The Songbook Academy 2025

Each summer, the Great American Songbook Foundation welcomes top high school vocalists from across the country for The Songbook Academy®. Now in its 16th year, the 2025 program returns to Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel, IN, July 12–19.

 

This year’s talented students will learn from an outstanding team of mentors, including Tony and GRAMMY Award-winning actress Jessie Mueller, Three-time GRAMMY-nominated Jazz/Blues vocalist Catherine Russell, Broadway star Nikki Renée Daniels and five-time GRAMMY nominee and Foundation founder Michael Feinstein.

 

Join us at the Payne & Mencias Palladium or online for captivating public performances throughout the week.

 

Reserve Your Seats Today!

 

Tickets and livestream access are available now for these must-see events.

 

Public Masterclass

Tuesday, July 15 | 2 p.m. ET | Payne & Mencias Palladium

Five-time GRAMMY nominee and Great American Songbook Foundation Founder Michael Feinstein and Tony and GRAMMY Award-winning actress Jessie Mueller will offer insightful critiques and real-time guidance to ten talented vocalists randomly selected from this year's Songbook Academy participants.

 

Tickets: Pay-what-you-can (no minimum)

Livestream: Pay-what-you-can (no minimum)

 

Songbook Showcase
Thursday, July 17 | 7 p.m. ET | Payne & Mencias Palladium

All 40 participants will each perform a solo on the Payne & Mencias Palladium stage. The evening also includes special performances by Michael Feinstein and guest mentor and Broadway star Nikki Renée Daniels.

 

Tickets: Pay-what-you-can (minimum $5 for in-person attendees)

Livestream: Pay-what-you-can (no minimum)

 

Songbook Academy in Concert
Saturday, July 19 | 7 p.m. ET | Payne & Mencias Palladium

Michael Feinstein returns to the stage to emcee as all 40 singers perform choral numbers, small group ensembles and featured solos, celebrating their growth over the week and paying tribute to iconic composers and lyricists of the Great American Songbook.

 

Tickets: Starting at $25 for in-person attendees.

Livestream: Pay-what-you-can (no minimum)

 

 

2025 Songbook Academy Participants

The 2025 Songbook Academy National Screening Panel featured an extraordinary lineup of Broadway performers, jazz vocalists, music directors, and acclaimed educators, including Shereen Ahmed, Steven Cuevas, Jessie Hooker-Bailey, Melinda Rodriguez, A.J. Shively, and Catherine A. Walker, who reviewed this year’s applications and selected the following 40 performers to attend this year’s program.

 

Helena Badiali, Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Central Bucks High School East
Ava Baker, New Albany, Ohio, New Albany High School
Lucy Bollier, Los Angeles, California, Calabasas High School
Martha Glenn Bowers, High Point, North Carolina, Penn-Griffin School for the Arts
Tiffany Chamberlain, Hatfield, Pennsylvania, Pennridge High School
Morgan Grace Champ, Salt Lake City, Utah, Skyline High School
Emily Grace Chavez, Los Angeles, California, Van Nuys High School

Sadie Cohen, Carmel, Indiana, Carmel High School
Georgia Dadekian, Burbank, California, John Burroughs High School
Jane Delahoussaye, Sugar Land, Texas, Logos Preparatory Academy
Madeleine Delbridge, Pasadena, California, Polytechnic School

Noelle Duncan, Kokomo, Indiana, Kokomo High School

Aarthi Eswaran, Carmel, Indiana, Carmel High School
Eliza Griffey, Sewanee, Tennessee, St. Andrews-Sewanee School
Grady Griffin, Carmel, Indiana, Carmel High School

Isaiah Henderson, Carmel, Indiana, Carmel High School
Madeline Hogan, Winter Garden, Florida, Montverde Academy

Mia Kadar, Dublin, Ohio, Dublin Coffman High School

Claire Kauffman, Zionsville, Indiana, Zionsville Community High School

Ali Kosteck, Frankfort, Illinois, Lincoln-Way East High School
Zac Kowal, Palmetto Bay, Florida, Miami Palmetto Senior High School
Ethan Mathias, Ada, Michigan, Michigan International Prep School

Kayleigh McCarter, Houston, Texas, Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts
Soren McLaughlin, Noblesville, Indiana, Noblesville High School
Krishaa Motycka, Carmel, Indiana, Carmel High School
Carly Rose Mulay, Portage, Michigan, Portage Central High School
Adrienne Nicastro, Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania, Lower Moreland High School
Rika Nishikawa, Chicago, Illinois, Homeschool
Sophia O'Toole, Medfield, Massachusetts, Medfield High School
Dilan Patton, Los Angeles, California, Van Nuys High School
Mia Rettig, Indianapolis, Indiana, Park Tudor School
Connor Ruckman, Los Angeles, California, Van Nuys High School
William Daniel Russell, Westwood, Massachusetts, Westwood High School
Phoebe Sidebottom, Zionsville, Indiana, Zionsville Community High School
Ikepo Soyinka, Braintree, Massachusetts, CATS Academy Boston
Kellyssa Rose Vincent, West Palm Beach, Florida, The King's Academy
Jacob Volker, Nashville, Tennessee, Nashville School of the Arts
Thomas Whitten, Noblesville, Indiana, Whitten Homeschool
Maddox Wood, Webb City, Missouri, Webb City High School
Journee Woodley, Westfield, Indiana, Westfield High School

 

Our Partners

We are grateful to the partners whose support makes The Songbook Academy® possible. Their investment helps nurture the next generation of musical storytellers and preserve America's timeless musical legacy.

 

 

Songbook Summer Match Sponsor

Dr. Larry Weeda Jr. and Sharon Polk

 

Guest Mentor Impact Supporters

Libby and Randy Brown
Tim and Karyl McGeath

Bob and Rose Popovich
The Tobin Family