Spotlight Awards Program

Award Amount
Application deadline
Awarded By:

The Music Center

Number of Awards & Eligibility: Awards are given as follows: 14 grand prizes (2 from each category); 7 honorable mentions (1 from each category); 105 semifinalist prizes (15 from each category); and a select number of preliminary prizes (at judges' discretion).
In order to qualify, students must meet the following criteria:
  1. This award is for international and U.S. students.
  2. Must be enrolled in a high school, approved independent study, or home school program at time of application.
  3. Must reside in one of the following California counties: Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara, or San Diego. Please note: Ballet students who will be attending a dance program away from home and outside of Southern California during the Spotlight year and whose parent(s) still live in Southern California may participate in Spotlight as long as they attend auditions, rehearsal and final performance if advancing to Grand Finale Performance. Proof of study will be required from dance program. The student may not be an apprentice or member of a professional ballet company and participate in Spotlight.
  4. Must have talent in and be able to audition for one or more of the following categories: acting, ballet, non-classical dance, classical voice, non-classical voice, jazz instrumental, classical instrumental.

In order to qualify, students must meet the following criteria:

Description: This awards program is open to international and U.S. high school students who reside in the following California counties: Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara, or San Diego. Students must audition in one of the following categories: acting, ballet, non-classical dance, classical voice, non-classical voice, jazz instrumental, classical instrumental.

Application requirements for the Spotlight Awards Program are:

  • Application form
  • Essays (3)
  • Audition
Additional Information: In the preliminary 2 auditions round, students will participate in a live audition before judges. Students are able to choose the date of their audition. Details on available audition dates are available online at www.musiccenter.org/education/Students-at-the-Center/Spotlight/Spotlight-Calendar/. Students may only have one audition per category for which they apply. In the semifinal round, the top 15 students in each category will first participate in a master class to receive feedback before their semifinal auditions. The master classes and semifinal auditions will take place in early spring. Dates vary based on category; detailed information is available online at www.musiccenter.org/education/Students-at-the-Center/Spotlight/Spotlight-Calendar/. Each semifinal audition day ends with a reception for the students and their families as the two grand prize finalists and an honorable mention are announced. The grand finalists will perform at the Spotlight Grand Finale in June at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Previous grand prize finalists are not eligible to enter again. Previous participants, semifinalists, and honorable mentions are eligible.

Award Amount: Awards are in the form of cash scholarships, given as follows: grand prizes, $5,000; honorable mentions, $1,000; semifinalist prizes, $300; preliminary prizes, $100. Finalists in classical voice and classical instrumental will also be awarded scholarships to the Aspen Music Festival. In addition, students chosen to advance to semifinals, honorable mentions, and finals will automatically bypass the preliminary round in the national Young Arts program, which is the sole pathway to the U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts awards. Please note the following information for international students: Students without a valid tax identification number will be eligible to receive a cash scholarship through the competition portion of Spotlight should they be awarded one; however, the award is subject to 30 percent withholding for federal income tax.  The total dollars awarded for this scholarship is $738.

Deadline Information:

Deadline for this scholarship is Sunday, October 11, 2020

Deadline Information:

Deadline for this scholarship is Sunday, October 11, 2020

Applications are available online on the Music Center website. Students must create a username and password to access the online application. After creating an account, the student must log in and select the category (and sub-category, if necessary) for which he/she is applying (acting, ballet, non-classical dance, classical voice, non-classical voice, jazz instrumental, classical instrumental). All applicants must submit a video audition. The video should be uploaded to the online application. Please note: The student must submit a separate application for each category in which he/she wishes to apply. Students may only advance to finals in one category (determined by which category he/she advances to finals first). Applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on the deadline date.
About The Music Center:
Contact Information: -, -
Address: 135 N. Grand Ave. Los Angeles, California 90012

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