From hundreds of applications nationwide, 40 finalists from 16 states have been selected to participate in this year’s Songbook Academy summer intensive, a pre-professional music program for young singers focusing on the timeless standards of jazz, pop, Broadway and Hollywood. Among the 11 finalists from Indiana are two Carmel residents, Jordan Pecar, who attends Park Tudor School, and Seth Jacobsen, who attends Carmel High School, and Eve Hodges, a Zionsville Community High School student.
Now in its 14th year, the Songbook Academy is the flagship education initiative of the Great American Songbook Foundation, providing an opportunity for talented high school performers to experience a life-changing week of classes, workshops and performances under the guidance of arts and entertainment professionals and leading university educators.
The Songbook Academy will take place July 15-22 at the Foundation’s headquarters, the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. The week includes three public performance events at the Palladium, which will take place before a live audience and will be livestreamed for viewers worldwide:
- Public Masterclass – 2-5 p.m. July 19
Ten randomly selected participants will perform and receive real-time critiques from Songbook Foundation Founder Michael Feinstein and a special guest mentor to be announced.
- Songbook Showcase – 2-5 p.m. July 20
Each of the 40 national finalists will have a turn in the spotlight to perform a selected song.
- Songbook Academy in Concert – 7 p.m. July 22
Feinstein will emcee as all 40 singers perform in choral numbers, small group ensembles and featured solos to celebrate their growth over the course of the week. The dynamic musical revue also includes tributes to legendary songwriters, interview clips gathered during the week and guest performances by Songbook Academy alumni.
For the July 19-20 events, on-site tickets and livestream registration are pay-what-you-can with no minimum price. For the final concert, on-site tickets start at just $25, and the livestream option is pay-what-you-can with a $10 minimum. Tickets are on sale now at TheSongbook.org, by phone at 1-317-843-3800 or toll-free at 1-877-909-2787.
