Winners of Bristol Music Club scholarships presented a recital on May 5.
BRISTOL, Tenn. -- The Bristol Music Club hosted the 2007 scholarship auditions on Saturday, May 5 at the First Presbyterian Church of Bristol Tennessee.
The following winners were presented in a recital Sunday afternoon, May 6, also at the church.
Winners of Division IV for grades 4-6 were Claire Morison, first, and Jedidiah Smith, second.
-- Morison, daughter of Whit and Jane Morison of Bristol, Va., is a sixth grade student at Sullins Academy and a violin student of Jane MacMorran. She is a Gold Cup winner in both violin and piano in the National Federation of Music Clubs' junior festival, a member of the East Tennessee Children's Choir and the Symphony of the Mountains Youth Orchestra, a member of the Orff & Kodaly Educators National Children's Honors Choir and a three time winner of the "Most Outstanding Violin Student" at Sullins Academy. Claire also studies piano with her mother and Celtic fiddling with Jane MacMorran. She has performed in Scotland with Celtic Air and has won Scottish fiddling awards at the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games.
-- Smith, son of Mark and Lori Smith of Bluff City, Tenn., is a home-schooled sixth grader and studies piano with Ivy Blair. Jedidiah has participated in numerous music festivals receiving superior and excellent ratings. He has also acted in the theater productions of Music Man, Fiddler on the Roof and played the part of Chip in Beauty and the Beast. He enjoys sports, hunting, composing music and playing piano with the Church Worship Team.
Division III winners for grades 7-9 were Benjamin Dawson, first; Katherine Benson second, and Kevin Mann, honorable mention.
-- Dawson, son of David and Regina Dawson of Abingdon, Va., is a home-schooled ninth grader and studies violin with Jane MacMorran. He is a previous winner with the Bristol Music Club on violin and piano, has performed in the "Tunes at Noon" series at the Paramount, and played in the Symphony of the Mountains Youth Orchestra. He also studies piano and composition and plays violin and piano at Abingdon Presbyterian Church. In addition, he enjoys playing basketball for Abingdon Christian Team Sports.
--- Benson, daughter of Betty Jean Benson of Jonesborough, Tenn., is a seventh grade student at the University School and studies violin with GalinaTimofeev. Katherine is studying musical composition with Dr. Maria Niederberger and takes piano from Jerilyn Paolini. She is also interested in doing art work and writes short stories.
-- Mann, son of Kurt and Leslie Mann of Blountville, Tenn., is a seventh grade student at Holston Middle School and a saxophone student of Tom Crawford. Kevin has played second chair alto sax for the All-County Band, first chair alto sax for the Seventh-Grade Junior Clinic, received a top rating for Solo and Ensemble competition and was named Outstanding Band Student for Holston Middle School.
Division II winners for grades 10-12 were Grace Cottrill and Hannah Dishman, tied for first, and John Dreyzehner, honorable mention.
-- Cottrill, daughter of Scott and Liz Cottrill of Abingdon, Va., is a home-schooled 10th grader and is a piano student of Ann Holler. Grace has received the Superior Rating at the Sonata Festiva and Superior Rating for the AMTA Auditions. She is also pianist at the Christ Church Reformed Episcopal.
-- Dishman, daughter of Mike and Debbie Dishman of Bristol, Va., is in the 11th grade at Virginia High School. Hannah was a member of the 2007 Virginia All-State Chorus and is a State finalist in the 2007 Lions Club Bland Scholarship competition which will be held in Richmond, Va. on May 18.
-- Dreyzehner, son of John and Jana Dreyzehner of Abingdon, Va., is a sophomore at Abingdon High School and a piano student of Beth McCoy. John is the 2007 Virginia Lions Instrumental First Place Local and Regional winner, received the Reflections Music Composition State Award, was a member of the 2007 Orff & Kodaly Educators National Honors Choir, is a member of the Abingdon High School Marching Band and the Jazz Band as a piano and Saxophone soloist. He will also be participating in the International Chamber Choir Festival in Pecs, Hungary on May 24-28 as a member of the Highlands Youth Ensemble.
Winners in Division I for graduating seniors who are planning to continue private music study in college were Martha Eason, first and Laura Hutton, second.
-- Eason, daughter of Mark and Beverly Eason of Abingdon, is a senior at Abingdon High School and is a voice student of Beth McCoy. She is the 2007 VMEA State Choir First Chair Soprano, a member of the National Honor Society, and tennis team. Martha plans to attend the University of Virginia and continue with voice training, she is undecided on a major but plans to continue pursuing music.
-- Hutton, daughter of Steve and Elizabeth Hutton of Gray, Tenn., is a violin student of Tim Barrett. Laura has been Concertmaster of Symphony of the Mountains Youth Orchestra for two years, and has been invited to the University of Tennessee Honors Festival for the past two years. She plans to attend Covenant College in the fall to play softball as well as study music, history, and Bible
Judges for this year's auditions were Charlotte Anderson, Jud Barry, and Jane LaPella.
-- Anderson received her masters and doctorate in vocal performance and pedagogy at Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University. As well, she has received post graduate certification in the Alexander Technique from the American Society for the Alexander Technique. She is an active performer and workshop facilitator regionally and nationally. She maintains a private teaching studio in Kingsport and is adjunct faculty at Virginia Intermont College.
-- Barry is the principal oboist of the Symphony of the Mountains and the Johnson City Symphony. A native of Chattanooga, he first studied oboe with Edith Walker at the Cadek Conservatory. His musical background is very diverse: besides playing oboe, he also played recorder in a trio with his parents and sang in the Chattanooga Boys Choir. In college he studied oboe with Joel Timm and Josef Marx. After graduating from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, he went on to play orchestral and chamber music wherever he lived - in New York City, Atlanta, and Asheville - before taking up permanent residence in the Tri-Cities area. In addition to his orchestral work, he maintains an active oboe studio and performs as a soloist in area churches. He also enjoys other musical activities, primarily expanding the repertoire of his invention, the bouzharp, which is actually two instruments: a bouzouki played lap-style together with a harmonica in a neck rack. A career librarian, Barry is the director of the Bristol Public Library and is also interested in the literary aspects of music.
-- LaPella studied piano, organ and voice at Drake University (Iowa), Bethany College (WV), and Indiana University. Her teaching experience includes public school music in West Virginia, Johnson City at Science Hill High School, University High and St. Mary's Catholic School. She maintained a private piano studio from 1957-2003. LaPella's performance experience as a pianist includes student and faculty recitals and opera theatre at East Tennessee State University as well as music director/pianist for community theatres, and pianist for numerous visiting artists. She was the accompanist for the Johnson City Civic Chorale for 20 years, a pianist for Johnson City Symphony for 25 years, and organist for Munsey Memorial United Methodist Church, Johnson City, from 1963 to the present.
The scholarships are funded by a Scholarship Benefit Coffee and Fashion Show held each fall, as well as individual and memorial contributions to the scholarship fund. Almost $4,000 in scholarships was awarded this year.
The Bristol Music Club is a member of the National Federation of Music Clubs and the Virginia Federation of Music Clubs.
