Nineteen talented students from our area participated in the annual Bland Music Contest sponsored by the Lake of the Woods Lions Club, on February 28 at the LOW Church. Their competition in vocal and instrumental categories drew lengthy applause from an audience of nearly 100.
Pianist Ryan Feng, 14, of Fredericksburg, a student at Thomas Jefferson High School in Fairfax, won first place in the instrumental catgory. Soprano Megan Buhmann, 17, of Fredericksburg, a student at Massaponax High School, won first place in the vocal category – for the second straight year.
Both advanced to a Lions zone competition on March 21 at Mount Carmel Baptist Church in Madison. Winners there will compete in a Lions district contest April 11 at James Madison University. The final, state-level competition– where scholarships are awarded – will be held at the Lions of Virginia Convention in May in Roanoke.
The Lions Clubs of Virginia established the Bland Music Scholarship program in 1948 to promote educational opportunities for musically talented youths of middle- and high-school age.
Photo by Chuck Schulle
Eighteen of the 19 contestants are shown following the event at LOW Church. Ryan Feng, fifth from left in the back row, won in the instrumental category, and Megan Buhmann, second from right in first row, finished first in the vocal category.