Shining Star CLE 2023
VIDEO AUDITIONS
April 17– June 30, 2023 11:59 PM
When the open enrollment begins, upload your video audition! ALL genres of music are accepted! Be creative. Gospel, Pop, Rock, R&B, Classical and Musical Theater are all encouraged.
- Please, limit your video to three minutes maximum. This is just for ease of viewing. Get to the part of the song that really shows off your ability! As you advance through the competition, you will have the opportunity to sing your complete song!
- Piano accompaniment, personal instrument usage or a capella are preferred but recorded accompaniment is allowed.
- A group of recognized music professionals will judge the online submissions and select the students who will advance to the next round.
NEW FOR 2023:
In order to avoid repetition, the top ten finalist songs from the previous year are excluded from the current competition. Please do not plan on singing any of the following songs from last year's show.
- A Piece of Sky (Yentl)
- Poor Wandering One (Pirates of Penzance)
- My Grand Plan (The Lightning Thief)
- The Joker (Brandi Carlile)
- Always Remember Us This Way (A Star Is Born)
- Fighter (Hannah Tramonte)
- Gravity (Sara Bareilles)
- One Perfect Moment (Bring It On)
- Sante Fe (Newsies)
- Sal Tlay Ka Siti (The Book of Mormon Musical)
- Hopelessly Devoted to You (Grease).
Tips for a Great Audition Video:
- Pick a song you love; a song you know well will guarantee a better audition. Plus, this song will likely remain with you throughout the length of your Shining Star CLE 2023 journey (subject to the sole discretion of the artistic director). Put thought into why you are singing this song and how it represents your personal artistry!
- Find a well-lit area – we want to see you!
- Film your audition video in a place you feel comfortable like your living room, a park or a classroom. The more comfortable you feel, the better you will perform.
- Minimize any background noise. We want to hear you, nothing else.
- Keep yourself in frame! Take a few steps back from the camera, so we don't miss anything!
- Don't be afraid to be yourself! Tell us who you are, why you chose your song and be sure to give it your best shot!
- If at first you don’t succeed… Don't worry about making a mistake in your first take. Just keep trying. We want to see the BEST version of your song, and sometimes that happens after several tries.
- Relax! Take a deep breath and have fun.
- REMEMBER: We are excited to hear you sing. This is our 7th year of this competition and we continue to be amazed by the tremendous talent we are able to see and hear in Northeast Ohio. We look forward to seeing you "shine"!
GOOD LUCK!
This unique solo-singing competition gives high school students the chance to compete for college scholarships and perform live at Playhouse Square.
ELIGIBILITY
VIEW ALL CONTEST RULES & ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
- Any high school student in grades 9 – 12 (as of August 2023) in Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit or Wayne counties (including home-schooled students).
- All participants must have a 2024–2027 graduation date.
- FREE TO ENTER!
- All genres of music welcome!
THE AUDITION PROCESS
Round 1 (Video Auditions): April 17 – June 30, 2023
- Eligible students can upload their video audition, singing a song of their choice (students will likely use the same performance piece throughout the competition, subject to the sole discretion of the artistic director).
- Students have three minutes max.
- Piano accompaniment, personal instrument usage or acapella are preferred, but recorded accompaniment is allowed.
- A group of recognized music professionals will judge the online submissions and select students to advance to the next round.
Round 2 (Virtual Auditions): July 8-9, 2023
- Students will perform via zoom in front of a panel of judges.
- The top 25 students will advance to the semifinals.
Round 3 (Semifinals): July 30, 2023
- Judges will select the top 10 students and 2 alternates to perform during The Finals Performance.
Finalist Rehearsal Week: September 5-9, 2023
- If a virtual event is necessary the Finals rehearsals will be rescheduled for August 9-13, 2023. Upon Request, religious accommodations will be made at the discretion of our Artistic Director.
The Finals Performance: September 10, 2023 at 7 PM
- The top 10 students will perform live on stage at the Mimi Ohio Theatre at Playhouse Square.
- The students will be accompanied musically during their solo-performance.
- The top four students selected by the judges will be asked to perform a final song at the Finals.