LOS ANGELES (March 8, 2020)—Following two rounds of virtual auditions, The Music Center has selected 112 of Southern California’s most talented high school students as semifinalists in The Music Center’s 33rd annual Spotlight (Spotlight) program, a free nationally acclaimed arts training and scholarship program for teens. A TMC Arts program, Spotlight offers valuable performance opportunities, audition experiences and mentorship, plus technical and artistic insights taught by professional artists and arts administrators, and awards more than $100,000 in scholarships each year. TMC Artsre-imagined the program’s offerings to be entirely digital and COVID safe for the 2020–2021 year. The Music Center named 16 semifinalists in each of seven categories—acting, ballet, dance, classical voice, non-classical voice, classical instrumental and jazz instrumental. This year, nearly 1,500 teens representing more than 275 schools, 194 cities and 8 counties auditioned for the prestigious program. All Spotlight applicants receive written feedback from distinguished panels of judges following each audition round to help students improve and gain knowledge in their particular performance discipline.
Since its launch in 1988, Spotlight has transformed the lives of 51,000 high school students from Santa Barbara to San Diego by being more than just a competition. An important part of The Music Center’s fundamental support for arts learning, the program provides students the opportunity to develop their performance abilities, receive valuable college preparedness skills and gain confidence to pursue their dreams in the performing arts. Through a supportive environment, students also develop important life skills, including building self‐esteem, preparation and perseverance, that benefit the participants beyond the stage. Notable Spotlight alumni include Tony Award® winner Lindsay Mendez, American Ballet Theatre’s principal dancer Misty Copeland, Emmy® award-winning composer Kris Bowers and major recording artists Josh Groban and Adam Lambert, among many others. Recent Spotlight finalists appeared as guest performers during Groban’s first livestream Holiday concert in December 2020, which was viewed by an international audience.
“While arts learning remains under pressure in school budgets, The Music Center’s Spotlight is a vibrant program that serves an essential need. Spotlight participants receive multiple opportunities to perform in front of professional experts who provide personalized and precise feedback that other free programs just don’t offer,” said Rachel S. Moore president and CEO of The Music Center. “Spotlight is a year-long journey with a lifetime of benefits for these young students. We’re very proud that our program offers a comprehensive learning experience that nurtures young artists’ aspirations and supports the next generation of performers and arts professionals.”
“Spotlight is completely free with no financial barriers to participate, which gives equal footing to kids looking to make their dreams come true, no matter their talent level,” added Jeri Gaile, director of The Music Center’s Spotlight program. “Each round in the audition process is a little different so the knowledge and connections each participant makes compound, especially as the semifinalists attend mastery classes. Spotlight is very much an exploration of artistic skills and the students’ capacity to grow as individuals. We absolutely love seeing them shine throughout the process and over the years that they participate.”
Spotlight semifinalists have the rare opportunity to attend a special mastery class in their discipline with highly regarded artists, who share their expertise on performance technique, training and professional life. Experts provide students with highly valuable feedback on their performances, offering them a rich learning experience. Each semifinalist will audition virtually 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 Virtual Grand Finale Performance on May 22, 2021, premiering on The Music Center Offstage digital platform at 7:00 p.m.
The Music Center’s Spotlight program awards more than $100,000 in cash scholarships annually. Semifinalists each receive $300. The eventual Grand Prize Finalists will each receive $5,000 scholarships, plus one Honorable Mention in each category will receive $1,000. The Music Center also celebrates five 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 launched The Spotlight Academy last summer as an episodic series of online videos and tutorials. Designed for young artists, parents and educators, The Spotlight Academy features 15 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 and New York City Ballet principal dancer Tiler Peck, among others.>
Numerous Spotlight participants have gone on to successful professional careers. Twenty-three 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; 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 now starring in CBS’s 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 Baltimore Symphony Orchestra; Gerald Clayton, GRAMMY® Award-winning jazz recording artist; and many others.
Major support for The Music Center's Spotlight program is provided by Helen and Peter Bing, Terri and Jerry Kohl, Dr. Martin Balser, Marie Song and an anonymous donor. This year’s Spotlight co-chairs are Pamela and Dennis Beck and Terri and Jerry Kohl. 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 join the conversation on facebook.com/MusicCenterSpotlight/.
