Malverne teen sings his way to stardom

A local teenager participated early this month in a widely broadcast talent show as part of a vocal ensemble from Holy Trinity High School — a he loved every minute.

“We were treated as if we were stars,” 16-year-old Malvernite Daniel Higgins said of his experience on the MSG Varsity Talent Show. “It was so exciting to be a part of such an amazing show. Being in Holy Trinity Select Choir since my freshman year has opened up many doors for me.”

Higgins started singing when he was 5 years old. “I begged my mom to allow me to take voice lessons,” he said. His mother took him to the Lynbrook School of Music — but she did so hoping the school would say he was too young to enroll and that that would stop him from begging. But Higgins wowed a teacher with his performance of a song called “Artificial Flowers,” and she told his mother that he had talent.

“I have been singing ever since,” Higgins said. At age 7, Higgins was cast in his first play, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat,” which ran for 12 weeks. Most recently, he starred in Plaza Theatrical Productions version of “Rent,” playing the lead Roger. “I was told I gave the audience the chills when I sang ‘One Song Glory,’” Higgins said. “My musical director told me I was ‘a rock star.’”

A star he may certainly become, thanks to help from Richard Dorr, a New York City voice coach with whom Higgins has been working throughout the last year. Dorr is known for having worked with Bette Midler and other Broadway stars.

In addition to working with a voice coach, Higgins practices singing with the Holy Trinity choir, participating in various holiday shows, including the Lighting of Malverne, church performances and at Radio City Music Hall.

“Each experience has given me an opportunity to grow as a performer,” Higgins said. “It takes a lot of hard work and many rehearsals to get each performance perfect. Select Choir worked very hard, giving up our Saturdays to come together until we got every note and movement in sync. Our musical director, Mrs. Hoher, is so wonderful, even though she works us really hard. The end result shows.”

Higgins is confident that the choir will win the MSG competition. “If we win, it will show that all our hard work was worth it and paid off in the end,” he said, “I feel lucky to be a part of such an amazing group of singers. We work together and get along so well.”

But he also owes some of his confidence to the continued support he receives from family and friends in the community. Whenever Higgins performs, his family members “clap and scream the loudest,” he said. He thanks his mother, in particular, for supporting him since that day she was told he has talent.

“She is behind me 100 percent,” Higgins said. “Sometimes she is driving me at midnight from rehearsals, or finding costumes for me at the last minute or paying for voice lessons. She supports every show I do no matter how she has to rearrange her work schedule. I am very lucky, she’s an amazing mom.”

Higgins said that every production in which he has participated, including MSG Varsity’s, has taught him something new. “It is these types of experiences that mold you and help you grow a little bit more as a performer,” he said. And that goes for losing, too. “It is a learning experience — as a performer, you can’t allow rejection to get you down or make you quit.”

After high school Higgins said he hopes to pursue a career in theater and film. He said he enjoys being on stage, but he also loves to write, and he is currently working on a screenplay.

To view Holy Trinity choir’s performance in the MSG Varsity Talent Show — which aired on May 1 at 6 p.m., visit msgvarsitytalentshow.com.