Fifteen songwriters have been invited to showcase their original songs and compete for prize money at the St. John’s Outdoor Pavilion in Schulenburg, Texas on Saturday, May 13 after being named as semifinalists in the 2023 Songwriter Serenade competition.
Ajaye Bureyko (Nashville, TN), Katrina Cain (Austin, TX), Caitlin Cannon (Nashville, TN), Christina Cavazos (Nashville, TN), Alex Coba (Houston, TX), Wyatt Espalin (Hawassee, GA), Jenner Fox (Bainbridge Island, WA), Anthony Garcia (Holland, TX), Helena Halberg (Brooklyn, NY), Jack McKeon (Nashville, TN), Sarah Morris (Shoreview, MN), Chris Moyse (Nashville, TN), Nick Spear (Whitefish, MT), Alicia Stockman (Heber City, UT), and Laura Zucker (Lafayette, CA) were selected as semifinalists by a panel of judges comprised of Susan Gibson, Josh Grider, Phoebe Hunt, and Walt Wilkins.
There were no fees to enter the annual competition that was established in 2007 to provide performing songwriters with a platform to showcase their skills before their peers, a panel of esteemed judges and an appreciative audience of Americana, folk and roots music lovers. Songwriters had to submit four songs in mp3 format that were written and/or copyrighted within the last three years. They were evaluated based on lyrics (imagery, story, creativity, and originality), melody (structure, phrasing and rhythm), and performing ability (vocals, musicianship). Stage presence/audience rapport will also be taken into consideration during the semifinals and finals.
Each of the 15 semifinalists will perform two songs before the judges and an audience from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Following an hour-long lunch break, seven selected finalists will perform one different original song between 3 and 4 p.m. Prize money will be awarded to all participants immediately after the finals, while an awards ceremony is slated for 4:30 p.m. Ken Gaines, an award-winning singer-songwriter and former longtime host of a songwriters’ series at Houston’s famed Anderson Fair, will be the event’s emcee. Public tickets are available for $15 and may be purchased online at songwriterserenade.com, where more information also may be found.
In addition to prize money, the first-place winner in the Songwriter Serenade will open a concert featuring the judges that evening at the TR Ranch in Halletsville, TX. Tickets for the concert, slated for 7-9 p.m., also may be purchased online.
As previously reported on AcousticMusicScene.com, Sav Buist, a Nashville, TN-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist (who is also part of The Accidentals), took top honors during last year’s Songwriter Serenade.
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