Beginners and advanced musically talented students are encouraged to participate in the Daleville-Fincastle Lions Club 2023 Bland Music Contest. This is the fourth annual Bland Music Contest presented 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 4, 2 p.m., at The Glebe, 200 The Glebe Blvd., Daleville.
The only criteria are performances must be memorized and limited to eight minutes.
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 and third place, $25 each.
The first-place winners will advance to Sub-District Competition in Salem at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 19 at the CommUnity Church.The Sub-District winners will advance to State Finals on Friday, April 28 in Bristol, Va. 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. Last year the piano performer sponsored by the Forest Lions Club was the State first place winner in the Instrumental category and the vocalist sponsored by the Vinton Breakfast Lions Club placed second in that 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. Contestants are reminded that they can only compete in one Bland Music Contest per year and they must choose to perform in either a vocal category or an instrumental category.
The public is invited to attend and enjoy the talents of these young local musicians on Saturday, March 4 at 2 p.m. at The Glebe.