The Spotlight Program provides Southern California teens with expert advice, coaching, auditions, and mastery classes from professional artists and arts administrators. Entrants receive one-on-one feedback from industry professionals, performance opportunities, and over $100,000 in cash prizes through three rounds of auditions.

This year, more than 1,300 teens representing more than 256 schools, 181 cities and eight counties auditioned for the program. Students compete in seven categories: acting, classical voice, non-classical voice, ballet, dance, classical instrument and jazz instrument. All applicants receive written feedback from distinguished juries after each audition to help students improve and gain knowledge in their particular performance discipline.

Spotlight semi-finalists have the opportunity to attend a special master’s course in their discipline with renowned artists, who share their expertise on performance technique, training and professional life. Experts provide students with invaluable feedback on their performance, providing them with a rich learning experience. Each semi-finalist will audition again in front of a new jury, who will then select the top two finalists in each category for a total of 14 Grand Prix finalists. The grand prize finalists will perform at the Music Center’s Spotlight Grand Finale performance on June 15 at the Music Center’s Ahmanson Theater.

For more information on the Music Center Spotlight program, visit musiccenter.org/spotlight.