St. Louis Teen Talent competition kicks off its seventh year
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation (FPACF) is pleased to announce that the 7th Annual St. Louis Teen Talent Competition will begin Saturday, February 4 and Sunday, February 5, 2017 with 169 performers taking the stage in the preliminary round of competition.
Below are a list of local participating performers:
- Nicolette Bedwell, Civic Memorial H.S., Singer
- Rayna Campbell, Belleville East H.S., Opera Singer
- Julia Donato, Belleville East H.S., Color Guard
- Aly Gabriel, Edwardsville H.S., Singer
- Jordan Hall-Streater, Belleville East Township H.S., Musical Theatre
- Paige Hopkins, Belleville East H.S., Singer
- Cristina Jones, O'Fallon Township H.S., Singer
- Dalton Morris, Collinsville H.S., Singer
- Grace Preciado, Belleville East H.S., Musical Theatre
- Jordan Riney, Edwardsville H.S., Singer & Musician
- "Rose" Rock Band featuring Luke Alonso, Parkway West H.S., Guitarist, Makayla Jong, Rockwood Summit H.S., Singer, Sam Lyles, O'Fallon Township H.S., Bassist
- Saint Louis Ballet School" Ballet Dancers featuring Rebekah Apicello, Francis Howell North H.S., Victoria Cunnane, Visitation Academy, Ruth Connelly, Westminster Christian Academy, Greer Den Houter, Edwardsville H.S., Abby Hernandez, Visitation Academy
- Myckena Surber, Belleville East H.S., Dancer
“We are thrilled with the ongoing response to this event from students, parents, arts organizations and the community. The Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation is happy to be able to provide the opportunity for students to perform at the Fox and on other stages around St. Louis. We’re delighted that we are able to put talented young people in the spotlight,” said Mary Strauss, President of the FPACF Board of Directors.
The Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation reintroduced the St. Louis Teen Talent Competition in 2011 to showcase the St. Louis region’s most talented teens in the performing arts. The 2016 winner was Royce Martin, a pianist from Grand Center Arts Academy. Student acts may enter as soloists or in groups up to six people.
This year’s entries represent 63 schools in the bi-state metropolitan area (52 MO/11 IL) plus homeschoolers and include acts showcasing a variety of talents including a barbershop quartet, baton twirlers, improv comedian, contortionist, juggler, aerialist, color guard performer, dancers, and singers.
Each round and location will have a panel of at least three judges who will adjudicate and advance acts to the next round of competition. Judges for the Preliminary and Semi-final rounds are arts professionals from the St. Louis region who are asked to give each act constructive, verbal feedback immediately after they perform. Miano.tv produces videos of the competition process which will be available on our YouTube and SchoolTube channels. Stories from the past six years are currently posted and provide viewers a glimpse of what the competition is all about.
Judges for the first two rounds of competition will again include an impressive cross section of professionals from the St. Louis performing arts community. A complete list of preliminary round judges is available on the FPACF website.
The two days of preliminary competition, at Ritenour High School and Logan University, will narrow the field from 130 to 36 acts. These acts will then compete in the Semi-finals on Saturday, March 4th at Missouri Baptist University where the final 12 acts will be chosen to compete on The Fabulous Fox stage as part of a professionally produced show on Saturday, April 8, 2017. This final event at The Fabulous Fox is free and open to the public. A total of more than $30,000 in scholarships and prizes will be distributed among the top competitors. Additionally, students are eligible for scholarships from Lindenwood University, Webster University, UMSL and Southeast Missouri State University. Students can also win gift certificates, special awards and other prizes. A full list can be found on the FPACF website.
Finalists will also have unique performance opportunities within the St. Louis area arranged by FPACF and by request. Finalists from prior years have showcased their talents at The Muny, with the Chamber Music Society of St. Louis, Winter Opera, at the Sheldon Concert Hall, Shakespeare Festival Green Show in Forest Park, Six Flags – St. Louis, Taste of Maplewood, Let Them Eat Art, and Fair St. Louis.
Registration for this competition was free and open to all high school students in the St. Louis Metropolitan area. This event showcases the most talented teens in our region who excel in the performing arts. Contestants must be enrolled in the 9th through 12th grades in the 2016-2017 school year and must attend a high school/home school within a 50-mile radius from the Arch.
Complete guidelines and information about the 7th Annual 2017 St. Louis Teen Talent Competition can be found on the Foundation’s website as well as on the FPACF Facebook page. The community response to this FREE event has been amazing and grown over the past six years with “sold out” crowds at The Fox. Additionally, each year 120,000 viewers have watched the Nine Network’s hour-long program on the competition. We are pleased to announce that The Nine Network will once again broadcast an hour-long program on the 2017 competition.
Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation fosters, promotes, and encourages young people in the St. Louis region to discover and participate in the joy and wonder of live performances.
More like this:
