NBC 4 New York and Telemundo 47 are once again inviting youth choirs from across the tri-state area to compete for a spot on one of the biggest stages in live television: the annual Christmas in Rockefeller Center broadcast. The stations have announced the return of their holiday Star Choir contest, with the winning group set to perform during the December 2, 2026 broadcast in front of a national primetime audience.
The contest, detailed by NBC New York, is open to youth singing groups with 10 to 35 members whose singers are between 6 and 18 years old. Entrants must reside in New York, New Jersey, Fairfield County, Connecticut, or Pike County, Pennsylvania, and applications can be submitted through October 12 at nbcnewyork.com/choir or telemundo47.com/choir. Groups start by submitting a video performance of any holiday-themed song, up to three minutes long.
How the Judging Works
Choirs chosen to advance to a second round will be asked to perform an original take on Up on the Housetop, and those finalists will also need to submit formal parental consent before moving forward, per the station's report. Eric Lerner, president and general manager of NBC 4 New York and Telemundo 47, said the stations are offering “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to young singers, and added that Star Choir performers in past years have inspired viewers with their energy and spirit.
The competition has grown substantially in scale since its earlier years. It pulled in 72 entries from tri-state children's choirs in 2024 and topped 100 submissions in 2025, according to NBC New York. Eligible entrants span youth choirs across the four-state footprint.
A Star-Studded Judging Partner
Part of the contest's growing profile comes from its tie-in with The Kelly Clarkson Show. For five consecutive years through 2025, daytime host Kelly Clarkson and her music director, Jason Halbert, have helped evaluate Star Choir submissions and revealed the winning school live on air, according to footage posted on YouTube from The Kelly Clarkson Show. That partnership means winning student choirs get national daytime television exposure on top of their prime-time holiday performance.
Last year's winner, Gold 'N Blues, the Madrigals choir from Franklin High School in Somerset, New Jersey, performed Joy to the World during the December 3, 2025 broadcast and then received donations, as shown in the same broadcast.
A National Audience Waiting on Rockefeller Plaza
Whoever wins this year's contest will be performing for a genuinely massive audience. NBC's Christmas in Rockefeller Center special drew 6.1 million viewers on December 3, 2025, according to TheWrap. The broadcast is part of NBC's holiday programming.
Even choirs that don't win the grand prize can walk away with real exposure. Tri-state groups selected as top-three finalists still receive regional television coverage, including featured audition broadcasts on NBC 4 New York and Telemundo 47 and promotional commercial spots leading up to the tree lighting, according to a post from The Kelly Clarkson Show. Recent finalists have included Brooklyn's Edward R. Murrow High School.
New Jersey's Recent Winning Streak
New Jersey public high schools have dominated the contest in recent years. High Tech High School, part of the Hudson County Schools of Technology in Secaucus, won in 2023. Neptune High School's Scarlet Sound A Cappella Choir took the title in 2024, putting Monmouth County's public high school music programs in the national spotlight.
But the contest has never favored older students exclusively. P.S. 103 won the 2021 grand prize, and P.S. 14 in Corona, Queens took the title the following year in 2022. Those wins underscore that the competition spans elementary through high school age groups, with eligibility running from age 6 to 18.
A Tradition Nearly a Century in the Making
The stage these choirs are competing for is Rockefeller Center's annual Christmas tree lighting.
