yonitte Ryger.

I would especially like to give a hug and a huge thank you to Ms. Lauren Stallings for being the extra light in my life and guiding me to amazing opportunities to show my creativity and passion.

My songs are inspired by my life experiences; the songs I write help me to celebrate the good times and accept the bad times that everyone has. Without some hard times I might not be writing music now.

Maybe I Tried is my original composition. It is a song of strength, affection and resilience in the face of losing a good friend. I hope you enjoy it!