Talent Rock

NHS freshman Brent to compete in Talent Rock event in Orlando

BY JULIE FINLEY
The Natchez Democrat
Wednesday, May 12, 2004

NATCHEZ -- Cornell Brent is taking his future into his own hands.

The 16-year-old Natchez High freshman, who has a love for singing and dancing, began browsing the Internet a while back to find a way to get noticed. And he succeeded. Over spring break Brent received a call from MTV for an interview. The interview led to Brent's upcoming trip to Orlando, Fla. where he will compete in a national competition called Talent Rock.

"People always talked about me saying I couldn't do it," Brent said. "But that just put more pressure on me to do it. I'm serious about what I'm doing."

In Orlando Brent will compete in the vocalist competition for his age group while meeting industry professionals and famous musicians. Brent will have a chance to receive over $100,000 in the form of a Talent Rock contract. More than 100 agencies will be present at the competition.

"I'm going to try my best to win," he said. "I'll put all my confidence in myself."

Brent got his start in the performance world as a child when his brother taught him the moonwalk. From there Brent taught himself a variety of other dances and began writing songs at age 10. He also acted in a local commercial. Dancing was something he always knew he could do but was afraid to share with others until junior high. After a junior high school pep rally where Brent was chosen to dance in front of the whole school, the ice was broken.

"People started jumping and screaming," Brent said. "Ever since then I just do it. When I dance, I seem like I'm gliding across the floor."

With confidence in his dancing skills as a ninth-grader Brent turned his focus to his voice. As a freshman he joined the NHS choir and began learning the right way to sing, Choir Director Joyce Arceneaux said.

"Over the holidays his voice kicked in," Arceneaux said. "His voice is coming along as he learns vocal techniques."

To prepare for the Talent Rock competition Brent is spending extra time after school working with Arceneaux on things like breathing, enunciation and unification of vowels.

"He's interested, energetic and initiating most of this," Arceneaux said. "The big thing is going to be the experience he gets."

Though Brent has done a lot of work to ensure his own success, he said he hasn't been alone. "My mom said 'If you make something out of yourself I'll help get you there,'" Brent said. " She's worked hard every day and night and weekends to send me."

The trip to Orlando will cost about $2,000. Delphine Brent said she has been trying to work as much overtime as possible to fund the trip.

"Every mother loves their child and this may be a chance for him to get exposed," she said. "I feel like he's got a pretty good chance."

Delphine Brent said she still lacks about $700 to fund the trip but was going to do everything she could in the next few weeks to earn the money.

"We re going to go and try to have a good time and represent Natchez," Delphine Brent said.

Brent and his mother leave for Orlando on May 22. The competition will end on May 31.

© 2002 Natchez Newspapers Inc. All rights reserved

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Local actor to participate in national Talent Rock competition

Munster man will try for a $250,000 contract.

BY LAURI HARVEY
Northwest Indiana Times
Tuesday, December 09, 2003

MUNSTER -- Pete Panos always enjoyed acting as a hobby, but now he may get the chance to do it full-time and for big bucks.

Panos, 39, of Munster, will travel to Orlando, Florida this week to participate in the Trans Continental Entertainment Group Inc.'s Talent Rock Holiday Fest auditions. Trans Continental Entertainment Group Inc. operates Web Style Network, a searchable database for aspiring actors and models.

Representatives from MTV, VH1, Hugo Boss, NBC, Fox, Marie Claire and Elle magazines and others will attend the talent search, with the winners in each category receiving $250,000 contracts.

Panos sent an audition tape in September and had two telephone interviews with representatives of the company.

"I always wanted to audition, but never had the guts to do it, so I finally auditioned and they called me back," Panos said. "It was a total shock."

Panos will compete in the acting, commercial print and TV commercial categories.

"They'll give me scripts the first day, I'll audition for a soap opera, commercials, modeling," Panos said.

Talent Rock was founded by music industry entrepreneur Lou Pearlman as a way to provide aspiring models, actors and musicians with a chance to connect with big-name entertainment industry executives for the chance at jobs in the industry. Talent Rock conducts invitation only auditions such as the one Panos will attend next week and has a web site that links entertainment industry hopefuls with executives.

Panos has been acting in community theater for 25 years with productions at the Star Plaza Theater in Merrillville, The Center for Visual and Performing Arts in Munster and Hammond and Highland theater groups.

"People golf and play tennis for recreation, I (act) for recreation," Panos said. "I get a major thrill out of taking people to a different mood for a couple of hours. To see them laugh or cry and feel great leaving there is just really great for me."

Panos also works in Chicago-based commercials, including those for Webb Ford, where he works in Evergreen Park as a sales manager.

Panos grew up in Hammond and first caught the acting bug at age 14 while attending Clark High School. While in college, Panos appeared in a pilot for a soap opera.

The married father of three said he will bring his wife with him to the auditions in Florida.

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