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 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 K–12 arts education programs along with workshops, performances, interactive experiences and special events on The Music Center Offstage. TMC Ops manages the theatres, the Plaza and Grand Park 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 33rd Annual Spotlight Program Semifinalists
Name
|
Program Name
|
Home City
|
School
|
Grade
|
Jack Lieberman
|
Jazz Instrumental
|
Agoura Hills
|
Agoura High School
|
9
|
Julia Outmesguine
|
Ballet
|
Agoura Hills
|
Oak Park Independent High School
|
11
|
Oscar Yum
|
Classical Voice
|
Altadena
|
Flintridge Preparatory
|
10
|
Megan Colton
|
Non-Classical Voice
|
Arcadia
|
Arcadia High School
|
12
|
Bethany LeBerthon
|
Acting
|
Arcadia
|
Los Angeles County High School for the Arts
|
11
|
Alon Moradi
|
Classical Voice
|
Beverly Hills
|
Harvard-Westlake (Upper)
|
12
|
Gloria Aung
|
Acting
|
Bradbury
|
Los Angeles County High School for the Arts
|
12
|
Brooklyn Schmidt
|
Jazz Instrumental
|
Burbank
|
Los Angeles County High School for the Arts
|
12
|
Lillie Owers
|
Non-Classical Voice
|
Burbank
|
California School of the Arts – San Gabriel Valley
|
12
|
Cassidy May Benullo
|
Non-Classical Voice
|
Calabasas
|
Calabasas High School
|
10
|
Jacob Speth
|
Jazz Instrumental
|
Camarillo
|
Adolfo Camarillo High School
|
12
|
Erin Park
|
Dance
|
Chino
|
Chino Hills High School
|
9
|
Sydney Thomas
|
Dance
|
Chino Hills
|
Orange County School of the Arts
|
11
|
Ethan Cruz
|
Non-Classical Voice
|
Chula Vista
|
San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts
|
12
|
Lucy Cox
|
Ballet
|
Claremont
|
Granite Mountain Charter School
|
11
|
Julian Menendez
|
Dance
|
Costa Mesa
|
Costa Mesa High School
|
11
|
Fiona Poth
|
Ballet
|
Coto de Caza
|
Avenues Online: The World School
|
9
|
Jordan Anderson
|
Acting
|
Covina
|
Los Angeles County High School for the Arts
|
12
|
Natalie Steele
|
Ballet
|
Dana Point
|
JSerra Catholic High School
|
9
|
Kaylah Copeland
|
Acting
|
Duarte
|
Los Angeles County High School for the Arts
|
12
|
Esther Liu
|
Classical Instrumental
|
Fullerton
|
Fullerton Union High School
|
12
|
Adam Takahashi
|
Ballet
|
Fullerton
|
Home Schooled
|
10
|
Lucas Sterling
|
Jazz Instrumental
|
Glendale
|
Los Angeles County High School for the Arts
|
11
|
Lauren Gmelich
|
Acting
|
Glendale
|
Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy
|
12
|
Yael Jeshion-Nelson
|
Acting
|
Glendale
|
Los Angeles County High School for the Arts
|
12
|
Jaedynn Latter
|
Non-Classical Voice
|
Huntington Beach
|
Huntington Beach High School
|
12
|
Jack Borenstein
|
Non-Classical Voice
|
Huntington Beach
|
Huntington Beach High School
|
12
|
Chloe Capulong
|
Ballet
|
Huntington Beach
|
Home Schooled
|
11
|
Chloe Capulong
|
Dance
|
Huntington Beach
|
Home Schooled
|
11
|
Shukhrat Turdikhodjaev
|
Jazz Instrumental
|
Idyllwild-Pine Cove
|
Idyllwild Arts Academy
|
11
|
Eunice Lee
|
Classical Instrumental
|
Irvine
|
Tustin Connect
|
12
|
Zachary Lin
|
Classical Instrumental
|
Irvine
|
University High School (Irvine)
|
11
|
Hina Tamaki
|
Classical Instrumental
|
Irvine
|
University High School (Irvine)
|
12
|
Allen Cai
