Announcing the 2012 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts
The U.S. Department of Education has announced the twenty 2012 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts! At the request of The Commission on Presidential Scholars, which is appointed by the President of the United States, YoungArts is the exclusive path to U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts (PSA). Participants in the YoungArts program are the only students eligible to receive the designation of PSA, based on their artistic and academic achievements. Each year, a group of 60 PSA nominees are selected from the 150 YoungArts Finalists. From these students, 20 winners are chosen by the White House appointed Commission on Presidential Scholars and named U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts, alongside 121 other scholars at a White House ceremony.
In addition to this once in a lifetime honor, the visual and cinematic artists, photographers and writers will present their work in an exhibition at the Smithsonian American Art Museum on Sunday June 17, with the exhibition viewing starting at 5pm, and the writers' readings and cinematic arts screening at 6pm (no RSVP or tickets required). On Monday, June 18 at 8pm, the performing artists will present A Salute to the 2012 U.S. Presidential Scholars at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The performance is FREE and open to the public, but tickets are required. To reserve tickets, call the U.S. Presidential Scholars line after June 5 at (202) 401-0961 or email presidential.scholars@ed.gov. If you’re not in the DC area, be sure to watch our livestreamed performance at the Kennedy Center at www.youngarts.org!
YoungArts MasterClass
 Renée Fleming: A YoungArts MasterClass, is set to air on HBO on May 28, 2012 at 6:00pm. The special half-hour presentation, produced and directed by filmmaking team Karen Goodman and Kirk Simon, will inaugurate the second year of the acclaimed Emmy-nominated program, which premiered last season on HBO. The first episode will feature the Grammy-winning soprano Ms. Fleming as she mentors four talented young opera students – YoungArts winners – in New York City at her alma mater, Juilliard, and at her apartment.
YoungArts MasterClass presents world-class creative artists who share their art and life experiences with small groups of young artists who represent a new generation of American talent. Each edition of the program highlights the importance of mentorship, which resonates in the arts and beyond, allowing this new generation of young artists to meet and work with legends, like Renée Fleming, in the fields they aspire to pursue.
Additional upcoming specials of YoungArts MasterClass will feature such legendary artists as actress Patti LuPone, playwright John Guare, musician Bobby McFerrin, painter James Rosenquist and photographer Bruce Weber, among others.
Watch Season 1 here.
YoungArts Alumni Perform with Ben Folds for Arts Advocacy Day
 On Tuesday, April 17, Alec Baldwin, Ben Folds and Hill Harper were among the more than 500 grassroots supporters from across the nation who took to Capitol Hill to advocate for pro-arts legislation during Arts Advocacy Day.
On the eve of Arts Advocacy Day, Americans for the Arts hosted the 25th Annual Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts & Public Policy at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. where seven YoungArts Alumni performed with singer/songwriter Ben Folds.
This is their rehearsal.
Watch the full performance here.
Special thanks to Ben Folds and Americans for the Arts for making this collaboration possible.
2012 YoungArts Week DVDs Now Available!
 The 2012 YoungArts Week DVDs are now available for purchase! If you weren’t in attendance, be sure to also check out all performances and highlights on our YouTube channel.
Enjoy!
Blog Spotlight
 Ben Folds Gives Advice to Aspiring Artists
To aspiring musical artists who have time to read this stuff: I'm often asked for advice to aspiring musicians and I'm just immature enough to take a stab at it on this flight to Boston. Really, I'm not dead sure of any of this, but here goes... if nothing else, maybe I'm thinking aloud – stuff that I need to remember for myself. Forgive any perceived tone of all-knowingness. It just comes out that way when I'm trying to make sense of it all.
"Take my advice - Don't Listen To Me" — Neil Young
Aaaaaand!
+LIKE THEY USED TO SAY ON VH-1: MUSIC FIRST… read the full post, here.
Alumni Spotlight
 In this month’s Alumni Spotlight Video we interview Colby Minifie, 2010 YoungArts Winner in Theater, who recently starred in Close Up Space on Broadway with David Hyde Pierce and was cast as a young Sue Sylvester on the hit-TV show GLEE. Watch and find out more about her experience working with some of the biggest masters in theater, what she's working on now, and about her experience spreading the wealth of the arts abroad!
Where are They Now?
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+Alice Blumenfeld (Dance, 2008) received a Fulbright Grant for 2012-2013 for a project in the creative arts. She will be traveling to Spain in September for a year to further her understanding of flamenco dance in relationship to the singing. Congratulations, Alice!
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+Noah Gray (Cinematic Arts, 2010) is the Founder & Executive Director of The Virgin Voting Project – and he just launched a Kickstarter campaign for his latest documentary. Check it out,here.
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+David Stewart (Voice, 2012) received the first ever Lolapolooza Berklee Scholarship – a full 4 year tuition scholarship to attend the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. Thanks to this scholarship, we’ll also be able to see David playing in Lolapolooza, this year or the next. Stay tuned for the date!
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+Congratulations to Delali Ayivor (Theater, 2011) and Victoria Ford (Writing, 2011) who were awarded summer internships at Americans for the Arts.
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