Budding Talent Vocal Competition

The annual Budding Talent Vocal Competition provides aspiring vocalists in kindergarten through 12th grade the opportunity to showcase their talents live on stage at the Wildflower! Arts & Music Festival. Contestants may compete as a solo act or as part of a group of up to four students within the same age category.

Contestants’ age categories:

Seedlings: Kindergarten – 2nd Grade
Sprouts: 3rd Grade – 5th Grade
Buds: 6th Grade – 8th Grade
Junior Wildflowers!: 9th Grade – 10th Grade
Wildflowers!: 11th Grade – 12th Grade

All participants must complete the online application below and perform in a closed audition on Sunday, April 12, at the Richardson Senior Center, located at 820 W. Arapaho Road. From these auditions, standout performers in each age category will be selected to advance to the finals, where they will take the stage at the festival on Sunday, May 17, at 1:30 p.m. on the Singer-Songwriter Stage, performing live before an enthusiastic festival audience.

Applications to participate must be submitted by March 22.

Apply Here

Competition Rules

Contestants must be of school age (kindergarten to senior in high school).
Contestants must complete the online application and be Texas residents.
Contestants are required to perform in-person at the live audition in Richardson, TX. on April 12.
Contestants must include a current photo to be used in the Finals Program for those advancing to the Finals.
Contestants will receive an email with all details pertaining to the live audition, including timeslot. If you have not received information prior to March 22, please check your spam folder or email us at wildflowerbuddingtalent@yahoo.com.
Contestants must perform a song from memory at the live audition in front of the Budding Talent panel of judges, and their age group peers.
Song selection cannot exceed 3 minutes. No vulgar language or profanity will be allowed.
For the auditions, contestants may sing a cappella, bring a phone or ipad for musical accompaniment, accompany themselves on an acoustic instrument, or bring an accompanist (with an instrument). Bluetooth will not be provided, please bring your own auxiliary cord. No flash drives are allowed.
Small vocal ensembles of two to four singers are eligible, but bands are not eligible to apply.
Parents are not allowed into live audition room with contestants.
Selected finalists are invited to perform on the Singer Songwriter Stage in the Eisemann Center during the Wildflower! Arts & Music Festival on Sunday, May 17, at 1:30 p.m.
Finalists and at least one parent must attend a mandatory meeting prior to the festival (details forthcoming).
Prizes will be given to the winner in each age category.

For more information or clarification on any contest rules, please email wildflowerbuddingtalent@yahoo.com.

Competition FAQ’s

Are singers allowed to perform an original song?
Absolutely!

Do I have to provide my own transportation to the auditions and/or finals?
Yes. If you are traveling from out of the metroplex, be aware that there are potentially three dates for which you will have to make the trip—the auditions, the mandatory meeting before the finals, and the finals.

If I make the finals, should I sing the same song as the one I performed for the audition?
We recommend auditioning with a song that you would like to perform for the finals on the stage in the Eisemann Center. The judges will be looking for a singer that seems ready for that leap to performing in front of a larger audience, and song choice is a factor in their choice. Still, it is fine if you decide to change your selection after making it to the finals.

What if I have a conflict with my given audition time?
We have too many contestants to accommodate special requests for time slots. All contestants in their respective age groups will be judged by the same panel in their time window. It is not possible to audition outside of the given time.

What are the judges looking for?
The panel of judges will each look at factors such as tone, accuracy of pitch, musicianship, song selection and interpretation, and stage presence, and then confer to come up with the finalists. We would like to note that there are no specific quotas for each category and that they will pick the top contestants who also have exhibited the best ability to handle performing in front of a large audience. It is important to remember that the audition begins when you walk in the door and continues until you leave the audition site.

Do I have to stay after I have auditioned?
While it is a good experience to listen to others in your age group, you may leave the audition room after your audition is over if you like. We understand that this may be necessary and the judges will not penalize anyone for leaving.