|
Classical Voice
|
Irvine
|
Santa Margarita Catholic High School
|
10
|
Kevin Corrigan
|
Classical Voice
|
Irvine
|
Woodbridge High School
|
12
|
Emma Chen
|
Ballet
|
Irvine
|
Portola High School
|
10
|
Emily Okamoto
|
Ballet
|
Irvine
|
Northwood High School
|
11
|
Emmy Cheung
|
Dance
|
Irvine
|
Orange County School of the Arts
|
11
|
Ella Horan
|
Dance
|
Irvine
|
University High School (Irvine)
|
10
|
Emily Okamoto
|
Dance
|
Irvine
|
Northwood High School
|
11
|
Hana Uehara
|
Dance
|
Irvine
|
Orange County School of the Arts
|
10
|
Kailyn Yi
|
Dance
|
Irvine
|
Orange County School of the Arts
|
11
|
Tess Alexander
|
Classical Voice
|
La Cañada Flintridge
|
La Canada High School
|
11
|
Kangsan Kim
|
Classical Voice
|
La Habra
|
Orange County School of the Arts
|
11
|
Natalia Burns
|
Ballet
|
Ladera Ranch
|
San Juan Hills High School
|
12
|
Chase Rogers
|
Ballet
|
Ladera Ranch
|
San Juan Hills High School
|
10
|
Kate Lin
|
Non-Classical Voice
|
Laguna Niguel
|
Home Schooled
|
11
|
Santiago Lopez
|
Jazz Instrumental
|
Long Beach
|
Los Alamitos High School
|
12
|
Max Nguyen
|
Jazz Instrumental
|
Los Alamitos
|
Los Alamitos High School
|
11
|
Fengyang (William) Ju
|
Classical Instrumental
|
Los Angeles
|
Colburn Music Academy
|
11
|
Cole Turkel
|
Classical Instrumental
|
Los Angeles
|
Oak Crest Academy
|
12
|
Dominik Yoder
|
Classical Instrumental
|
Los Angeles
|
Sky Mountain Charter School
|
12
|
Elder Gindroz
|
Jazz Instrumental
|
Los Angeles
|
Hamilton High School
|
12
|
Declan Houlihan
|
Jazz Instrumental
|
Los Angeles
|
Hamilton High School
|
12
|
Kai Suzuki
|
Jazz Instrumental
|
Los Angeles
|
El Segundo High School
|
12
|
Joshua Wong
|
Jazz Instrumental
|
Los Angeles
|
Los Angeles County High School for the Arts
|
12
|
Sophie Pollono
|
Non-Classical Voice
|
Los Angeles
|
Chaminade College Preparatory High School - Canoga
|
10
|
Leilani Patao
|
Non-Classical Voice
|
Los Angeles
|
Los Angeles County High School for the Arts
|
11
|
Akira Sky
|
Non-Classical Voice
|
Los Angeles
|
Los Angeles County High School for the Arts
|
12
|
Karina Constantinides
|
Non-Classical Voice
|
Los Angeles
|
Los Angeles County High School for the Arts
|
12
|
Stephen Moran
|
Acting
|
Los Angeles
|
Ramon C. Cortines High School
|
12
|
Hannah Nordberg
|
Acting
|
Los Angeles
|
Campbell Hall
|
11
|
Tovah Zafrin
|
Acting
|
Los Angeles
|
Ramon C. Cortines High School
|
12
|
Ava Louise Winer
|
Ballet
|
Los Angeles
|
Marlborough School
|
11
|
Sophia Papouchado
|
Jazz Instrumental
|
Manhattan Beach
|
Vistamar School
|
10
|
Hannah Bogen
|
Acting
|
Manhattan Beach
|
Chadwick School
|
12
|
Claire Buchi
|
Ballet
|
Manhattan Beach
|
Chadwick School
|
10
|
Gunner Stephens
|
Dance
|
Murrieta
|
Murrieta Mesa High School
|
11
|
Catherine Johnston
|
Classical Voice
|
Newport Beach
|
Orange County School of the Arts - OCSA
|
12
|
Sydney Shepherd
|
Acting
|
Norwalk
|
Ilead Hybrid
|
12
|
Selena Hamilton
|
Dance
|
Norwalk
|
Home Schooled
|
11
|
Cielo Valenzuela
|
Acting
|
Pasadena
|
California School of the Arts – San Gabriel Valley
|
11
|
Alexandra Cook
|
Classical Voice
|
Rancho Santa Margarita
|
Mission Viejo High School
|
12
|
Mi-Hyun Suh
|
Classical Instrumental
|
Rowland Heights
|
