Music Center seeks SoCal students for Spotlight Program

The Music Center invites Southern California high school students in the performing and visual arts to apply to The Music Center’s Spotlight Program. For 25 years, Spotlight has played an integral role in shaping the future of Southern California’s bright young artists. The program is one of the nation’s premier arts education and scholarship programs for teens, providing arts training by professional artists and awarding over $100,000 in scholarships.

“As we begin our 25th year, we are proud to have served more than 25,000 students through the Spotlight program,” said Mark Slavkin, Music Center Vice President for Education. “We love to see how students learn and grow through the program, whether or not they end up pursuing a career in the arts.” The Music Center Spotlight Program has launched many professional careers, including pop music sensation Adam Lambert, American Ballet Theatre’s Misty Copeland, Broadway’s Erin Mackey and classical musician Liang Wang, principal oboist with the New York Philharmonic. Many alumni return to the program and participate as judges and class instructors, eager to give to Spotlight what they received when they were students.

The Music Center’s Spotlight Program is free and open to all students who attend high school in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. Spotlight is a highly regarded yet accessible program that invites students of all talent levels to apply, and there are no fees to participate. Every student who applies to Spotlight will have the opportunity to learn through professional feedback and gain valuable knowledge to improve their art and audition skills.

Spotlight was developed to offer distinctive learning opportunities to Southern California students at every stage of artistic development. On September 30, The Music Center will host the Spotlight Academy, a free day of workshops inviting students to talk to professionals and university faculty about the program and audition processes in a casual atmosphere. High school students at all levels of prior training are welcome to attend, whether or not they plan to audition in the Spotlight program. According to Jeri Gale, Director of the The Music Center’s Spotlight Program, “Spotlight provides high school students an opportunity to stretch themselves by learning about audition skills, exploring artistry and developing self-confidence; all in a safe and nurturing environment. It’s free, it’s easy and most importantly, it’s fun!”

Applications for Spotlight and information about the Spotlight Academy are now available online at musiccenter.org/spotlight. Performing Arts applications must be received by October 17, 2012, and Visual Arts applications are due by December 1, 2012. Performing Arts categories are ballet, non-classical dance, classical voice, non-classical voice, classical instrumental, and jazz instrumental. Visual Arts categories are photography and two-dimensional art. Students who are selected by professional judges to advance as semifinalists participate in master classes, compete to perform at The Music Center or exhibit their artwork in a professional art gallery, and receive cash scholarships totaling $100,000. First Grand Prize Finalists in each category receive $5,000 scholarships and runners-up, $4,000. Honorable Mentions receive $250 scholarships and semifinalists receive $100 scholarships.

For more information about the Music Center Spotlight program, visitmusiccenter.org/spotlight or join the conversation onfacebook.com/spotlightawards.