Amanda McGovern
Amanda McGovern, an acting student in the West Virginia University School of Theatre and Dance, will compete as a finalist in the American Pops Orchestra's NextGen National vocal competition.
McGovern is one of 12 students from across the United States selected to perform in the live finals at the Lincoln Center in New York City on January 19, 2025. The NextGen vocal competition is dedicated to "finding the voices of tomorrow." It allows the finalists to learn from industry professionals while competing for scholarship money and paid performance opportunities with the American Pops Orchestra (APO).
The selection process began with a self-taped audition in October. The semi-finalists then taped performances, which aired during the live semi-finals show on December 1. Professional judges and audience votes determined the final 12 competitors.
For this year's competition, contestants can perform any song written before 1970. For the semi-finals, McGovern performed "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You" by Franki Valli and the Four Seasons.
“That song was one of the first experiences I ever really had with music,” she said. “I am so grateful for the opportunity to sing the songs that made me fall in love with music in the first place. I have found so much great new music that I love by looking for potential pieces to sing and hearing the other vocalists' song choices!”
APO created professional accompaniment for each participant’s song selection for use in their video submissions. The semi-finalists also had the opportunity to participate in a zoom talkback with Broadway star Nic Rouleau and a masterclass with American Pops conductor Luke Frazier, a 2007 WVU School of Music graduate and founder of APO.
“During the masterclass, we were given the opportunity to share some things about ourselves with one another,” McGovern said. “I have shared congratulatory messages with a couple of the finalists through social media. They are all extremely talented individuals who seem to be very kind human beings, and I am so excited to meet everyone in January!”
All travel expenses are covered by APO, including another masterclass and tickets to a Broadway show. This will be McGovern’s third visit to the Big Apple.
“I have been so inspired and moved by the art that is made in the city,” she said. “This will be my first ever experience performing in NYC, and that is incredibly special to me. I have dreamed of doing something like this ever since I was a little girl. I am so excited to learn during this process and to take in every moment.”
McGovern is a senior from Wheeling, West Virginia, who received both the Promise Scholarship and the Wheeling Park High School Phyllis Beneke Scholarship to attend WVU. In October, she played the role of Phoebe in the School of Theatre and Dance’s performances of “Phoebe in Winter.”
“Over the past four years, I have learned so much about who I am as both a performer and human,” she said. “Every day, I come into class and learn about the human condition. I get to explore telling stories through the spoken word and song. WVU has given me so many wonderful resources and opportunities to learn, and I would not be the performer that I am today without my training here.”
The APO NextGen vocal competition will take place at the Lincoln Center and will be livestreamed at 2 p.m. on January 19, 2025. The event is free to view, and more details will be released closer to the event via APO social media channels.
For more information about the WVU Theatre program, visit theatre.wvu.edu.