Music Center Announces Spotlight Awards Performing Arts Semi-Finalists
For Immediate Release: January 15, 2008
90 Talented High School Students From Throughout Southern California Advance to Next Round in Prestigious Arts Program
Los Angeles (January 15, 2008) - The Music Center of Los Angeles County announced the 90 talented high school students chosen as performing arts semi-finalists for the 20th annual Music Center Spotlight Awards. These young artists were selected from among more than 1,260 Southern California students who auditioned in the six categories: ballet, non-classical dance, classical voice, non-classical voice, classical instrumental and jazz instrumental music.
The preliminary round of auditions for the Music Center Spotlight Awards took place from October through December. High school students from public and private schools from across Southern California performed before panels of expert judges. Each student receives detailed evaluations on their auditions, intended to help them improve their performing and auditioning technique. After the auditions concluded in each category, the judges selected the top 15 students to advance to the semi-finals.
The 90 semi-finalists receive a unique opportunity to attend special master classes with highly regarded professional artists who offer in-depth insight on performance technique, training, and professional life. Each semi-finalist will audition again before a new panel of judges, who will then select the top two performers to advance to the finals.
The Music Center will announce the 12 performing arts finalists in March. Each young artist will be paired with a mentor/host from the Music Center's Fraternity of Friends, a volunteer membership organization comprised of prominent Los Angeles businessmen and entertainment industry professionals who support the Music Center. The mentors provide guidance and support to the students and their families in preparation for the final competition, the Spotlight Awards show held at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on Saturday, April 26, 2008.
Celebrating 20 years of setting the stage for young artists, the Music Center Spotlight Awards is one of the nation's most acclaimed performing and visual arts education programs for teens. It offers distinctive learning opportunities in the arts for all participants and awards over $100,000 in scholarships annually to finalists, semi-finalists and participants who receive honorable mentions. The Spotlight Awards Program has launched numerous professional careers. Many past finalists have joined professional companies including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, American Ballet Theatre, Boston Symphony Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic. Several are currently touring with hit Broadway musicals including Wicked and Light in the Piazza.
Frederic M. Roberts is founding chairman of the Music Center Spotlight Awards; Thomas Weinberger is chairman and Walter Grauman is creator/executive producer. The program is a project of the Fraternity of Friends, a volunteer membership organization of men who support the Music Center.
Bank of America is the principal corporate sponsor of the Music Center Spotlight Awards; additional support is provided by a generous grant from Helen and Peter Bing, Principal Program Benefactors.
For more information about the Music Center Spotlight Awards program, call 213-972-3300 or visit musiccenter.org.
April 20, 2008
Music Center Announces 20th Anniversary Spotlight Awards Finalists
12 Performing Arts Finalists and 4 Visual Arts Finalists Named
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