Young Carmel Valley vocalist Eva Mather recently had the opportunity to be the opening act for the “The Greatest Show in Sports”, belting the national anthem before the Savannah Bananas fun exhibition-filled baseball game. Eva, 13, sang the anthem in a bright, banana-yellow dress in front of a sell-out crowd of 42,000 fans at Petco Park on March 23—she said absorbing the energy of that large audience bought out the best in her singing.
At her young age, Eva has sung “The Star Spangled Banner” to honor America at numerous professional sporting events, a resume that includes the San Diego Padres, the Los Angeles Kings, the San Diego State Aztecs, San Diego Gulls, Wave, Seals and Legion.
“What made this anthem unique compared to others I’ve sung was how it blended the honor of performing our country’s anthem with the electric atmosphere at Petco Park and the lighthearted fun of ‘Banana Ball’,” Eva said. “It also brought back fond memories of singing at a Padres game over a year ago, which made this moment even more meaningful. I really hope I’ll have the chance to return and sing at a Padres game again. This was by far the most special anthem I’ve performed. Even though there was pressure singing in front of over 42,000 people, it gave me an amazing opportunity to connect with thousands through my voice.”
Eva Mather and her parents Qian and Brian at Petco Park for the Savannah Bananas game. (Courtesy Qian Mather)
Tickets to see the Bananas are tough to score due to their surging popularity—sold through a ticket lottery, the San Diego game has been sold out since last October.
“One unforgettable moment was when many fans asked for my autograph as I walked back to my seat – it meant so much to me,” Eva said. “I’m incredibly grateful to my voice teachers, family, friends and my teachers at Carmel Valley Middle School for their support and for coming to watch me perform despite how difficult it was to get tickets. Their encouragement means everything to me.”
Eva Mather with Savannah Bananas founder Jesse Cole. (Qian Mather)
Eva works with several voice coaches and enjoys singing classical music and opera arias. She recently won first prize in the vocal prodigy category of the Southern California Philharmonic Orchestra Young Artist Solo Competition, earning a spot to perform with the orchestra backing at two Young Artists concerts on April 17 and 18 in Tustin. She is also cued up to sing the anthem again at the Coronado Promenade Concert series show on Aug. 30, featuring the Eagles tribute band Desperado.
The eighth grader at Carmel Valley Middle School will be headed to Torrey Pines High School in the fall.
Follow her Instagram for future performances @evazoemather.