She\u2019s one of 23 members of the Fall River music school who will be making the trip south to perform a recital on April 7 at the Graceland Theatre \u2014 the home of the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The academy is on the second floor above TJ\u2019s Music<\/a> on South Main Street, and on Tuesday, students turned the space into a nightclub, holding a dry run of their Graceland performances for each other and parents. Samantha fronted the house band, singing \u201cSmells Like Teen Spirit\u201d by Nirvana, with her older brother Karl on rhythm guitar \u2014 and TJ\u2019s and Fall River Arts Academy owner Todd Salpietro on drums. Afterward, Karl switched off to vocals and sang “Should I Stay or Should I Go” by the Clash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Samantha\u2019s got some jitters about performing in Memphis next month. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAt first when I heard of it, I said \u2018Oh my gosh, yes,\u2019\u201d she said, \u201cbut then I saw the stage and I\u2019m slightly nervous, slightly confident.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Salpietro said that performers can practice conquering that feeling, the same way his school emphasizes practicing their music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou step on stage one time, and you\u2019re nervous,” Salpietro said. \u201cNow you step on stage the next time, you have a little more confidence. Then you do it again, you have a little more confidence \u2014 now you\u2019re smiling on stage. Now you don\u2019t have that wall in front of you anymore. It\u2019s fun.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n To read the remainder of the article, click here.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Herald News Article Link: Fall River Arts Academy Students to Perform at Gracelan in April<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":19485,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_tec_requires_first_save":true,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"\n by Dan Medeiros<\/a>The Herald News FALL RIVER \u2014 A year ago, on her birthday, Samantha Ellis started taking music lessons at the Fall River Arts Academy<\/a> on South Main Street. On this year's birthday, when she turns 12, she'll be performing live on stage at Graceland<\/a> in Memphis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n She\u2019s one of 23 members of the Fall River music school who will be making the trip south to perform a recital on April 7 at the Graceland Theatre \u2014 the home of the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/vivafallriver.com\/support\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Screen-Shot-2022-03-26-at-12.34.24-PM.png\")
<\/figure>These Fall River students have a burning love for music \u2014 they're headed to Graceland<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Posted: March 25, 2022<\/p>\n\n\n\n