St. Louis Teen Talent Competition
Are you interested in participating in the 2023 St. Louis Teen Talent Competition? Register by clicking the GOLD button below.
Guidelines for the Competition
- Singer
- Actor
- Musician
- Dancer
- Band
- Comedian
- Magician
- Specialty Act, etc.
There are no fees to participate.
COMPETITION GUIDELINES
- Open to High School students in the St. Louis Metropolitan area.* Students must be enrolled in grades 9, 10, 11, or 12 during the 2022 -2023 academic year to participate.
- Students may only enter ONCE, either as a solo act or as part of a group.
- Entries may consist of one (1) to six (6) students working together as a group in a cohesive presentation. Students in one group need not attend the same school.
- Students may compete in a talent category of their choice: 1.) Vocal 2.) Dance 3.) Instrumental 4.) Other ( i.e. Circus Arts, Comedian, Magician, etc.)
- Each act must perform for a minimum of two minutes and must not exceed three minutes and thirty seconds.**
- Acts cannot change their talent category or style of their Act after the Preliminary Round – acceptable adjustments based on judges’ feedback are, better audio, different costume, and tweak choreography.
- Acts must perform the same material in the Semi-final Round and Finals.
- Acts may not add or substitute a new student for another after the Preliminary Round of competition. All contestants must be completely registered prior to performing in the Preliminary round.
- Acts should select material that is “family-friendly” and age-appropriate. Content should not contain foul language or violent subject matter. Â Acts that violate this rule can be disqualified.
- Students must participate in three progressive rounds of competition Preliminary, Semi-final, and Final Competitions and mandatory Finalist meetings and rehearsal dates for the onstage Finals. Both students and parents will be asked to sign an agreement confirming their acceptance of the schedule once it is set.
- Acts may only use one instrumental accompanist for their act. (See “Technical Information” for more information.)
* Metropolitan Area is limited to 50 miles from the Gateway Arch in all directions. To qualify for entry, a student’s High School (or home address if homeschooled) must fall within a 50-mile radius of the Arch.
**A note about classical piece selection For classical instrumentalists and vocalists entering the competition, it’s important to note that this is not your typical classical music competition or audience. While a concerto movement or extended aria might be impressive in a classical music competition, pieces of that length are too long for this particular competition. Remember, you are competing against dancers, acrobats, jugglers, baton twirlers and more! Consider shorter, more concise pieces that really get to the heart of your playing very quickly. Rather than a movement from a larger work, consider a stand-alone piece. An art song or shorter aria for vocalists, perhaps a prelude or short etude for instrumentalists. For example, the piano piece Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum by Claude Debussy would be a good length for this competition. If you absolutely cannot find a short piece to play, consider playing only an excerpt, or make a cut to keep the piece under the time limit for the competition. Short and concise are your friends when it comes to showcasing your talents amid the wide range of acts in the Teen Talent Competition!
Schedule & Dates
UPCOMING COMPETITION DATES*Â
PRELIMINARY ROUND February 4 & 5, 2023 at Kirkwood High School- All participants will be required to attend only one day of the Preliminary Round
- Vocalists: Saturday, February 4, 2023 from 8 am – 5 pm
- Specialty Acts: Sunday, February 5, 2023 from 8 am – 10: 30 am
- Dancers: Sunday, February 5, 2023 from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
- Instrumentalists: Sunday, February 5, 2023 from 1:30 pm – 3 pm
SEMI-FINAL ROUND February 26, 2023 at Kirkwood High School FINAL COMPETITION PREPARATION**  February 27, 2023 – Finalist Production Meeting- required of all finalists March 6 – 10, 2023 – One-on-One Rehearsal with Production Team NOTE: Finalists Acts are responsible for attending only one 90-minute rehearsal scheduled during this week March 20 – April 2, 2023 (tentative) – Production Rehearsals – required of all finalists at select times April 3 – 8, 2023 – Tech & Dress Rehearsals – required of all finalists at select times FINAL COMPETITION Saturday, April 8, 2023 – Live on stage at the Fabulous Fox   * All rounds of the competition will be conducted in front of a live audience.   **All meetings and rehearsals are after traditional school hours
Technical Information
- PA System
- Microphones (up to 6)
- Mic Stands (up to 6)
- Stage monitor
- Chairs (up to 6)
- CD/Flashdrive Playback equipment (cell phones may not be used to play music)
- Sound Operator
- Piano
- Piano Accompanist*
- Basic Stage Lighting
- Electricity
Any additional equipment must be provided by the students and at their own expense. Please contact the Foundation in advance to discuss technical needs at TeenTalentCompetition@foxpacf.org
*Acts must notify us in advance on their registration paperwork that they intend to use the piano accompanist that the Foundation provides. Acts using the accompanist will be asked to provide their sheet music in the correct key upon registering and in advance of the Preliminary Round.
College Scholarships & Cash Awards
2023 College Scholarships and Cash Awards:
1st Place $8,000 Scholarship
2nd Place $6,000 Scholarship
3rd Place $4,000 Scholarship
CONTINUE TO CHECK BACK FOR ADDITIONAL SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
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Prizes & Performance Opportunities
2023 Prizes & Performance Opportunities
CONTINUE TO CHECK BACK FOR AN UPDATED LIST OF PRIZES AND PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES
Judges
2023 ST. LOUIS TEEN TALENT COMPETITION JUDGES!
Students will be reviewed by a panel of qualified judges at each round of the competition. Judges will select the best talent regardless of category (i.e. singer, actor, musician, dancer, band, comedian, magician, specialty act, etc.) The judging criteria at each level of competition will be:
- Technical Ability
- Interpretation
- Stage Presence: personality and confidence
- Originality
Continue to check back to see the 2023 St. Louis Teen Talent Competition Judges!
St. Louis Teen Talent Competition Production Team
Yvonne Meyer Hare
Choreographer
Yvonne Meyer Hare, Choreographer, grew up in St. Louis, training with Gerri Stretz and the St. Louis Youth Ballet. Professionally, she began at the St. Louis Muny Opera, performing in over 35 shows, assisting some of Broadway’s finest choreographers and directors. SEE FULL BIO!
Steve Neale
Music Director
Steve Neale is an award-winning composer, conductor and pianist. With a degree in Film Scoring from the Berklee College of Music, Steve has written and produced music for film, video games, and live theater around the country. SEE FULL BIO!
Archive of Previous Competitions
Follow each link below to learn about the past 11 Years of St. Louis Teen Talent Competitions
2022 St. Louis Teen Talent Competition
2021 St. Louis Teen Talent Competition
2020 St. Louis Teen Talent Competition
2019 St. Louis Teen Talent Competition
2018 St. Louis Teen Talent Competition
2017 St. Louis Teen Talent Competition
2016 St. Louis Teen Talent Competition
2015 St. Louis Teen Talent Competition
2014 St. Louis Teen Talent Competition
2013 St. Louis Teen Talent Competition
2012 St. Louis Teen Talent Competition
2011 St. Louis Teen Talent Competition
SLTTC ALUMNI, we want to hear from YOU!Â
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