Diamond Bar High School
|
12
|
Anais Feller
|
Classical Instrumental
|
San Diego
|
Classical Academy High School
|
10
|
Fantasia Guerra-Rivera
|
Classical Voice
|
San Diego
|
Chula Vista Senior High School
|
12
|
Flora Yuan
|
Classical Voice
|
San Diego
|
Del Norte High School
|
11
|
Rachael Hudak
|
Dance
|
San Diego
|
Westview High School
|
12
|
Grace Li
|
Dance
|
San Diego
|
Canyon Crest Academy
|
10
|
Luc Simpson
|
Dance
|
San Diego
|
iHigh Virtual Academy
|
12
|
Nicole Lam
|
Classical Instrumental
|
San Gabriel
|
Los Angeles County High School for the Arts
|
12
|
Bridget Phillips
|
Acting
|
San Juan Capistrano
|
Orange County School of the Arts
|
11
|
Grace Navarro
|
Classical Voice
|
San Marino
|
Los Angeles County High School for the Arts
|
11
|
Ava Kuntz
|
Classical Voice
|
Santa Ana
|
Orange County School of the Arts
|
12
|
Emma Reed
|
Non-Classical Voice
|
Santa Clarita
|
Canyon High School – Canyon Country
|
12
|
Andrew Bond
|
Acting
|
Santa Clarita
|
Los Angeles County High School for the Arts
|
11
|
Francine Mae Peji
|
Dance
|
Santa Clarita
|
Valencia High School
|
12
|
William Schwartzman
|
Jazz Instrumental
|
Santa Monica
|
Santa Monica High School
|
10
|
Milla Moretti
|
Classical Voice
|
Santa Monica
|
Santa Monica High School
|
11
|
Chloe Stavis
|
Classical Voice
|
Santa Monica
|
Santa Monica High School
|
11
|
Matthew Thorson
|
Classical Voice
|
Santa Monica
|
Santa Monica High School
|
11
|
JJ Lybbert
|
Jazz Instrumental
|
Seal Beach
|
Los Angeles County High School for the Arts
|
10
|
Allison Park
|
Classical Instrumental
|
Sherman Oaks
|
Harvard-Westlake (Upper)
|
12
|
Jessie Franks
|
Acting
|
Sierra Madre
|
California School of the Arts – San Gabriel Valley
|
12
|
Daniel Wang
|
Classical Instrumental
|
Simi Valley
|
Westlake High School
|
10
|
Abigail Wyrrick
|
Ballet
|
Thousand Oaks
|
Blue Ridge Academy
|
10
|
Mei Hotta
|
Classical Instrumental
|
Torrance
|
Home Schooled
|
12
|
David Lee
|
Jazz Instrumental
|
Torrance
|
Orange County School of the Arts
|
12
|
Kennedy Percival
|
Non-Classical Voice
|
Upland
|
Home Schooled
|
10
|
Kevin Cho
|
Classical Instrumental
|
Valencia
|
West Ranch High School
|
12
|
Christian Dorey
|
Non-Classical Voice
|
West Covina
|
California School of the Arts – San Gabriel Valley
|
12
|
Nicholas Kim
|
Classical Instrumental
|
West Hills
|
Agoura High School
|
12
|
Lulu Royce
|
Acting
|
West Hollywood
|
Los Angeles County High School for the Arts
|
11
|
Abigail Thompson
|
Non-Classical Voice
|
Westlake Village
|
Westlake High School
|
12
|
Mia Schlosser
|
Ballet
|
Westlake Village
|
Westlake High School
|
9
|
Daniel Bae
|
Classical Instrumental
|
Whittier
|
IQ Academy California
|
12
|
Gianna Pedregon
|
Jazz Instrumental
|
Whittier
|
Orange County School of the Arts
|
12
|
Robyn Morales
|
Non-Classical Voice
|
Wildomar
|
Murrieta Valley High School
|
12
|
Robyn Morales
|
Classical Voice
|
Wildomar
|
Murrieta Valley High School
|
12
|
Keara Nichols
|
Ballet
|
Winchester
|
Home Schooled
|
12
|
Chloe Kinzler
|
Ballet
|
Winnetka
|
Granada Hills Charter High School
|
11
|
Mallory McKenna
|
Dance
|
Yorba Linda
|
Orange County School of the Arts
|
10
|
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