The Music Center's SPOTLIGHT

The Music Center's SPOTLIGHT 2026
Applications open on June 6, 2025 

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!

Believe in yourself and take this journey with us!

Check out The Spotlight Academy and Calendar for info on the program and categories!

Spotlight Merit, Semifinalist and Honorable Mention awardees from 2025 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 2026 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 high school student who attends a public, private, online, or home school in Southern California. Your home base must be in one of these counties: Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Riverside, Kern, or San Bernardino. Dance and Ballet students, please check the category rules page for out of state residency exceptions.
• You must be an enrolled high school student as of December 31, 2025.  You may not be enrolled as a full time college student.
• Students who advance to the Grand Prize Finals must be available to attend the rehearsal and show. Date TBD
• 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 13, 2025. 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

RECENT PROGRAM CHANGES: 

Contemporary Instrumental 

The Contemporary Instrumental category replaces the Jazz Instrumental Category.  Jazz Instrumental will become one of two subcategories: Jazz Instrumental and Popular & Rock Instrumental.  The subcategory of Popular/Rock Instrumental includes Popular, Rock, Folk Rock, R&B/Urban, and Latin/Salsa/Samba. You may apply in only one of these subcategories; you may apply with more than one instrument in your chosen subcategory.  See Contemporary Instrumental program rules for more information.
Acting Acting applicants will be allowed to audition with a monologue or a 2-person scene that comes from published plays, movies, or television.  No original material is allowed.  The majority of the dialogue must be spoken by the applicant, not the scene partner. Only the applicant will be judged.  The video for the Preliminary 1 round should be focused on the person auditioning.  

Classical Instrumental and Contemporary Instrumental 

Applicants may apply to these category with two different instruments – separate applications are required.

If you have questions or want to be added to our mailing list, email us: spotlight@musiccenter.org.