SILER CITY, N.C. — Sing and Play ’25, the seventh-annual music competition for students from elementary through high school, returns next month with auditions and its popular showcase concert 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 in the Jordan-Matthews Auditorium on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 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 showcase competition. Auditions are held with an educational focus, providing an opportunity for young, aspiring performers to experience the audition process in a supportive environment. Individuals and ensembles planning to audition must register online by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 31.
The Sing and Play Showcase competition concert will be Thursday, Feb. 20, at 6:30 p.m. Immediately following all performances, winners in each age category will be selected by audience vote. General admission is $5 per person and includes one vote in each category.
Last year’s winners were Ella Stewart of George Moses Horton Middle School in the elementary division, Josephine Chen of Woods Charter School in the middle school division and Sandra Gisel Lopez of Jordan-Matthews High School in the high school division. Sing and Play ’24 was hosted by JM actor-musicians Andrey Ureña-Seceña and Karsyn Vann.
An overview of this year’s competition — including rules and a link to the registration form — is available online at jmarts.org/s/JMArtsSingandPlayRules25.pdf.
Sing and Play is an annual fundraiser for JMArts, the Jordan-Matthews Arts Foundation, a nonprofit created to provide what student actors, artists, dancers and musicians need to excel.
All money raised by the competition will be used to expand opportunity for high school artists, including students honored as JMArts Scholars. Since being launched in 2012, JMArts has awarded 101 scholarships to 70 students for intensive study over the summer, usually at weeklong, residential workshops offered on university campuses. JMArts Scholars develop their talent, explore artistic options before making their college decisions and bring what they learn back to share with other Jordan-Matthews students.
More information about JMArts and other events scheduled for this season is available at jmarts.org.
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Champions of Sing and Play ’24 with the show’s co-hosts are, from left, elementary champion Ella Stewart, co-host Andrey Ureña-Seceña, middle school champion Josephine Chen, high school champion Sandra Gisel Lopez and co-host Karsyn Vann. (Photo by Chip Pate)
Sandra Gisel Lopez of Jordan-Matthews took the prize in the high school competition at Sing and Play ’24 for her vocal performance of the Lauren song, “From the Start.” (Photo by Chip Pate)
Josephine Chen of Woods Charter School finished on top of the Sing and Play ’24 middle school competition with her vocal performance of “Rolling in the Deep.” (Photo by Chip Pate)
Audience members voted Ella Stewart, then a fifth-grader at George Moses Horton Middle School, as best performance in the Sing and Play ’24 elementary division for her vocal rendition of “When Will My Life Begin,” a song from the film “Tangled.” (Photo by Chip Pate)