Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra is looking for two singers to join them, along with Gavin Hope and our good friends Jeans ’n Classics, to perform on stage at the Schuster Center on January 28, 2017.
Official Judges (along with Dayton Residents) will select two talented winners, each of whom will sing lead vocals on a soul song—backed by the full Dayton Philharmonic and Jeans ’n Classics on January 28, 2017—for an audience of 2,000 music fans. The specific songs to be performed at the concert will be selected by Jeans ’n Classics, and both winners will sing with Gavin Hope and Jeans ’n Classics on the first half of the concert. Each Winner will receive four front-row tickets to Soulful with Gavin Hope.
FIRST, YOU NEED A VIDEO!
Post your video on YouTube and then complete the form on their website. Contestants must be 18 years or older and must have a permanent residence in Dayton, Ohio area counties (see list on pull-down menu below on form).
FIRST ROUND—A display web page of vocalists entering online will go live starting Sunday, October 16, 2016. These entrants will be vetted by Dayton Philharmonic staff. There will be a voting feature on the display page, and residents from the Miami Valley are encouraged to vote for their favorite candidates beginning Sunday, October 16, 2016. The Dayton vote tallies will be used, in concert with the Judges’ votes, to select a field of Finalists who will be identified and notified on November 3 by e-mail. All other contestants will be notified at that time as well. Finalists will be announced from the Schuster Center stage on Saturday, November 4 during the DPO Rockin’ Orchestra concert Landslide: The Music of Fleetwood Mac.
IMPORTANT—You may list only one YouTube video, and to qualify, it must show you singing. Demonstrate your vocals, either with a background track or a capella, if you like. Of course, Dayton residents and Judges may choose to take into consideration any other videos or sound files currently on the web: other YouTube videos, your site if you have one, your Facebook page, etc. But the key starting point is the YouTube video URL that you provide below.
SECOND ROUND—Finalists will be invited to sing live on November 12, 2016 for a panel of Judges (competition starts at 7:00 pm and ends as late as 11 pm). This event will be held at The Dayton Beer Company; Beer Hall & Production Brewery (Downtown Dayton, 41 Madison Street, Dayton, OH 45402) and will be open to the general public. Contestants will be provided a background track, microphone and sound equipment. Judges will attend personally. The Final Winners will be selected at this time by the Judges on the basis of vocal talent, stage presence, general demeanor, and overall grasp of the soul and R&B genres.
FINAL WINNERS—Public announcement of the two Final Winners will occur on December 9, 2016, 8:00 pm at the Hometown Holiday SuperPops concert with Dayton Philharmonic and announced via WROU and in the Dayton Daily News on Sunday, December 11. A press photo opportunity for Dayton Soul Singers Search will be scheduled at 7:30 before the Hometown Holiday concert on December 9.
PERFORMANCE DATE: JANUARY 28, 2017—Two Winners will perform at the DPO Rockin’ Orchestra concert Jeans ’n Classics presents Soulful featuring Gavin Hope at 8:00 pm on Saturday, January 28, 2017.
OFFICIAL JUDGES
. Peter Brennan—arranger, guitarist, Jeans ’n Classics founder
. Neal Gittleman—artistic director and conductor, Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra
. Faith Daniels—WROU Program Director and On-Air Personality