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February 28, 2023 The Music Center Names 112 Southern California High School Students in The Music Center's 35th Annual Spotlight Program

Nationally Recognized Arts Learning Program Offers $100,000+ in Scholarships for Aspiring Artists with Performance Opportunities and Invaluable Professional Feedback

LOS ANGELES (February 28, 2023) — The Music Center today announced 112 of Southern California’s most talented high school students have advanced to become semifinalists in The Music Center’s 35th Annual Spotlight program, a free, nationally acclaimed performing arts competition, scholarship and artistic development program for teens. This year, more than 1,300 teens, representing more than 245 schools, 170 cities and eight counties, auditioned for the prestigious program.

A program of The Music Center’s programming arm TMC Arts, Spotlight offers Southern California teens expert 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 jazz instrumental. The program recognizes and rewards participants throughout the competition with more than $100,000 in cash awards following three rounds of auditions. To date, The Music Center has given over $2.7 million in scholarships.

All Spotlight applicants receive written feedback from distinguished panels of judges following each audition round to help them improve and gain insight in their performing arts discipline. An initiative of The Music Center’s fundamental support for arts learning, Spotlight provides students with the opportunity to develop and hone their performance abilities, receive crucial college preparedness skills and gain the confidence to pursue their dreams in the performing arts. Through a supportive environment, students also develop vital life skills, including self‐esteem, preparation and perseverance, that benefit them beyond the stage.

“For many participants, Spotlight is their first step in the journey toward a successful future in the arts,” said Rachel S. Moore, president and CEO of The Music Center. “We are proud to have provided thousands of aspiring young people with the opportunity to hone their skills and explore their potential. Congratulations to this year’s Spotlight semifinalists for advancing this far in the competition! Your passion for the arts is making Los Angeles—and the world—a better and more joyful place.”

Spotlight semifinalists have 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. Experts provide students with invaluable feedback about their performances, offering the students 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 in The Music Center’s Spotlight Grand Finale on Thursday, June 8, 2023, at 7:00 p.m., at The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.

“Every year, our Spotlight judges are wowed by the artistic caliber of hundreds of students, and this year is no exception,” said Jeri Gaile, Fredric Roberts director, The Music Center’s Spotlight. “The Music Center launched this program 35 years ago because we recognized the enormous potential of young artists that deserved to be discovered and uplifted. Spotlight is not only an exploration of students’ artistic skills but also a vessel to help them develop as valuable contributors to the world.”

The Music Center’s Spotlight program awards more than $100,000 in cash scholarships annually. Semifinalists each receive $500. Grand Prize Finalists will each receive $5,000 scholarships; one Honorable Mention in each category will receive $1,000. The Music Center also celebrates 10 students in each category with the Merit Award, which acknowledges students who inspire the judges by their commitment and dedication to their art form; Spotlight Merit Award recipients each receive $100.

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. Designed for young artists, parents and educators, The Spotlight Academy features more than a dozen webisodes that focus 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 Superstore actress Carla Renata, opera singer Suzanna Guzmán, New York City Ballet principal dancer Tiler Peck and more.

Since its launch in 1988, Spotlight has transformed the lives of more than 54,000 high school students hailing from Santa Barbara to San Diego. Numerous Spotlight participants have gone on to successful professional careers. For example, nearly two dozen 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 African American principal dancer for American Ballet Theatre; Adam Lambert and Josh Groban, pop recording artists; Kris Bowers, Emmy® Award-winning composer whose work includes the scores for Bridgerton, Green Book and Dear White People; Lindsay Mendez, Tony Award® winner for her role in the Broadway revival of Carousel and from the television drama All Rise; Erin Mackey, star of Broadway’s Wicked, Sondheim on Sondheim, Anything Goes, Chaplin, and Amazing Grace; Matthew Rushing, associate artistic director for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater; Yao Guang Zhai, associate principal clarinet of the Toronto Symphony; and Gerald Clayton, GRAMMY® Award-winning jazz recording artist, among numerous others.

