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The Music Center Spotlight Awards program is a nationally-acclaimed recognition and scholarship program for Southern California high school performing and visual artists.
Click Here to find out more about the Spotlight Awards process.
The mission of the Music Center Spotlight Awards is to provide a supportive environment in which high school students can develop the skills needed to pursue their artistic dreams, with an emphasis on self-esteem, preparation and perseverance.
The Music Center Spotlight Awards program was established
in 1988 to provide meaningful recognition, encouragement and
advancement opportunity to high school performing and visual
artists in Southern California. Now in its 21st year, the
program boasts many highly successful past winners. More
importantly, thousands of students of all levels of ability have
benefited from this unique learning experience.
The Performing Arts program includes ballet, non-classical dance,
classical voice, non-classical voice, classical instrumental and jazz
instrumental. The preliminary round of judging takes place from
October - December of 2008. Semifinal auditions and master
classes will be held from January - March 2009. Twelve finalists
will be selected, two from each category, to perform at the Music
Center's Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on Saturday, May 2, 2009.
The Visual Arts program offers young artists
and photographers the opportunity to have their work viewed by
a panel of prominent museum curators, artists and designers as
well as professional photographers and collectors. All applicants
are invited to attend master classes and museum tours. All who
advance to the semifinal level will have their artwork displayed in
a prominent Southern California Gallery.
Launched as part of the Music Center's WinterFest in 1988, the program became an annual spring event in 1990.
Fred Roberts is the founding chairman of the Spotlight Awards
Thomas Weinberger is the current chairman.
Walter Grauman is its creator/executive producer.
The program demonstrates what is possible when young people have access to quality arts education from pre-school through high school. In recognizing these talented students, the Music Center seeks to remind people of the importance of arts education for all. Student participation increased dramatically since 1988 when 200 students auditioned. Now 2,000 apply annually - 16,000 since the program began. A 1998 KCET/PBS documentary The Spotlight Awards: A Young Artist's Showcase won an Emmy Award.
The Spotlight Awards have launched numerous professional careers. Fourteen finalists are Presidential Scholars and many have joined or performed with professional companies including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, American Ballet Theatre, Metropolitan Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Boston Symphony Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic. Learn more about the Spotlight Alumni...
The program is a support project of the Fraternity of Friends - a volunteer membership organization of businessmen and entertainment professionals who support the Music Center. In 1991, the Fraternity began the Spotlight Mentor Program, chaired by Richard Wilson, to pair finalists with members who provide support, encouragement and direction.
The Music Center Spotlight Awards program is made possible through the generosity of many donors. To view the complete list, please visit the Spotlight Sponsors & Donors page.
For information visit the online FAQ, if you still have questions, please call our Hotline at 213.972.3300 or email us at spotlight@musiccenter.org.
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