Music Center Spotlight Awards

Thank you for your interest in applying to Spotlight! The Spotlight competition provides cash scholarships and artistic development to empower high school students by emphasizing preparation, courage, critical thinking and perseverance while providing an invaluable opportunity for students to hone their performing skills! Southern California High School students of ALL skill levels are encouraged to apply for FREE. $100,000 in cash scholarships are awarded each year to students along with personalized feedback, eligibility for mastery classes with world-renowned artists, and more! We are part competition, part education and always fun! It's easy to apply; fill out an application and upload a video!

Spotlight Merit, Semifinalist and Honorable Mention awardees from 2024 will"automatically bypass Preliminary 1 and advance to Preliminary 2 auditions. Merit Awardees must still submit a video for written evaluation.  All must still fill out a new Spotlight application. Semifinalist and Honorable Mentions must upload the 2025 Placeholder Video that we send to them.

During the registration process, please use student's name and not a parent's/guardian's.

To Apply, You Must:

• Be a Southern California high school student who attends a public, private, online, or home school. Your home base must be in one of these counties: Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Riverside, Kern, or San Bernardino.
• You must be an enrolled high school student as of December 31, 2024.  You may not be enrolled as a full-time college student.
• Students who advance to the Grand Prize Finals must be available for the full day/night Grand Finale schedule.
• Dance and Ballet students, please check the category rules page for out-of-state residency exceptions.
• Apply to one or more of these categories: Acting, Ballet, Dance, Classical Voice, Non-Classical Voice, Classical Instrumental, or Contemporary Instrumental. You can apply to as many categories as you want!
• Read all the important information listed in the application, even though it’s the last thing you want to do. Think of it as a way to get ready for your college and competition auditions!!
• Complete the online application by October 14, 2024. Don’t wait until the last minute!
• Prepare and upload your audition video. Check out our video on filming a great audition!  
• Your parent/guardian must consent to your participation

By applying to Spotlight you are eligible for*

• Written feedback from our distinguished panel of judges
• Mastery classes with world-renowned artists
• Live audition experience and coaching
• Grand Prize Finale performance
• College and career preparation
• Cash awards
• School achievement recognition
• News and social media coverage possibilities