Major support for The Music Center’s Spotlight program is provided by Fredric Roberts, Helen and Peter Bing, Terri and Jerry Kohl, Marie Song, The Hearst Foundations and an anonymous donor. Fredric Roberts is founding chairman of Spotlight. The late Walter E. Grauman is the creator.

For more information about The Music Center’s Spotlight program, visit musiccenter.org/spotlight or follow @musiccenterspotlight on social media (Facebook, Instagram and TikTok).


About The Music Center
The Music Center convenes artists, communities and ideas with the goal of deepening the cultural lives of every resident in Los Angeles County. The $70 million non-profit performing arts organization has two divisions: TMC Arts and TMC Ops. TMC Arts, The Music Center’s programming engine, provides year- round programming inside The Music Center’s four theatres, on Jerry Moss Plaza, outside at Grand Park—a 12-acre adjacent green space—in schools and other locations all over Los Angeles County and on a digital platform called The Music Center Offstage. TMC Arts presents world-class dance with Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center, free and low-cost public concerts and events, as well as live and digital K–12 arts education programs, workshops, performances, interactive experiences and special events. TMC Ops manages the theatres, the Plaza and Grand Park, which comprise $2 billion in county assets, on behalf of the County of Los Angeles. The Music Center is also home to four renowned resident companies—Center Theatre Group, Los Angeles Master Chorale, LA Opera and LA Phil. For more information, visit musiccenter.org. Follow The Music Center on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @MusicCenterLA.
 

 

