2023 APEX Solo Competition

In addition to our new APEX team competition, we are excited to announce the 2023 APEX Solo Competition! APEX Solo Comp is an individual solo competition for students 12-18 who are registered for EXPO 2023. Students do not need to be on an APEX team to compete in the Solo Comp so get your song ready and join the fun! 
Register for APEX Solo Comp

APEX Solo Comp Rules of Engagement

  1. The APEX Solo Competition (APEX Solo Comp) is an individual competition. Individuals must be age 12-18 to compete.
  2. APEX Solo Comp contestants do not need to be a part of any APEX Team; however, they must:
    1. Registered to attend EXPO at cyt.org/expo 
    2. Register to attend EXHORT at cyt.org/expo
    3. Register for the APEX Solo Comp ($10) at cyt.org/expo
  3. Individuals may enter one (1) submission for the APEX Solo Comp.
  4. The APEX Solo Comp will consist of two rounds of performance:
    1. Online Submission - Each contestant will participate in this round. Each contestant will submit a recorded video of their vocal performance. Individuals should state their Name, Branch, and song title at the start of their video submission. Video submissions will be scored, and the top five individuals will go on to the next round. All of the rules of engagement below will be adhered to in this round.
    2. Public Performance - The Top 5 scoring contestants will perform publicly at EXPO during EXHORT. 
  5. All individuals must use an Instrumental Track for their submission. Accompanists or individual instrumentalists are not allowed at this time. 
  6. The performance should not exceed 5 minutes. 
  7. Submission should be at least 32 measures of singing. Vocal Solos may count repeats as additional measures if the lyrics are different.
  8. Music selections must be from a Broadway musical or musical theater composer. Musical selections must be CYT-appropriate. Musical selections, not CYT-appropriate, will not move past the Online Submission round. If individuals are unsure if their materials are CYT-appropriate, inquiries can be sent to expo@cyt.org.  
APEX Solo Comp Rubric

Tips for Filming Your Submission

For the best video submissions, individuals should follow these recommendations:
  1. Singing with a track can be tricky! Individuals should practice many times with the chosen track so that the timing begins to feel natural. Tracks should be high quality and free of distractions. 
  2. If filming on a phone, film with the phone laid on its side for a widescreen shot of 1080p.
  3. Find a quiet filming room to capture the video submission, and make sure you can be seen from at least the waist up (not just your face).  
  4. Ensure that the filming room has adequate lighting. Natural lighting is best, however, additional lighting can be added with a ring light or similar. 
  5. Ensure that the backdrop of the video submission is clear and not distracting. Consider how the shot looks before pressing record.
  6. Find the proper place to put the speaker that is playing your accompaniment track. This needs to be somewhere you can hear it while you are singing, but also close enough to your recording device that it is audible on your recording. One way to do this is to play the recording through TV speakers, computer speakers, or by using a portable Bluetooth speaker. Make sure you do a few tests runs to check the balance. 
  7. Have fun!