Local Teen Band Hitting All the Right Notes: Whiz Kids

Names: Grayson Becker, 13, Peter Hamot, 14, Jimmy McIlvain, 13, and Elizabeth O’Neill 13

School:

Accomplishment: The quartet’s band, Below Zero, will be performing at Q Billiards Sunday as part of the Garage Band U Rock School showcase.

Key to Awesomeness:

The members of Below Zero learned early on that patience pays off.

Peter Hamot, Jimmy McIlvain and Grayson Becker saw Elizabeth O’Neill sing in a talent show more than two years ago and were blown away by her voice.

They asked her to join their band, but she was too busy acting in local theater productions to add another commitment.

The trio found another singer, but about a year-and-a-half ago, O’Neill’s schedule opened up, and she officially joined Below Zero.

“We made a good trade for her,” Hamot said.

Below Zero brought the house down in early February at the Our Lady of Peace talent show. O’Neill’s powerful voice belies her age as she sings hits by performers such as P!nk and Kings of Leon. Hamot takes after his dad, a drummer, keeping rhythm with intense precision. McIlvain shreds the guitar like any good rocker. And Becker holds it all together on bass.

The group is scheduled to perform Sunday at during the end-of-semester Garage Band U Rock School showcase.

When it comes time to pick a setlist, each member brings three songs he or she likes and the group selects from that pool.

“We play music we all like and that I can sing without shouting,” O’Neill said. 

The group gets pro instruction from Hamot’s father, also named Peter, who is the drummer for the Paul Windsor Orchestra. James DiGirolamo, who gives guitar lessons to McIlvain and Becker, also provides coaching through Garage Band U.

As Below Zero’s drummer, the younger Hamot takes inspiration from his father.

“He’s been watching me play drums since he was one year old,” Hamot, the dad, said. “He had a natural instinct. It was inevitable he’d play drums.”

The senior Hamot’s ear for music has been a guiding force for the band for more than two years.

“He can pick out mistakes where no one else can hear anything,” said O’Neill’s mother, Sally.

Next year, the kids will be split up when they go to different high schools—Becker to , O’Neill to , and both Hamot and McIlvain to . 

But don’t expect moving on to break up the band.

They just look at it as a quick route to more fans.

The Garage Band U showcase starts at 1 p.m. Sunday at Q Billiards. It's free and open to the public.

Know an amazing kid? Nominate him or her to be the Darien Patch Whiz Kid of the Week. E-mail your entries to lauren.williamson@patch.com.