How do you get to Carnegie Hall? The answer, generally, is “practice, practice, practice.” But the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra has another way: Take part in its “American Idol”-style Atlanta Symphony Songster 2010 Vocal Competition and you could win a round-trip airline ticket to hear the ASO perform at New York’s venerable concert hall.
Here’s the deal. By midnight Wednesday, July 28, amateur solo singers age 18 and older must submit an application to the ASO and a two-minute video of themselves singing “Over the Rainbow” to the ASO’s YouTube channel. Judges will choose and announce three finalists on Aug. 4. The finalists will then sing a portion of the song with the symphony before its Aug. 14 concert at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park in Alpharetta. The performances also will be streamed live on UStream.com/atlantasymphony. The program that night features the music to The Wizard of Oz.
Audience members will vote for the winner online or by text message. Ben Mankiewicz, the weekend daytime host of Turner Classic Movies (TCM), will announce the winner at intermission. First prize is two domestic round-trip tickets to New York, one hotel room and two concert tickets to the ASO concert at Carnegie Hall on Oct. 30, plus a TCM gift basket of books and DVDs. The other finalists also receive prizes.
