Arts & Entertainment

Watchung Art Center Seeking NJ Idol Contestants

Entries due Jan. 27 for the fourth round of the singing competition drawing from across New Jersey.

Some of New Jersey's most talented young performers will meet Feb. 8 at the Watchung Arts Center, when the center opens auditions for this year's 2014 NJ IDOL Vocal Competition. 

The competition is in its fourth year and is open to New Jersey residents between ages 15—29, performing all genres of music such as folk, country, pop, classical, gospel and rock.  

The mission of this event is to provide young local talents a venue to perform and an avenue in which to further their careers. Judges Mark D. Conklin (songwriter, producer, manager and founder of Music City East, LLC), Lou Takacs (Senior Counsel, Legal & Business Affairs at INgrooves|Fontana) and Lisa Coppola (recording artist) will select the top performers who will advance to the finals—with help from the audience—based on the performer's singing, musicality, appearance, and stage presence.  

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The winner will receive $500 and the two runner-ups will receive industry professional services prizes. 

Interested contestants need to submit entries by Jan. 27. To enter, submit an MP3 or WMA file or a YouTube link of no more than three minutes of one song the contestant would be prepared to perform in the competition. Only one entry per contestant may be submitted. The song must be emailed to NJIDOL@WatchungArts.org, and the entry form, waiver and the $20 entry fee must be mailed to Watchung Arts Center, 18 Stirling Road, Watchung, NJ 07069 and postmarked no later than Jan. 27.  All flyers, registration forms and details can be found online at WatchungArts.org.

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Performers advancing to the semi-finals will return for the second round on Feb. 21 and 22, with the finals taking place on March 1.

This event is not associated or affiliated with American Idol, its sponsors, producers or participants.

The Watchung Arts Center is a multi-disciplinary arts facility serving Watchung and the surrounding communities and the Tri-State Area.  For more information visit the website or to place a reservation call 908-753-0190 or email at wacenter@optonline.net. 


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