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Burnaby sax player captures Youth Talent Search BC title

A Burnaby sax player captured top honours in the recent Youth Talent Search B.C. 2019 finals. Eighteen-year-old Gabriel Regehr came out with first place overall after wowing the judges with this saxophone rendition of Radiohead’s Creep .
Gabriel Regehr
Gabriel Regehr of Burnaby captured top honours in the Youth Talent Search BC contest.

A Burnaby sax player captured top honours in the recent Youth Talent Search B.C. 2019 finals.

Eighteen-year-old Gabriel Regehr came out with first place overall after wowing the judges with this saxophone rendition of Radiohead’s Creep. He won the title over 23 other finalists from around the Lower Mainland, ranging in age from seven to 19.

“Winning, oh my goodness … it means absolutely everything,” Regehr said in a press release. “When I applied in the summer, I was in a state of mind where I was questioning if I would ever be able to make it as a musician. And the moment my name got announced for first place, those thoughts were thrown away in seconds.”

Regehr, who taught himself to play saxophone at age 14, has participated in talent shows before but says this one was “top-notch.”

“I like how professional it was, and all of the other finalists were amazing, especially some of the youngest competitors,” he said. “I’m hoping that winning will help me land a career in music somehow, since talent shows are one of the best opportunities to gain exposure.”

Coquitlam singer-songwriter Dani Black, 16, was second, with Surrey’s Nina Bernabe in third and Chilliwack’s Olivia McDonnell in fourth. Eleven-year-old Kaitlyn Bice from Pitt Meadows claimed the Audience Favourite Award.

Prizes included representation with a TV/film agent, guest performances, gift certificates for acting lessons, tickets for local productions, a Youth Talent Search BC trophy, scholarships for the summer Gotta Sing Gotta Dance program, and more.

For more about the competition, see https://www.youthtalentsearchbc.com/.