School of Rock Worldwide Talent Search

The Cape Town branch of the world renowned School of Rock music school brand is offering all South African teenagers the rare chance for their talent to be seen by American record label executives as part of a worldwide artist search, Center Stage.

From May 1 until June 30, singers aged 13 – 19 years old can submit a five-minute audition video in hopes of being one of 25 selected individuals flown to Los Angeles for an invaluable industry experience. These artists will perform in front of Atlantic Records and Artist Partner Group (APG) executives at a private artist showcase. They will record songs at APG’s studios with professional engineers. Additionally, 100 applicants that show promise as artists will receive a scholarship to a School of Rock camp of their choice.

For more than 20 years, School of Rock has been the leader in performance-based music education, bringing musicians of all ages to some of the most iconic stages in the world.

“School of Rock prides itself on taking students out of the lesson room and putting them on to the stage,” said Leigh Spaun, School of Rock Marketing Director. “South Africa has limited opportunities to expose up-and-coming musicians, and with this competition, Center Stage gives talented artists the potential to reach their biggest audience yet.”

A Claremont School of Rock student, Ben Reid, previously made it into the brand’s AllStars Tour, which sends the best students from around the world on a tour across the United States.

The artist search programme is open to vocalists living in a country where School of Rock operates, including the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Peru, South Africa, Australia, and the Philippines. Vocalists do not need to be School of Rock students in order to participate in Center Stage, however only students will receive feedback on their submissions to help them continue to grow and develop as musicians. “All you have to do is submit a video of yourself performing and you could stand a chance to set yourself on a path to an international music career,” Spaun said.

The competition is open to teenagers across South Africa. For more information on the Center Stage programme and how you can audition, please visit www.schoolofrock.com/centerstage