The judges have been unveiled for the 2018 SaskTel Search for the Stars.
The annual talent competition takes place at the E.A. Rawlinson Centre, starting with auditions, then a workshop, a pair of band rehearsals and then the final showcase show.
Contestants will be judged by music teacher Kayleigh Skomorowski, bassist Teegan Jeffers and singer/bassist Jay Semko of the Northern Pikes.
Skomorowki is a singer-songwriter, wind band director and music educator based in Prince Albert. She current directs the Prince Albert Concert Band and Prince Albert Youth Band, and released an album of her own work in 2011 under the name Kayleigh Smith.
Jeffers has played upright bass with several Saskatoon groups and artists, and was a member of Prince Albert’s The Goats. She has also performed with the Saskatoon Symphony.
Semko is singer/bassist with multiple-JUNO award nominees and Western Canadian Music Hall of Fame members the Northern Pikes. He is also an award-winning composer for film and TV productions.
This year auditions are scheduled for Sept. 16 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. The competition pits youth aged 7-18 against each other in four categories: solo junior, solo intermediate and solo senior, as well as singer-songwriter for kids aged 13-18.
Past singer-songwriter winners include The Wolfe and LJ Tyson.
“It’s an amazing opportunity,” said Siobhan Bayda of The Wolfe in a SaskTel-sponsored video preview produced for the event.
“We absolutely loved it when we played it.”
Tyson agreed.
“I met some really cool mentors and … a lot of musicians I’m still friends with today. It had a big impact on me,” he said in the video.
“I would 100 per cent recommend Search for the Stars. There can never be enough opportunities for youth in Prince Albert.
Musicians chosen to move past the audition phase will work with the judges and Tri Sonic Sound at a workshop. They will then have two chances to work with the house band led by Mike Langlois prior to the Oct. 25 show.
If the final singer-songwriter contestant meets a score predetermined by the judges, they will get a chance to record a three-song demo with Tri Sonic Sound. Contestants can only enter into one category.
SaskTel Search for the Stars still has audition spots available. For more information, visit the E.A. Rawlinson Website at www.earc.ca and click on the SaskTel Search for the Stars tab.
