Downey High student named semifinalist in music competition

Spotlight’s 2018 grand prize finalists. Photo courtesy The Music Center.

DOWNEY — A junior at Downey High School has been named a semifinalist in The Music Center’s 31st annual Spotlight program, a nationally-acclaimed scholarship and arts training program for teens.

The Music Center selected 110 of Southern California’s most talented high school students for the program, which helps students pursue their dreams in the performing arts.

Students work on the development of their performance abilities in numerous genres, learn about careers in arts management, and receive college preparedness and workforce readiness skills.

Downey’s Juan Carballo was chosen to participate in the Jazz Instrumental program.

Approximately 1,600 students auditioned for the Spotlight program this year, with students representing more than 253 schools, 195 cities, and eight counties.

Semi-finalists will attend a special master class in their genre with highly-regarded artists who share their expertise on performance technique, training and professional life.

Each semifinalist will audition again before a new panel of judges, who will then select the top two finalist performers in each category for a total of 14 grand prize finalists. These finalists will perform at The Music Center’s Walt Disney Concert Hall on June 4.

The Spotlight program also awards more than $100,000 in cash scholarships annually.