SILER CITY, N.C. — Sing and Play ’22, the fourth-annual musical competition for students from elementary through high school, returns after a one-year pandemic hiatus with auditions and its popular showcase concert set for next month at Jordan-Matthews High School in Siler City.
Instrumental and vocal acts will compete for a $50 prize awarded for the best performance in each of three age categories — elementary, middle school and high school. Acts may be individuals or ensembles up to four people, with all performers being full-time students in a North Carolina public, private or home school.
Auditions will be held by appointment at Jordan-Matthews on Tuesday, Feb. 8, from 3:45 to 5:45 p.m., when a panel of judges will select four to six acts in each age category to perform in the competition. Each act selected during auditions must pay a $10 registration fee to enter the competition. Individuals and ensembles wanting to audition must register online by Tuesday, Feb. 1.
The Sing and Play Showcase competition concert will be Thursday, Feb. 24, at 6:30 p.m., in the Jordan-Matthews Auditorium. Immediately after the performances, winners will be selected by audience vote. General admission is $5 per person and includes one vote in each category.
An overview of the competition — including rules and a link to the registration form — is available online at jmarts.org/s/JMArtsSingAndPlayRules2022.pdf.
Sing and Play is a fundraiser for JMArts, the Jordan-Matthews Arts Foundation, a nonprofit created to provide what student artists need to excel.
Money raised by the competition will be used by JMArts for educational projects, including its annual New York Arts Adventure. Scheduled over spring break, the educational trip to New York City gives a group of upperclass musicians, actors and visual artists an opportunity to explore one of the world’s great cities, experience the very best in the arts and gain new perspectives and experiences that will influence their lives and work. Several world-class actors, musicians and critics will meet with JM artists during the five-day adventure.
More information about JMArts and other events scheduled for this season is available at jmarts.org.
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Winners of Sing and Play ’20 celebrate with master of ceremonies Lindley Andrew. Selected as winners by audience vote were, from left, Luz Borrayo of Chatham Charter School, Ari Carrillo Ibarra of Chatham Middle School and Oliver Vang of Moncure School, pictured with Andrew. The competition was not held last year because of the pandemic. (Photo by Chip Pate)