Centennial’s Pierce Pearson invited to the 2022 Hawaii Performing Arts Festival

Centennial High School’s very own Pierce Pearson has been a singer and performer his entire life, and now, he plans on attending the 2022 Hawaii Performing Arts Festival this summer. 

Pearson is a sophomore, but his singing career began long before when he was just four years old. He and his mother decided to sing in a church competition and finished in second place. Pearson explained that “[his] mother convinced [him] to sing because she heard [him] singing the song she was singing [for the competition].” Pearson expounded that “[his] mother…she’s a singer songwriter as well and that’s the root of [his] passion.” Different people throughout the years, including friends, family, and teachers, have also influenced Pearson’s journey by instilling musical inclinations from a young age and encouraging him to improve his technical skills and personal voice. Pursuing singing as a career would “be the idealistic goal for [him], [he] really want[s] to be a singer, songwriter, musician, all that that brings.” 

This year, Pearson stepped up and joined C-sharp, the Centennial acapella group which performed at the Winter Spectacular. He also joined the spring musical where he was cast as Player #1, as well as the lead understudy.  

In December of this school year, Pearson performed at the prestigious, National Tree Lighting Ceremony. The celebration takes place in President’s Park at the White House and was first coined by President Calvin Coolidge in 1923. Since then, it has become a national tradition, featuring musical performances, speeches by special guests, and finally the official lighting ceremony. Pearson was requested for the celebration through one of his choirs, Washington Performing Arts Children of the Gospel Choir, and was even introduced by speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi. He performed the Christmas classic, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” “Getting there was surreal…[but] once we actually got to sing, it kind of felt like just a normal performance because I tend to get in a singing zone,” described Pearson.  “Performing is very fulfilling to me because I feel like I can be my real self on stage just because there’s no one to judge. We can just be free to express ourselves and put all the hard work we put in out there,” Pearson elucidated. 

The 2022 Hawaii Performing Arts Festival includes vocal lessons from some of the greatest musicians in Hawaii, instrumental sessions, working in tech fields, doing acting lessons, and at the end of summer, bringing all their experience together and making their very own production.  The summer intensive program has been “touted as a big boost to many people’s careers and a lot of people have gotten their foundations off of this place.”

Students and staff who would like to donate funds going towards Pearson’s tuition at the 2022 Hawaii Performing Arts Festival can find the full information here, or donate to his and his mom’s Cashapp (@SumPea), Venmo (@Summer-Pearson-6), Zelle, (2402779910), or send a tax deductible donation through Paypal directly to Hawaii Performing Arts Festival as long as its earmarked to Pierce and Summer Pearson. You can email Summer Pearson, Pierce’s mother, for more information on how to contribute at [email protected]. Friends, family, teachers, and even fellow students all know Pierce Pearson as hardworking, dedicated, talented, and passionate. The program “could take where I am right now and skyrocket my skill even higher to set me apart from other people,” elaborated Pierce, “It would also make me more passionate about music because it’s what I love to do!” 

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