The Music Center’s 35th Annual Spotlight Semifinalists
 

Hometown

Full Name

Program Name

School

Grade

Agoura Hills

Charles French

Jazz Instrumental

Agoura High School

10

Agoura Hills

Jordan Klein

Jazz Instrumental

Agoura High School

10

Agoura Hills

Jack Lieberman

Jazz Instrumental

Agoura High School

11

Aliso Viejo

Sage Reeves

Dance

Santa Margarita Catholic High School

11

Anaheim

Haven Anneliese Ward

Ballet

Parkview School

12

Arcadia

Tiffany Hsu

Classical Voice

Mayfield Senior School of the Holy Child Jesus

10

Beverly Hills

Emily Gorin

Acting

Beverly Hills High School

12

Beverly Hills

Bradyn Prisand

Non-Classical Voice

Beverly Hills High School

10

Buena Park

Joan Park

Non-Classical Voice

Orange County School of the Arts

12

Burbank

Keilani Akina Bolhuis

Jazz Instrumental

California School of the Arts – San Gabriel Valley

11

Burbank

Aria Gunn

Non-Classical Voice

John Burroughs High School

12

Burbank

René Harris

Non-Classical Voice

Burbank High School

12

Burbank

Sophie Pollono

Non-Classical Voice

John Burroughs High School

12

Calabasas

Cassidy May Benullo

Acting

Calabasas High School

12

Carson

Rianne Thomas

Dance

Ramon C. Cortines High School

12

Chino Hills

Joseph Yoo

Classical Instrumental

Diamond Bar High School

10

Chula Vista

Victoria Curet

Classical Voice

San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts

11

Corona

Ivy Lanhardt

Dance

River Springs Charter School

11

Corona

Clara Riggs

Ballet

Epic Charter School

9

Costa Mesa

Ayanna Dowell

Dance

Orange County School of the Arts - OCSA

12

Coto de Caza

Fiona Poth

Ballet

Avenues Online: The World School

11

Diamond Bar

David Kwon

Classical Instrumental

Diamond Bar High School

12

Duarte

Felicity Robles

Classical Voice

California School of the Arts – San Gabriel Valley

11

Fullerton

Madison Heinle

Classical Voice

Fullerton Union High School

12

Fullerton

Alexis Helmer

Acting

Fullerton Union High School

12

Fullerton

Calene Lee

Classical Instrumental

Orange County School of the Arts

10

Huntington Beach

Noella Egelsee

Acting

Huntington Beach High School

11

Huntington Beach

Lilliana Mindel

Classical Voice

Orange County School of the Arts

11

Idyllwild-Pine Cove

Subin Kim

Classical Instrumental

Idyllwild Arts Academy

12

Irvine

Emma Chen

Ballet

Portola High School

12

Irvine

Aimee Cho

Ballet

Crean Lutheran High School

11

Irvine

Ariana Kim

Classical Instrumental

Orange County School of the Arts

10

Irvine

Madeleine Lee

Ballet

Laurel Springs School

10

Irvine

Kristine Lu

Classical Instrumental

University High School (Irvine)

11

Irvine

Michelle Lu

Ballet

Portola High School

10

Irvine

Ana Rodriguez

Acting

Woodbridge High School

12

Irvine

Ian Shin

Jazz Instrumental

Orange County School of the Arts

11

Irvine

Isabella Silva

Dance

Orange County School of the Arts

9

Irvine

Nakshatra Srinivasan

Classical Voice

Irvine High School

11

Irvine

Nathan Tatsuta

Jazz Instrumental

Orange County School of the Arts

11

Irvine

Genevieve Velarde

Classical Voice

Irvine High School

11

Irvine

Towako Wunsch

Ballet

Irvine High School

11

Irvine

Kyle Yeung

Classical Instrumental

Pacific Academy, Irvine

9

Irvine

Helaine Zhao

Classical Instrumental

Pacific Academy, Irvine

11

Irvine

Chunyi Zhou

Classical Instrumental

University High School (Irvine)

12

La Cañada Flintridge

Maxine Park

Non-Classical Voice

Flintridge Preparatory

12

Ladera Ranch

Chase Rogers

Ballet

California Preparatory Academy

12

Laguna Niguel

Pavel Kulev

Ballet

Cabrillo Point Academy

11

Lake Forest

Viveka Saravanan

Classical Voice

Orange County School of the Arts

11

Long Beach

Alfredo-Totocani García

Ballet

Home Schooled

11

Los Angeles

Anaiya Asomugha

Acting

The Archer School for Girls

11

Los Angeles

Brooke Bailey

Non-Classical Voice

John Burroughs High School

12

Los Angeles

Asher Bartfeld

Classical Voice

Los Angeles County High School for the Arts

10

Los Angeles

Jesse Brasler

Acting

Calabasas High School

10

Los Angeles

Aiden Daneshrad

Jazz Instrumental

Harvard-Westlake (Upper)

