Crossroads News
Two Crossroads Students Earn the Spotlight
Upper-Schoolers named finalists for The Music Center’s prestigious award.
Four Crossroads Upper School students were named semifinalists for The Music Center’s Spotlight program in acting, ballet and jazz, and two of them went on to win the finals.
Eleventh-grade pianists Luca Mendoza and Alec Schulman were named grand prize finalists in jazz instrumental last month. They, along with the finalists from the six other categories, will receive $5,000 scholarships and will appear in a grand finale performance at The Music Center’s Walt Disney Concert Hall on June 11 at 7 p.m.
“I’m so honored, thrilled and excited to be named a finalist,” said Alec, 16. “It’s surreal that I’ll be performing my original composition, ‘Distant Sands,’ at Walt Disney Hall.”
Julia Gutierrez del Barrio, a 12th-grader, and Anna Yeh, a ninth-grader, were named semifinalists in acting and ballet, respectively. They said they were pleased to have made it that far in the process.
“I am so honored to be named a Spotlight semifinalist in acting,” Julia said. “Bernard Addison, who taught our master class, really helped the other semifinalists and I with our pieces.”
Added Anna, “I have always loved to dance, and to be recognized for something I love is truly an amazing feeling. Spotlight has already given me many amazing opportunities and experiences, and hopefully there are more to come.”
This year, more than 1,600 students from across Southern California auditioned for the spots. All high school students have the opportunity to attend the Spotlight Academy, a free daylong series of seminars and workshops led by outstanding professionals and arts educators.
