BRISTOL, Tenn. - Eleven young musicians were recently named winners of Bristol Music Club scholarships for 2011. These students were then presented in a Mother's Day Concert at First Presbyterian Church in Bristol on May 8.
The youth are taught by members of the Bristol Music Club and were judged by Sam Cox (voice), George Figueroa (strings), Rebecca Paluzzi (instrumental) and Dr. Teresa Sumpter (piano). Each winner received a monetary scholarship to be used toward their continued education.
• Next Performance: Several of these students will perform for the Tunes @ Noon concert series on Friday, June 3 at the Paramount Center for the Arts. A $5 donation is suggested.
Division I: High school seniors who will study applied music in college
• First Place: Zachary Hughes (piano), the son of David and Melinda Hughes of Travelers Rest, S.C., is a home-schooled senior and has studied piano for nine years. He currently studies with Dr. Chih-long Hu at East Tennessee State University (ETSU) and Fabio Parrini at North Greenville University. Hughes has received numerous prizes from regional and national competitions including first place in the 2006 and 2010 Bristol Music Club scholarship competitions. As a soloist, he regularly appears at a variety of venues, performing a growing range of repertoire. This fall he will begin his studies with Jerome Lowenthal at the Juilliard School in New York City.
• Second: Catie Horne (vocalist) is the daughter of April and Gary Horne of Bristol, Va., and voice student of Mark Owen Davis. She is a senior member of the John Battle High School chorus and has been a member of the All County and All District Choruses. She was the first place winner in the local, district and state levels of the Lion's Club Bland Music Scholarship Competition. She will continue her music studies at King College.
Division II: Grades 10-12
• First: Katherine Benson (piano), daughter of Paul and Betty Jean Benson of Jonesborough, Tenn., is an 11th grade student at University High at ETSU and piano student of Dr. Chih-long Hu at ETSU. Her musical awards include Knoxville Choral Society Competition first place piano in 2009; Lee University Piano Competition, 2009 Honorable Mention Division 3; Tennessee Music Teacher's Association winner 2007 and 2008; and first place 2008 and second place 2007 at The Bristol Music Club competitions. She has been invited to play with The Paramount Chamber Players during their 2011-2012 concert season. Benson studies violin with Galena Timofeev. She spent last summer at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute as a student.
• Second: Claire Morison (violin) is the 16-year-old daughter of Jane and Whit Morison of Bristol, Va., and a sophomore honor student at Virginia High School. She studies classical violin and celtic fiddle from Jane MacMorran and piano from her mother, Jane. Claire has participated in and won the Bristol Music Club competition in both voice and violin 2007-2011. She has received Gold Cup awards for piano and violin from the National Federation of Music Clubs. She has played as a member of the Symphony of the Mountains Youth Orchestra, taken part in the Highland Games at Grandfather Mountain and performed as a musician in several Barter Theatre productions. In 2009, she was chosen to take part in a singer/songwriter workshop at the White House.
• Honorable Mention: Bethany Dawson (cello), daughter of David and Regina Dawson of Abingdon, is a 10th grade home schooled student. Bethany is a cello student of Kathleen Bowman and studies violin with Jane MacMorran. She is a five-time winner of a Bristol Music Club Scholarship Award, she was a winner in the Bristol Lion's Club Bland Music Scholarship Competition and has been awarded several scholarships by the Symphony of the Mountains Women's Symphony Committee. Last summer Bethany was accepted by audition to the Advanced Suzuki Cello camp in Chicago, Ill. Her summer plans are to continue studies in music theory and music history at Southwest Virginia Community College. She also fiddles and plays guitar in the Dawson Family Band, a group that includes her uncle, aunt, cousins and brother playing old time, bluegrass and gospel music.
• Honorable Mention: Kevin Mann (alto-saxophone), son of Kurt and Leslie Mann of Blountville, Tenn., is a junior at Sullivan Central High School and studies saxophone with Tom Crawford. He is a four-time winner of Bristol Music Club scholarships and a member of the Tennessee State High School Band East. His other interests include tennis and golf.
Division III: Grades 7–9
• First: Michelle Schodowski (piano), daughter of Dr. Paul and Sharon Schodowski of Kingsport, Tenn., is 15 years old and a ninth grade student at the Academy at King in Bristol, Tenn. Schodowski has been a six-time superior winner at the Junior Music Festival at ETSU. She garnered superior ratings from the Appalachian Music Teachers Association at local and state auditions in piano solo and concerto and three years of superior ratings at the Appalachian Sonata Festival at Milligan College. She completed five levels in Alexander Peskanov's Russian Technical Regimen. She studies piano with Carol Stone.
• Second: Isaac Emery (piano), son of Terri and Mark Emery of Kingsport, Tenn., is a home schooled seventh grader and a student of Carol Stone. Emery has won superior ratings from AMTA in 2009-2011, Sonata Festival Superior and Excellent 2008-2010, awards from National Federation of Music Clubs 2006-2008, The Bristol Music Club 1st Place Division IV in 2010 and completed Russian Technical Regimen Level II.
• Honorable Mention: Luke Isbell (piano), son of Bill and Sharon Isbell of Kingsport, is a home-schooled seventh grader and piano student of Carol Stone. In this his fifth year of piano he has won superior ratings from the Appalachian Music Teachers Association 2009–2011, the Tennessee Music Teachers Association 2009, and the Appalachian Sonata Festival 2008 and 2009. Luke won second place in the 2010 TBMC competition and competed in the Level III Russian Technical Regimen.
Division IV: Grades 4–6
• First: Michael Nickens (piano), son of Olivia and Todd Nickens of Kingsport, is a sixth grade student at Ross N. Robinson Middle School and studies piano with Carol Stone. He received a superior rating at the Appalachian Sonata Festival, the Appalachian Music Teachers Association in 2011 and the Kingsport Music Recital 2011. His other interests include football, basketball, sketching and playing viola.
• Second: Mary Elizabeth Nerren (piano), daughter of Bryan and Rhonda Nerren of Jonesborough, studies piano with Ivy Blair and violin with the Academy of Strings in Johnson City. She enjoys playing flute and singing in the East Tennessee Children's Choir. Nerren earned a superior rating in the AMTA piano auditions and looks forward to a state competition in June.
• Honorable Mention: Heidi Whaley (piano), daughter of Rob and Misty Whaley of Johnson City, has been home schooled and playing piano since the age of five. She moved to the Tri-Cities two years ago from Jacksonville, Fla., where she participated in the Florida Federation of Music Clubs for two years, receiving superior ratings. She also ranked superior in this year's Junior Music Festival. Whaley enjoys singing with the Mountain Empire Children's Choral Academy.
