Beginners and advanced students are encouraged to participate in this year’s Bland Music Contest, sponsored by the Daleville-Fincastle Lions Club. Any Botetourt/Roanoke/Craig County student up to age 18 can compete in either the instrumental or vocal categories on Saturday, March 12, 2 p.m., at The Glebe, 200 The Glebe Blvd., Daleville.
The only criteria are performances must be memorized and limited to eight minutes.
This is the third annual Bland Music Contest presented by the Daleville-Fincastle Lions Club.
The Bland Music Contest encourages parents and music teachers to involve students not only for scholarship opportunities but also for the experience of performing before an audience and being critiqued by several judges.
The local contest prize for first place, both instrumental and vocal, is $75 each and second place will receive $50 each. The first-place winners will advance to sub-district competition in Salem at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 20 at the CommUnity Church, 1923 E. Main St., Salem. The sub-district winners will advance to state finals on Friday, April 29 in Chesapeake. First place at state is $2,500 each, second is $2,000, third is $1,500 and fourth, fifth and sixth is $1,000 each.
Local musicians from Southwest Virginia have fared well at the state level. In 1998, a Franklin County student not only won the state contest but then went on to “America’s Got Talent.” Five years ago, a Franklin County student won the vocal division. Two years ago, a Franklin County student playing a banjo placed third in the instrumental category.
Anyone wishing to submit an entry for the local contest, or has any questions, may contact Lion Robin Ward of the Daleville-Fincastle Lions Club at 540-591-2180 or email rward@theglebe.org.
The public is invited to attend and enjoy the talents of these young local musicians on Saturday, March 12 at 2 p.m. at The Glebe.
