Langley Student Wins Vienna Lions Club Music Competition

Vocalist Sarah Nicoel Larkworthy, of Langley High School, and pianist Patrick Scott Miller, of Herndon High School, both 16, earned first place at Vienna Host Lion Club's James A Bland Music Scholarship Competition recently-- the first of three rounds that lead to the state final competition, where top performers earn a total of $18,000 in scholarships.

Violinist Marta Soderberg Howard, one of the judges,  told the young performers that surrounded her on Saturday afternoon that she, along with the other three judges, had all been in their position before: feet tapping, fists clenching, stomachs turning at the thought of getting up on stage and being critiqued on their ability to perform.

“Just get up there and express what’s in the music,” vocal judge Laura Mann told the crowd.

“We have to know that you love [ what you’re doing],” Louise McClleland Urban, also a vocal judge, said. “That’s really all it's about.”

Fourteen young performers from across Fairfax County, age 7 to 18, competed in the competition named for James A. Bland, a famous African American folk song composer. Bland penned the famous tune “Carry Me Back to Ole Virginny.” To honor the more than 700 Americana songs he wrote,  the Virginia Lions club began a competition in his name in 1948 to encourage participation and education in music for young people across the state, awarding scholarships and prizes to help assist them in that goal.

More than $25,000 is given in scholarships or local cash awards each year, according to the Lions Club.

Pianist Brent Connor McKenna and vocalist Audrey Jo Rinehard, of the Duke Ellington School of Arts, earned second place honors.

Click on the video to the right to catch a glimpse of the competition.

Other McLean students performeres were Ivy Lim, 15, and Yeonjae Lim, 17, both of Langley, and Larissa Jean Converti, 15, The Potomac School.