Julia Belanoff Sings National Anthem at Giants Game Today, 6/3

Julia Belanoff, the 17-year-old Bay Area soprano has been invited to sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" at AT&T Park, before the game between the San Francisco Giants and the Chicago Cubs today, June 3.

"I am really excited," she said. "The Giants are my favorite baseball team. When I was a little kid, I loved when they let us run around the bases at the end of the game. I got to see Barry Bonds hit both his 715th career homerun and his 71st homerun in one season. I can't wait to stand on the field at AT&T Park and sing the national anthem."

Performing the national anthem at a Major League Baseball game is an honor coveted by many singers. Well-known artists who have sung it at Giants games include Santana lead vocalist Tony Lindsay, the Grateful Dead, "American Idol" winner Taylor Hicks, Huey Lewis, Jefferson Starship, Melissa O'Keefe, Matt Nathanson and others.

"I've thought a lot about what this song means to me as an American," Belanoff said. "I'm staying focused on the emotion and the story of the song. My dad showed me the YouTube video of Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead singing a beautiful rendition of the national anthem. That's where I am aiming."

Belanoff, a high school junior who studies voice with Debra Lambert at Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont, California, recently released her debut classical-pop album, "Winner In Your Heart" under the creative guidance of producer and composer Max Di Carlo. A music video of her signature song, "Goodnight San Francisco," can be seen on YouTube.

The San Francisco Giants will play the Chicago Cubs at AT&T Park in San Francisco on Sunday, June 3, beginning at 1:05 p.m. Pacific time. The game will be televised in the San Francisco Bay Area on Comcast SportsNet and nationally on WGN. Fans outside the Bay area who subscribe to MLB.TV may also view the game.

For ticket information, visit www.SFGiants.com. Information about the music of Julia Belanoff is available at www.JuliaBelanoff.com.

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