As part of its May 20th-22nd Hunt Country Music Festival, the Middleburg Concert Series has included a Youth Music Competition to encourage a love of music in the area. The Competition is open to Fauquier and Loudoun County residents in two age groups: ages 10-15 and 16-18. The initial screening will be completed by the students submitting a video recording, followed by a semi-final round on April 24th at Buchanan Hall in Upperville, and a final round during the Festival on May 21st at Middleburg United Methodist Church in Middleburg. Judges will be prominent professional musicians. Substantial cash prizes will be awarded to the top three winners in each age group, courtesy of a generous gift from Mr. and Mrs. Howard Armfield of Middleburg, which monies should significantly assist students in the expenses of their music studies.

The Eccentric had the opportunity to interview the Youth Competition chairpersons, Mrs. Martha Cotter, head of the Music School of the Piedmont, and Dr. Steven Cooksey, professor emeritus at Shenandoah University Conservatory. Both Mrs. Cotter and Dr. Cooksey are well-known figures in the area music community and provided a fantastic overview of an often unrecognized but enormous subculture in our area.

Ms. Cotter stated that her research has indicated how widespread playing a musical instrument is: 52% of U.S. households have one person five or older learning or currently playing an instrument. Dr. Cooksey agreed, stating that about one in ten adults play music or participate in