Bland Contest 2022

Certificates were awarded by Past District Governor Lion Woody Woodard

The Bland Contest for 2022 was very well attended, with COVID protocols. Held to determine the entries for District L Zone C of the Lions Clubs of Virginia, it was on Sunday, January 23, 2022 at the Springfield United Methodist Church. This group of Lions Clubs includes The Engleside Lions Club, Mason Neck Lions Club, Mount Vernon Evening Lions Club, Springfield-Franconia Host Lions Club and the Springfield Global Lions Club.

Goal:

The goal of the Lions of Virginia Bland Music Scholarship Foundation, Inc. (Bland Foundation) is to promote cultural and educational opportunities for musically talented young people in Virginia (primarily of high school age). This goal is achieved through progressive music competitions beginning in February at the local Lions club level, and culminating in a state competition in which twelve (12) finalists (2 per district) from the three (3) Lions districts in Virginia compete during the State Convention in May. The Bland Foundation oversees these competitions, and also provides music scholarships to the top twelve finalists. The scholarships must be used for college tuition, music lessons, summer music programs or other music education endeavors. This program has been providing scholarships to gifted music students, both vocal and instrumental, since 1948. As tuition and lessons are extremely expensive, the Bland Foundation provides needed assistance to these talented, hard-working music students and their families.

The introduction of judges and music teachers was done by Emcee Lion Sharon Fussell, closing remarks were via Lion Reba Morse

List of instructors:

Ms. Silva Blazquez
David Brandt
Hye Jung
Arthur Lisi
Britney Northington
June Shuffett

List of Students:

All were Pianists

1st place:

Kenneth Anh-Minh Duong, Frederic Chopin’s “Waltz in A flat Major, Op 34, No 1 (Grande Valse Brillante)”.

2nd Place:

Segolene Hanh Nguyen, Mary Leaf’s “Wizard Fantasy”.

3rd Place:

Karolina Lickunas, Franz Joseph Haydn’s “Piano Sonata No. 50 in D Major, Hob. XVI:37, 1st movement Allergo con brio”.

Certificate of Participation awards:

Nawin Sadeewong, Beethoven’s “Last Movement of the Moonlight Sonata p. 1-4”.

Anthony Miles Jackson, Bach’s “Solfeggietto”.

Ellie Bates, LISA’s “Garuenge”.

Desmen Andrew Boykin, Mozart’s “Sonata V.545 1st Movement”.

Gabby Bates, Mozart’s “Rondo alla Turca”.

Thomas Henry Rossi, Claude Debussy’s “Suite bergamasque No.3, Clair de Lune”.

Judges:

Harvey Jacobson:

A native of Boston, Mr. Jacobson received his degrees from Boston University, Virginia Commonwealth University, the University of North Carolina with doctoral studies at the University of Maryland.

He was awarded the “Certificate of Individual Merit” from the National Federation of Music Clubs for his contribution toward the furtherance of American music and was included in the “The International Who’s Who in Music” following a series of lecture-concerts on the solo piano music of the American composer, Edward McDowell. Mr. Jacobson has appeared frequently on both radio and television performing the music of Scot Joplin and Edward Mac Dowell.

Mr. Jacobson has taught at the North Carolina School of the Performing Arts and has been a Lecturer in Music at the Northern Virginia Community College.

Cameron Taft

Cameron Tefft is a professional tubist and educator based out of Woodbridge, VA. Cameron is a strong advocate for new compositions for the instrument and has premiered several new pieces in the past several years. Aside from his soloist tenure, he holds positions on the substitute lists of the Johnstown and West Virginia symphonies as well as the River City Brass Band. He has also performed with Northern Virginia Brass Quintet, the Washington Symphonic Brass, and the Annandale Brass Ensemble. He is also a founding member of the Gravitas Brass Quintet.

Cameron holds a bachelor’s degree in music performance from West Virginia University and is in pursuance of a master’s degree in music industry. His primary teachers include Carson McTeer, SGM David Brown, and SGM (ret.)