Bijou Orchestra Announces TALENT SEARCH
Winners to Receive Master Class, Coaching and Performance with The Bijou
April 20, 2007
By: Julie McCallum, Entertainment Editor
Talent Search Underway at Bijou Orchestra
The Bijou Orchestra is looking for the stars of tomorrow.
Musical Theatre students of all ages are invited to earn the opportunity for master classes, coaching and a performance with The Bijou Orchestra at the Broadway Bound
auditions to be held on Sunday, April 29 beginning at 2:00 p.m. at Temple Israel, 2300 Center avenue in Bay City.
Click here for Map to Temple Israel.
Contestants will audition in one of in three age groups: Youth (elementary and middle school), High School, and College (18-21 (need not be enrolled in school to compete.)
Winners will receive a master class and coaching with Kathy Wagner, well-known performer and director from Grand Rapids who has directed several of The Bijou's musicals.
These classes will prepare the winners to
appear live with The Bijou on Sunday, May 13 at 2:00 p.m. at the State Theatre in
a concert called "Broadway Bound."
Entrants need to prepare two songs from the traditional Broadway musical repertoire. At least one of these must be taken from a musical by Rogers and Hammerstein.
Contestants must bring a copy of the sheet music for the song
they have chosen to sing in their proper key so that they can be accompanied by the pianist.
The competition is open to residents of Bay, Arenac, Midland, Saginaw, Tuscola, Huron, Claire and Isabella counties. Winners will be selected by a panel of judges and will be announced that day.
Leo Najar, Bijou Artistic Director, said, "There is a great tradition of presenting musicals at the high school level
in this region."
Najar went on to say, "We want to capture
the very best of that young talent and give them the opportunity to share
the stage with a first class professional theatre orchestra. It's an
experience that will be great for them and for the audience."
The Broadway Bound auditions and performance are made possible by a grant
from the Robert and Helen Lee Foundation.
For further information, please call (989) 892-4211.
The Bijou Orchestra takes its name from the Bijou Theater, one of the earliest Bay City theaters, which later became known as the Bay and eventually the State. The ensemble is composed of thirteen outstanding musicians drawn from Michigan and beyond to perform in this challenging medium in which every player is a soloist.
The orchestra is supported in part by grants from the Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs, the Kantzler Foundation, the Russell H. & Maxine E. Smith Foundation, and the Bay Area Community Foundation.
Major corporate contributors include the SC Johnson Corporation, Labadie Auto Company, Dow Chemical, Dow Corning, Bay Regional Medical Center, OmniSource and Thelen Auto Group.