By Robin Tarnowetzki
Journal Staff Writer
Musical hopefuls in and around Humboldt have a chance to compete in the city's very own version of American Idol.
It's called the Sound Cheque Showcase and a maximum of 16 participants will perform for judges this Sunday at the Uniplex. Three finalists will be chosen to perform at Humboldt's Streetfest on Aug. 23. From those three, one grand prize winner will be chosen. The prizes are $400 for third place, $600 for second, and $1,000 for first. The point is to contribute to music, so the vouchers can only be used for studio time or for the purchase of performance equipment from Center Stage Music in Humboldt.
"In a nutshell, we would hope that this prize money might encourage the winner(s) to continue to work on their talent and eventually produce a recording of themselves," said Tanya Schuler, president of Arts Humboldt. "It is not an expectation though, so there is no pressure for the winners to be serious about a career in the music business."
Though participants from farther away will be considered, the competition is meant for people who consider Humboldt the closest major centre. A general boundary is Watson, Naicam, Cudworth, Colonsay and Jansen.
"We hope to show that Humboldt is becoming a centre that brings and supports various arts in the community for all to participate in and enjoy," she said.
There is still space available for the Sound Cheque Showcase.
"These things help the participants grow in their musical performance, enhancing their stage presence and letting them get a feel for performing in front of an audience," Schuler said. "No matter how often a musician practices, being on stage with an audience is a very different feeling and the more they get a chance to do this, the more comfortable they become."
She added that while helping to further musicians is part of the point of the Sound Cheque Showcase, the ultimate goal is to bring more arts and culture to Humboldt.
