Forty of the nation’s top high school vocalists have been selected to participate in the 2021 Songbook Academy Summer Intensive, a week of personal instruction and mentoring from arts and entertainment professionals presented each year by the Great American Songbook Foundation.
Now in its 12th year, the Songbook Academy is the nation’s leading youth music intensive focused on timeless standards from the worlds of jazz, Broadway, Hollywood and Tin Pan Alley. Typically offered on-site at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel, where the Songbook Foundation is headquartered, the program is again shifting to a virtual format this year in response to the logistical and safety issues posed by the ongoing pandemic.
Still, during the week of July 17-24, the 40 finalists can expect an unforgettable interactive experience of professional vocal training, performance coaching, workshops, daily social activities and educational masterclasses with a star-studded team of mentors led by five-time Grammy Award nominee and Songbook Foundation Founder Michael Feinstein.
“There is no reason to expose our finalists or others to any health risk when the virtual format has already proven successful and meaningful to students across the country,” said Songbook Executive Director Christopher Lewis, who explains the decision in further detail in this video. “We look forward to making a difference in the lives of these young artists in creative, safe and accessible ways that preserve the quality, the camaraderie and the personalized nature of the experience.”
Many of the education sessions will be available for live public viewing on Facebook and YouTube. This year’s program will culminate in a weekend of online performance showcases in early August (schedule TBA), hosted by Feinstein and streamed for families, friends and the public to enjoy. More information and a schedule of events are available at TheSongbook.org/SongbookAcademyOnline. This year’s Songbook Academy will be presented by the 2021 Education and Engagement Sponsors, Libby and Randy Brown, and is sponsored nationally by the Efroymson Family Fund.
On completing the program, each year’s participants are welcomed into the Songbook Academy Alumni Network to maintain their connections and stay informed about college programs, auditions and performance opportunities. Notable alumni include Maddie Baillio (2014), who starred as Tracy Turnblad in NBC’s Hairspray Live! and appeared in the 2018 Netflix comedy feature Dumplin’; and Melinda Rodriguez (2013), who won the 2019 Ella Fitzgerald Jazz Vocal Competition and appeared on Season 17 of NBC’s The Voice.
This year’s application process drew entries from hundreds of students representing 25 states, all of whom have received personal feedback on their audition videos. The Top 40 finalists, selected by a new panel of national screeners, hail from 15 states coast to coast.