111 Southern California Students Named as Semifinalists in The Music Center's 29th Annual Spotlight Program

The Music Center named 111 of some of Southern California's most talented high school students as semifinalists in The Music Center's 29th annual Spotlight (Spotlight) program, a free nationally-acclaimed scholarship and arts training program for teens. An important part of The Music Center's fundamental support for arts education, Spotlight is more than a competition. The program provides opportunities for Southern California high school students to acquire the skills they need to pursue their dreams in the performing arts, ranging from the development of performance abilities in numerous genres to roles in arts management, along with valuable workforce readiness skills.

Semifinalists were named in each of seven categories, including acting, ballet, non-classical dance, classical voice, non-classical voice, classical instrumental and jazz instrumental.

"The Spotlight program exemplifies The Music Center's commitment to the next generation of performing arts professionals, both those performing on the stage and working behind the scenes," said Rachel Moore, president and CEO of The Music Center. "We strive to provide students with the tools, training, and coaching along with the knowledge that we believe in them. We feel this will help these committed high schoolers to be successful in their futures regardless of which path they may take toward their professional goals."

"Spotlight is as much about self-discovery and building self-esteem for young people as it is about pursuing a career in the performing arts," said Jeri Gaile, director of The Music Center's Spotlight program. "The students that participate in Spotlight learn how to identify and achieve their goals from mentors who are highly successful in their field, gaining first-hand knowledge of how to seize opportunities and prepare for important transitions in life."

Approximately 1,300 participants auditioned for Spotlight this year, and more than 45,000 students have participated in the program since 1988.

Semifinalists receive a rare opportunity to attend a special master class with highly regarded artists, who share their expertise on performance technique, training and professional life. Students are offered feedback on their performances, offering them a rich learning experience. Each semifinalist will audition again before a new panel of judges, who will then select the top two finalist performers in each category for a total of 14 Grand Prize Finalists. Judges will also name an Honorable Mention in each category. The Grand Prize Finalists will perform at Walt Disney Concert Hall at The Music Center in the Spotlight Grand Finale Performance on May 23, 2017.

The Music Center's Spotlight program awards more than $100,000 in cash scholarships annually. Both Grand Prize Finalists in each category receive $5,000 scholarships, with one Honorable Mention in each category receiving $1,000. Semifinalists each receive $300. The Music Center also celebrates five students in each preliminary category with the Promise Award, which acknowledges students who inspire the judges by their commitment and dedication to their art form. Spotlight Promise Award recipients each receive $100.

Numerous Spotlight participants have gone on to successful professional careers. Twenty finalists are Presidential Scholars, and many more have joined or performed with professional companies including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, American Ballet Theatre, Metropolitan Opera, LA Opera, Boston Symphony Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic, among others. They include Misty Copeland, who made history in the dance world as the first African American principal dancer for American Ballet Theatre; Adam Lambert and Josh Groban, pop recording artists; Erin Mackey, star of Broadway's Wicked, Sondheim on Sondheim, Anything Goes, Chaplin and Amazing Grace; Yao Guan Zhai, associate principal clarinet of the Toronto Symphony; Gerald Clayton, Grammy Award winning jazz recording artist; and many others.

Frederic M. Roberts is founding chairman of The Music Center's Spotlight program. The late Walter Grauman was the creator.

For more information about The Music Center's Spotlight program, visit musiccenter.org/spotlight or join the conversation onfacebook.com/spotlightawards.