Celebration of Music - Talent Search

Hi! My name is Lili Tarnopol. I am a 15 year old Sophomore living in West Bloomfield, Michigan. I live at home with my mom, dad, and dog, Cinnamon, and have three siblings in college. My whole life I have been obsessed with painting, and, especially, music. When I was younger I would only listen to alternative or indie music and would try my best to sing along. However, it wasn't until I started to sing Disney music and Broadway that I really fell in love with singing.

I have been openly singing only since August of 2018. I was very insecure for a long time, and thought that I couldn't possibly be good because I didn't start at a young age; this was far from the truth. My "big break" was in my recent school musical, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, in which I played Rona Peretti, the host. Since then, I have gotten overwhelming support from my friends and family to keep going on my performing journey. I began taking voice lessons in August and have entered multiple singing competitions. My most recent role was Wednesday Addams in The Addams Family. This summer I will be going to New York to study singing, acting, and all things musical theatre.

My heart really lies within theatre because I get the opportunity to become someone else and learn from a character and their beliefs. I love taking on roles of people who are so different from me and tap into emotions I've never had; I learn so much from every person I play, no matter how big or small the role. My biggest influence and role model is Stephen Sondheim. His lyrics and orchestral arrangements tell a story of their own and touch the heart in a different way than any other music I’ve ever heard; I could only be so lucky to step into one of his characters one day.

I am so excited to be a part of the Celebration of Music, as music has played a pivotal role in my life. People don't often realize the power of Broadway music and just how special it is. I am super excited to sing some of my favorite theatre pieces while hopefully impacting those who listen. I want to show people that it is never too late to do what you love, but mostly, I just want to inspire others.