The Music Center Unveils 71 Semifinalists for SPOTLIGHT Competition

The Music Center has announced that 71 outstanding high school students from across Southern California have advanced as semifinalists in The Music Center's 38th annual Spotlight program, a free, nationally acclaimed performing arts competition, scholarship and artistic development program for teens. This year 1,300 students from 256 schools, 164 cities and eight counties auditioned, reflecting the extraordinary depth of artistic talent found in local schools.

A longstanding initiative of The Music Center's programming arm TMC Arts, Spotlight supports teens through a unique blend of artistic training and personal development. Students receive expert feedback, advice, coaching, auditions and mastery classes taught by professional artists and arts administrators in seven categories: acting, ballet, dance, classical voice, non-classical voice, classical instrumental and contemporary instrumental. Throughout the competition, Spotlight recognizes and rewards students with more than $100,000 in cash awards following three rounds of auditions. The Music Center, to date, has awarded over $3 million in scholarships, impacting the lives of more than 56,000 high school students from across Southern California and the Central Valley, from Kern County to San Diego County.

All Spotlight applicants benefit from the program by receiving written feedback from distinguished panels of judges after each audition round to help the students improve, gain insight into their performing arts discipline and build the confidence to pursue their artistic dreams. With this supportive environment, students also develop vital life skills, including self‐esteem, preparation and perseverance, which benefit them beyond the stage.

“This remarkable group of Spotlight semifinalists represents the incredible depth of talent and discipline thriving among young artists across Southern California,” said Rachel S. Moore, president and CEO of The Music Center. “Advancing to this stage of the program is no small feat; it reflects countless hours of dedication and a profound commitment to artistic excellence. At a time when the arts are more vital than ever to fostering empathy, connection and resilience, these students inspire us with what is possible. Through Spotlight, we are honored to champion their artistry and support their growth as performers and artistic leaders.”

Spotlight semifinalists earn the rare opportunity to attend a special mastery class within their discipline with highly regarded artists, who share their expertise on performance technique, training and professional life. These experts provide students with invaluable feedback about their performances, offering the students a rich learning experience. Each semifinalist will audition one last time before a new panel of judges, who will then select the top two performers (known as “Grand Prize Finalists”) in each of the seven categories, for a total of 14 Grand Prize Finalists. Judges will also name an Honorable Mention in each category. The 14 Grand Prize Finalists will perform in The Music Center's Spotlight Grand Finale on Saturday, May 16, 2026, at 8:00 p.m., at The Music Center's Ahmanson Theatre. The Grand Finale will be preceded, on that same evening, by the Spotlight Grand Gala, which will be held at The Music Center's Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.

“Spotlight is more than a competition. It is a community where young artists feel seen, supported and inspired to grow,” said Jeri Gaile, Fredric Roberts senior director of The Music Center's Spotlight. “Throughout the program, students take creative risks, learn from extraordinary teaching artists and discover resilience that will serve them far beyond the stage. Watching their confidence bloom, their artistry deepen and their support for one another grow year after year is truly rewarding. Their journey is why Spotlight continues to transform lives through the arts across Los Angeles County.”

The Music Center's Spotlight semifinalists each receive $500. Grand Prize Finalists will each receive $5,000 scholarships; one Honorable Mention in each category will receive $1,000. Making an indelible impression on this year's judges, 35 students (five selected from each category) will each receive a $100 Merit Award; this special honor acknowledges their achievement in the competition and their potential in the performing arts.

To help students interested in applying to the Spotlight program, The Music Center created The Spotlight Academy as an episodic series of online videos and tutorials. The Spotlight Academy features more than a dozen webisodes on subjects related to applying for the Spotlight program as well as advice for anyone considering a career in the arts, both on- or offstage. The videos provide a deep dive into the program's seven categories and discuss curated topics featuring alumni and experts in the field, including New York City Ballet principal dancer Tiler Peck, actor Barrett Foa (NCIS: Los Angeles, The Residence), mezzo-soprano opera singer Suzanna Guzmán and more.

Since the program's launch in 1988, numerous Spotlight participants have gone on to successful professional careers. Nearly two dozen past finalists are Presidential Scholars, and many more have joined or performed with professional companies, such as Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, American Ballet Theatre, Metropolitan Opera, LA Opera, Boston Symphony Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic. Notable Spotlight alumni include:

• Misty Copeland, who made history in the dance world as the first Black principal dancer for American Ballet Theatre
• Recording artists Adam Lambert and Josh Groban
• Tony Award winner Lindsay Mendez (Broadway revival of Carousel), who also earned a Tony Award nomination for her role in the 2023 Broadway revival of Merrily We Roll Along and starred in the 2025 film release
• Emmy Award-winning composer Kris Bowers, whose work includes the scores for Bob Marley: One Love, Bridgerton, Green Book and Dear White People and who is the producer, co-director and composer of the Oscar-winning short documentary The Last Repair Shop
• Matthew Rushing, associate artistic director for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
• Jennifer Stahl, a Diana Dollar Knowles principal dancer of San Francisco Ballet
• Choreographer Norbert de la Cruz III, who is creating works on Flight Path Dance Project and Westside Dance Project in 2026
• YaoGuang Zhai, principal clarinetist of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
• Mason Alexander Park, starring in the West End title role of Oh Mary! and has appeared in Cabaret, The Tempest and Much Ado About Nothing; the Broadway tour of Hedwig and the Angry Inch; and on-screen in The Sandman, Quantum Leap and Cowboy Bebop
• Sean Plumb, baritone singer for the Opéra National de Lyon and the Metropolitan Opera
• GRAMMY-nominated jazz recording artist Gerald Clayton; among many others.

For more information about The Music Center's Spotlight program, visit musiccenter.org/spotlight.