12

Los Angeles

Dakotah Faunteroy

Dance

Calabasas High School

12

Los Angeles

Calder Feinstein

Ballet

Home Schooled

11

Los Angeles

Anais Feller

Classical Instrumental

Classical Academy High School

12

Los Angeles

Julianna Hatton

Ballet

The Archer School for Girls

10

Los Angeles

Taylor Lee

Jazz Instrumental

Los Angeles County High School for the Arts

11

Los Angeles

Helen Martinez

Non-Classical Voice

Ramon C. Cortines High School

12

Los Angeles

Micah MikoLevine

Acting

Westridge School - Upper School

10

Los Angeles

Ruby Moncrieff-Karten

Acting

Los Angeles County High School for the Arts

11

Los Angeles

Ruby Moncrieff-Karten

Non-Classical Voice

Los Angeles County High School for the Arts

11

Los Angeles

Jackson Petty

Jazz Instrumental

Hamilton High School

10

Los Angeles

Callie Pyken

Classical Voice

Los Angeles County High School for the Arts

9

Los Angeles

Callie Pyken

Non-Classical Voice

Los Angeles County High School for the Arts

9

Los Angeles

Mae Ryness

Acting

California School of the Arts – San Gabriel Valley

11

Los Angeles

Stellan Swanlund

Jazz Instrumental

Los Angeles County High School for the Arts

12

Los Angeles

Drew Tillman

Non-Classical Voice

Los Angeles County High School for the Arts

11

Los Angeles

Elim Uraimov

Acting

Los Angeles County High School for the Arts

10

Los Angeles

Daniel Wijedasa

Jazz Instrumental

North Hollywood High School

12

Monterey Park

Lila Tsang

Dance

Los Angeles County High School for the Arts

12

Murrieta

Calli Perryman

Dance

Murrieta Valley High School

10

Newport Beach

Stella Stulik

Ballet

Home Schooled

10

Oak Park

Max Gilbert

Jazz Instrumental

Agoura High School

11

Ontario

Allen Cai

Classical Voice

Santa Margarita Catholic High School

12

Orange

Preston Walker

Ballet

Orange County School of the Arts

9

Pasadena

Ryan Liddy

Classical Voice

Loyola High School of Los Angeles

12

Rancho Palos Verdes

Campbelle Malicse

Ballet

Palos Verdes Peninsula High School

11

Rancho Palos Verdes

Christine Ng

Dance

Palos Verdes Peninsula High School

10

Redondo Beach

Joseph Mintz

Jazz Instrumental

Redondo Union High School

12

Rosemead

Millie Liao

Acting

Los Angeles County High School for the Arts

12

San Clemente

Annabel Kohn

Dance

San Clemente High School & California Preparatory Academy

9

San Diego

Avery Hall

Dance

Torrey Pines High School

10

San Diego

Erica Wang

Classical Instrumental

Canyon Crest Academy

12

San Dimas

Giovanna Martinez

Acting

Granite Mountain Charter School

12

San Dimas

Giovanna Martinez

Non-Classical Voice

Granite Mountain Charter School

12

San Gabriel

Michaela Lau

Classical Voice

Gabrielino High School

9

San Juan Capistrano

John Leslie

Classical Voice

JSerra Catholic High School

12

San Marino

Nathaniel Yue

Classical Instrumental

San Marino High School

10

Santa Ana

Henry Erhard

Acting

Mater Dei High School

12

Santa Ana

Andrea Martínez

Dance

Orange County School of the Arts

10

Santa Clarita

Lexi Hoek

Non-Classical Voice

Saugus High School

11

Santa Monica

Jaxson Glowacki

Classical Voice

Brentwood High School

11

Santa Monica

Rebekah Raphling

Acting

Santa Monica High School

12

Santa Monica

Marielle Rose

Acting

Los Angeles County High School for the Arts

12

Santa Monica

William Schwartzman

Jazz Instrumental

Los Angeles County High School for the Arts

12

Simi Valley

Em Ellis

Classical Instrumental

Simi Valley High School

12

Simi Valley

Jassir Rivera

Non-Classical Voice

Grace Brethren

12

Stevenson Ranch

Jessica O’Brien

Classical Instrumental

West Ranch High School

11

Stevenson Ranch

Quinn Sims

Jazz Instrumental

West Ranch High School

12

Temecula

Aubrey Abella

Dance

Great Oak High School

9

Temple City

Alvin Wang

Classical Instrumental

California School of the Arts – San Gabriel Valley

11

Thousand Oaks

Garrett Khatchaturian

Jazz Instrumental

Agoura High School

11

Upland

Kennedy Percival

Non-Classical Voice

Home Schooled

12

Van Nuys

Maya Clayton

Non-Classical Voice

Champs Charter High School of the Arts

12

Westminster

Grace Huynh

Classical Voice

Orange County School of the Arts

12

Winchester

Luciana Vun

Dance

Great Oak High School

12

Yorba Linda

Sammi Chung

Dance

Orange County School of the Arts

11

Yorba Linda

Mallory McKenna

Dance

Orange County School of the Arts

12

Yorba Linda

Megan Reta

Dance

El Dorado High School

9

Media Contact

  • Gil Diaz

    The Music Center

    (213) 972-3332
    gdiaz@musiccenter.org 

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