UT students congregated in Morsani Hall to enjoy a night of $1 coffee, piano playing and a guest performance by American Idol alum Tim Halperin.
Singer and songwriter Tim Halperin appeared as one of the top 12 males on season 10 of American Idol. His debut album Rise and Fall was released on Sept. 27, 2011.
Halperin performed a few original songs off his debut album, along with covers of Adele, Imagine Dragons and The Beatles. He showcased an eclectic taste in music ranging from soft and contemporary numbers to bluesy jazz ballads.
“Just growing up and listening to oldies music in the car with my parents, I inherited their love for music and just started singing all the time, and it grew into a bigger and bigger passion,” Halperin said.
Halperin also harkened back to his days on American Idol. “My favorite part of American Idol… I think just the thrill of being in the midst of this incredible opportunity that really shaped our pop culture in a lot ways. To be a part of that was exhilarating.”
After Idol, Halperin has made other appearances with artists like Kelly Clarkson, Blake Shelton and The Fray.
“I’m also working on my second full-length album right now, and that’ll be released Feb. 11,” Halperin said. “In the meantime, I’m playing a lot of shows. In the fall, a lot of colleges.”
Each year, Student Productions puts together coffeehouse-style SP Unplugged events. Student Productions introduced Halperin to the campus in hopes of setting up a successful year in the making for entertainment here at UT. The next event is expected to take place on campus in November.
“Student Productions is all about culturing and showing the student population a different side of the performing arts, and just putting on events that everyone can come out to enjoy,” said Brian Cicero, senior and Music Chair of Student Productions.
The committee attends yearly NACA conferences (National Association for College Activity) and chooses from a number of artists to come perform at UT a semester in advance. They’re given the opportunity to book the artists right on the spot and are also given the largest operating budget on campus next to Student Government.
“Last year at NACA we actually saw Tim perform for us and we obviously fell in love. He’s fantastic,” said William Sandoval, senior and President of Student Productions.
SP has made it a point to only chooses new and upcoming artists.
“A lot of people don’t know it, but the people we have come through for SP Unplugged are really good,” Cicero said.
Jackie Braje can be reached at jacquelyn.braje@spartans.ut.edu