In our school district we have had a competition for the Fine Arts for 10 years which I have been co-chairman of along with a good friend, Mary Jane Penrod. It is known as the "West Side Fine Arts Competition" and has 5 divisions the high school-aged kids can enter in.....Piano, Vocal, Instrumental, Art-Painting, and Art-Drawing. The 1st and 2nd place winners receive savings bonds and plaques. This competition has been held in our small choir room in the Fine Arts Building for 10 years but will now move to our beautiful new auditorium which should be completed this summer.
During the past years I have tried to encourage my older piano students to enter the competition. Some have willingly done it, some consented almost at the point of a gun, and some flatly refused. Anyway, I have had several of my piano students score very well so this is the reason for this boastful blog!
2000 - Jaclyn Cox, a former student, took 2nd Place
2000 - (I don't take credit for this but my son, Jeff, took 2nd place in the Instrumental Division with his Alto Saxophone)
2001 - Cami Mumford took 2nd Place
2002- Cami Mumford took 1st Place
2004 - Candice Whitehead took 1st Place
2006 - Lacy Ralphs took 1st Place
2007 - Brynne Cook took 2nd Place
2008 - Josie Dansie took 1st Place
2008 - Brynne Cook took 2nd Place
2009 - Lori Mumford took 1st Place
According to my math, that is 5 1st Place winners in 10 years.....maybe I will brag! You see, I don't have a music degree from a university and I charge $25.00 a month for lessons while several of the 2nd place winners pay around $75.00 a month from accomplished teachers with music degrees. I have found that the judges don't necessarily look for the most difficult piece played, they just want the piece played well and that is what these students of mine have done.
So, forgive me for bragging but I am proud! I plan to do the competition for another year when we are in our new auditorium (with a BEAUTIFUL YAMAHA CONCERT GRAND PIANO.....9 foot 6 inch.....which will be a thrill for anyone to play) then turn my position over to someone else and hopefully go on a mission with Wayne.
laundry room makeover
12 years ago
