The North Carolina Symphony is holding its first Triangle Talent Search on Saturday, September 25. The winner (or winners) will earn a chance to perform live with the Symphony as a featured soloist on New Year’s Eve.

“People who never thought they could perform with the North Carolina Symphony now have that opportunity,” says Scott Freck, North Carolina Symphony Vice President for Artistic Operations and General Manager and one of the judges of the competition.

The Search is open to vocalists and instrumentalists either as individuals or in performing groups, from any genre of music, be it classical, rock, gospel, bluegrass, jazz, Broadway, opera, hip hop, or something else.

“The trick is that it has to work with the Symphony somehow,” says Freck, noting that the Symphony has collaborated with artists as wide-ranging as Yo-Yo Ma and Ben Folds. It recently held a successful benefit featuring jazz great Branford Marsalis onstage with headliners from throughout the bluegrass, gospel, folk, classical and jazz worlds. “The more the better,” Freck says, “and we’ll make a great show out of it.”

Winners will be invited to perform live with the North Carolina Symphony during its New Year’s Eve Celebration in downtown Raleigh’s Meymandi Concert Hall, under the baton of Associate Conductor Sarah Hicks. The Triangle Talent Search will be judged by Freck, Hicks, and Raleigh News and Observer music critic David Menconi.

Reservations are required to audition.