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Music Center Names Finalists For Spotlight Awards
Malibu Student Is Among Them
The Music Center has announced that one of the two
young performers chosen as finalists in the classical voice category
of the 14th Annual Spotlight Awards is soprano Alexandra Lee, 15, a
Sophmore at Colin McEwen High School in Malibu. The other finalist is
soprano Lisa Algozzini, 15, of Irvine, a Freshman at the Orange County
High School of the Arts in Santa Ana.
They were chosen from among 14 young classical singers.
Before announcing the finalists at the post-audition reception,
judge David Romano told the crowd that every single one of the 14 is
destined for a professional career. “This was an incredibly difficult
decision,” he said. “We’ve been in this business a long time. Seldom
have we heard such remarkable voices.” The classical voice judges were
classical singers Steven Kronauer, Romano, and Amy Albani, and music
professor Dewey Camp.
The process leading up to the 14th Annual Music Center Spotlight
Awards began last summer when Southern California high school students
auditioned in the six performance categories of classical dance,
non-classical dance, classical voice, non-classical voice, classical
instrumental music, and jazz instrumental music. Of the 747 who
auditioned, 118 were chosen as semifinalists, spread among the six
performance categories.
From January through March, all semifinalists participate in master
classes with professionals in the six performance categories and
compete in auditions to determine the 12 finalists who will perform at
the Tuesday, April 2 gala competition in the Music Center’s Dorothy
Chandler Pavilion. A celebrity panel of judges will choose the six
winners, each of whom will receive $5,000 cash scholarships;
runners-up, $2,500.
Fred Roberts is Chairman of Spotlight Awards and Walter Grauman is
Creator/Executive Producer. Launched in 1988, the Spotlight Awards
program is a scholarship competition for Southern California high
school students who plan performance or visual arts careers.
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