High school vocalists representing 22 states will compete on Friday, July 26 at the Great American Songbook Vocal Academy & Competition. Sponsored by the Michael Feinstein Great American Songbook Initiative, the annual endeavor is the only U.S. competition dedicated solely to the music from Broadway, Hollywood musicals and the Tin Pan Alley era of the early to mid-twentieth century.
“Through this competition, we are reaching a new generation to teach this music and the American history that inspired and influenced these composers,” said Michael Feinstein, the Initiative’s founder and noted American Songbook ambassador.
The finalists for 2013 were selected from regional competitions from 22 states – Alabama, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Wisconsin. The regional competitions were held May-June 2013 and included a full day of workshops followed by an evening performance. Two finalists were selected in each region.
The academy and final competition is taking place at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel, Indiana. The public is invited to attend the performance. Tickets are available at www.TheCenterPresents.org
The finalists are:
Brittany Bauerly Dubuque, IA Dubuque Hempstead High School
Kyrie Courter Chicago, IL Chicago High School for the Arts
Morgan Rose Berkeley, CA Berkeley High School
Grace Wipfli Ottawa Hills, OH Ottawa Hills High School
Julia Goodwin Baldwinsville, NY CW Baker High School
Maya Jacobson Clearwater, FL Berkeley Prep
Brandon Ocasio Astoria, NY LaGuardia Arts High School
Sam Pomales Springboro, OH Home school
Melinda Rodriguez Miami, FL Miami Arts Charter School
Emma Roos San Francisco, CA St. Ignatius College Prep
The 10 finalists will convene at the Feinstein Initiative’s headquarters in Carmel, IN, July 21-26, 2013, to participate in a five-day academy on interpreting and performing the music of the Great American Songbook. Five-time Grammy nominee, Michael Feinstein, and other top music industry professionals will conduct workshops and master classes throughout the week. The final competition performance will be held in the 1,600 seat Palladium Concert Hall at the Center for the Performing Arts.
The first place winner receives $3,000 and the chance of a lifetime: the opportunity to perform with two-time Emmy and five-time Grammy Award nominated entertainer and founder of the Feinstein Initiative, Michael Feinstein. The first place winner will serve as the Great American Songbook Youth Ambassador for one year and will have opportunities to perform throughout the year. Second place will receive $2,000 and third place will receive $1,500 toward continuing music education.
Judges include:
Michael Feinstein, the multi-platinum-selling, five-time Grammy-nominated entertainer dubbed “The Ambassador of the Great American Songbook,” is considered one of the premier interpreters of American standards. His 200-plus shows a year have included performances at Carnegie Hall, Sydney Opera House and the Hollywood Bowl as well as the White House and Buckingham Palace.
Jane Monheit is a two-time Grammy nominated vocalist, known around the world for her jazz and adult contemporary style. In addition to her own recordings, including 9 albums and 2 DVD’s, she has worked alongside the likes of Michael Bublé, Terence Blanchard, Tom Harrell, and Ivan Lins. Recognized internationally, Jane has performed at most, if not all of the main concert and jazz venues around the world.
Sandi Patty is one of the most highly acclaimed performers of our time with five Grammy® awards, four Billboard Music Awards, three platinum records, five gold records, and eleven million units sold. Sandi Patty is simply known as The Voice.
Sylvia McNair is atwo-time Grammy Award winner and regional Emmy Award winner. Her journey has taken her from the Metropolitan Opera to the Salzburg Festival, from the New York Philharmonic to the Rainbow Room, from the Ravinia Festival to The Plaza, from the pages of The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal to the London Times and the cover of Cabaret Scenes. She has appeared as a soloist multiple times with nearly every major opera company and symphony orchestra in the world.
Jim Caruso made his Broadway debut alongside Liza Minnelli in the Tony Award winning show, Liza’s At The Palace!, singing, dancing and celebrating the music and arrangements of the late, great Kay Thompson and the Williams Brothers. For the past ten years, he has hosted a weekly Monday night showbiz bash called “Jim Caruso’s Cast Party,” at Birdland Jazz Club.
Description
The Great American Songbook High School Vocal Academy & Competition is a celebration of the Golden Age of American Popular music. This program is the only high school vocal competition in the U.S. dedicated solely to the music from Broadway, Hollywood musicals and the Tin Pan Alley era of the early to mid-twentieth century. The Vocal Academy & Competition was created to provide an opportunity for young people to experience firsthand this uniquely American music and its cultural significance.
The Great American Songbook High School Vocal Academy & Competition is designed to be a collaborative, rewarding, and fun experience for all participants. Regional competitions consist of one-day intensives focused on singing and interpreting the music of the Great American Songbook, led by music educators and industry professionals. Two winners from each of the five regional events proceed to the final competition week at the Feinstein Initiative’s headquarters at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel, IN. Students will have the opportunity to participate in workshops, one-on-one coaching sessions, and master classes with celebrity performers and music industry professionals. The final week’s events will culminate in a live show on July 26, 2013, at the Palladium in Carmel, IN, where the top three winners will be selected. The first place winner will become the Great American Songbook Youth Ambassador and will have opportunities to perform throughout the year representing the Michael Feinstein Initiative.
The Michael Feinstein Great American Songbook Initiative
Michael Feinstein founded the Great American Songbook Initiative in 2007 in order to preserve, promote, and perpetuate the music of the Great American Songbook. The mission of the Initiative is to bring the music of the Great American Songbook to young people today and to preserve it for future generations. The work of the Feinstein Initiative includes:
* High School Vocal Competition
* Educational programming
* Library, Archive, and Gallery
* Great American Songbook Hall of Fame
About Michael Feinstein
Michael Feinstein, the multi-platinum-selling, two-time Emmy and five-time Grammy Award-nominated entertainer dubbed “The Ambassador of the Great American Songbook,” is considered one of the premier interpreters of American standards. His 200-plus shows a year have included performances at Carnegie Hall, Sydney Opera House and the Hollywood Bowl as well as the White House and Buckingham Palace.
More than simply a performer, Feinstein has received national recognition for