From left to right the 2024 Scholarship Winners are Anastasia Wade, Finn Grindstaff, Shanna Jung, Kennedy Rose Hammond, Chloe Wilcox, Emmy Nannenga, Yuyan Julia Hu, Ellen Hong and Gabrielle Odom
The Bristol Music Club held its 2024 Scholarship Auditions Saturday, May 4, at First Presbyterian Church, Bristol, Tennessee. Judges were Dr. Noah DeLong, Dr. Ryan Fogg, John Haggerty and Dr. Donald Sorah. They selected nine students to be awarded scholarships. Winners performed in a recital Sunday afternoon, May 5, at First Presbyterian Church.
Division I is the category for high school seniors who plan to major in music in college.
The first-place winner in Division I is soprano Kennedy Rose Hammond, who studies with Ivy Blair. Kennedy is also the winner of the Paramount Chamber Players Award. She just completed her senior year at Daniel Boone High School. Her grandparents are Ken and Linda Talley. Kennedy sang in Tennessee All-East choirs in 2021, 2022 and 2023. She has also participated in the Tennessee All-State concert choirs in 2022, 2023 and 2024. The year 2024 has brought additional honors. Kennedy sang in the advanced SATB Honor Choir in Louisville, Kentucky. She was the winner of the Robert LaPella High School Vocal Award at ETSU. She was named vocalist of the year at Daniel Boone High School. She has also won Merit and Vocal Ensemble Scholarships to Milligan University. Kennedy plans to attend Milligan University, majoring in Vocal Performance.
Division II entrants are in grades 10 through 12.
The first-place winner in Division II is Ellen Hong who studies violin with Kimberly Barrett. Hong was a junior at Science Hill High School. She is the daughter of Jinseok Hong and Eunkyung Lee. In 2021 and 2022 Hong performed in the Tennessee All-East and All State orchestras. She has also performed in the ETSU Sinfonia Orchestra since 2018, serving as concertmaster, as well as the ETSU Symphony Orchestra. In addition to her musical endeavors, she is captain of the varsity tennis team, having been district and regional state champion in 2023. She is also junior class president and president of the school newspaper.
The second-place winner in Division II is Emmy Nannenga, a piano student of Carol Stone. Nannenga just completed 10th grade at Dobyns Bennett High School. Her parents are Drs. Michael and Stephanie Nannenga. She was a 2019 first place winner in Division IV, 2022 third place winner in Division III, and 2023 first place winner in Division III of the Bristol Music Club Scholarship Auditions. She has also won the Gold Cup award in the National Federation of Music Clubs Junior Festival. For several years, she has earned Superior ratings in the auditions of the Appalachian Music Teachers Association. Nannenga has participated in the Peskanov Piano Olympics and the Africana Fundraising Telethon for children in Uganda. This past year she received an honorable mention and the Alexander Peskanov composers award in the Brooklyn Music Teachers Guild piano solo intermediate B category. She also received an award from the American Protege international piano and strings competition. This earned her the opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall last December. In her spare time she enjoys running, and spending time with friends and family.
The third-place winner in Division II is violinist Gabrielle Odom, a student of Daniel Blair. She is the daughter of James Kevin Odom. Odom has participated in the Tennessee All State Orchestra for three years in 2021, 2022 and 2023. She recently completed her senior year at Science Hill High School.
Division III entrants are in grades seven through nine.
Two winners tied for first place in Division III. Shanna Jung is a piano student of Micaela Ková?ová. She has attended the ninth grade at the University School. She is the daughter of Jisun Jeong and was the 2022 second place winner in Division III.
Julia (Yuyan) Hu is also a first-place winner in Division III. She has completed eighth grade at Indian Trail Middle School. She is the daughter of Shuling Yang. Her piano teacher is Micaela Ková?ová. Hu is a 2021 winner of first place in Division IV and 2023 second place winner in Division III of the Bristol Music Club Scholarship Auditions. She also achieved third place in the Asheville Area Piano Forum 2022 and 2023 and the Tennessee Music Teachers Association Junior Pianists 2022 competition. In addition, she plays in the ETSU Sinfonia and played in the ETSU Chamber Festival in 2022. She participated in the Tri-Cities Junior Orchestra Clinic in 2023.
The third-place winner in Division III is Chloe Wilcox, a violin student of Marianna Brickle. Wilcox recently completed the ninth grade at Providence Academy. Her parents are Melissa and J. P. Wilcox.
Division IV is for students in Grades four through six.
Anastasia Wade was named first place winner in Division IV. Her piano teacher is Rebekah Agin, and her mother is Brittni Wade. Wade is a home-schooled fourth grader. She has entered other competitions, such as the RADDA Festival and International competition, where she won third place. She also played in the Gulf Coast Steinway Competition, where she won second place. She has performed at Carnegie Hall and plays cello in her spare time.
Finn Grindstaff earned second place in Division IV. He has studied piano with Rebekah Agin at the Blair Academy for the Arts since 2021. Grindstaff is the son of Daniel and Kristen Grindstaff. He recently completed the fifth grade at West Side Elementary School. Grindstaff has participated twice in the National Federation of Music Clubs Festival, as well as the Master Clubs Regional in Piano for the past two years.
