Eighteen Year Old Julian Pace Wins 2009 Youth Songwriting Competition

Armstrong Atlanta State University student and Clyo, Georgia resident, Julian Pace was the winner at the 2009 Youth Songwriting Competition at the Savannah Folk Music Festival. Julian’s original ballad, “Captive of the Gentle, Gentle Wind” was awarded top prize by the judges, a $500 gift certificate to ARM Music and the opportunity to present his song at the Concert at Grayson Stadium on Sunday where he followed Janis Ian to the stage.

The second place winner was Cecilia Witt, age 16, who attends St, Vincent’s Academy. Her song, “A Gambler’s Game” garnered her a $300 shopping spree at ARM Music. Third place went to Lacey Caldwell, a 16 year old student at Savannah Arts Academy. Lacey gets a $200 gift certificate to ARM Music for her song “Butterflies.” All of the seven finalists, except the winner, Julian Pace, may compete again next year. Julian will be a member of the competition’s judging panel next near.

All those wishing to compete and not reaching their 20th birthday by next October 1st, should submit entries by Sept, 1, 2010.

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FINALISTS NAMED FOR YOUTH SONGWRITING COMPETITION OF SAVANNAH FOLK MUSIC FEST

Seven area teens will compete on Saturday afternoon, Oct. 10th for $1,000 in prizes and a chance to perform the next day with Janis Ian, Jay Unger and Molly Mason and others at the Concert in Grayson Stadium. These are both events of the 20th annual Savannah Folk Music Festival.

The finalists are: Lacey Caldwell, age 16, of Savannah Arts Academy and Tybee Island; Casey Feus, age 15, Richmond Hill High School; Olivia Hadley, age 15, Savannah Country Day; Lauren Maxwell, age 14, Richmond Hill High School; Julian Pace, age 18, Armstrong Atlantic State University and Clyo; Lauren Trivatoyakuun, age 18, Armstrong Atlantic State University and Richmond Hill; and Cecilia Witt, age 16, St. Vincent’s Academy.

The judges at the songwriting competition include popular singer/songwriter Lauren Lapointe, local music legend Bobby Hanson, AMR Music’s Shane Baldwin, and last year’s competition winner, Jamison Murphy.

This is the fourth year that the Savannah Folk Music Society has included a Youth Songwriting Competition as part of its annual festival.
 

2009 Youth Songwriting Competition Open to Teens from Chatham and Surrounding Counties

This year’s Youth Songwriting Competition will be open to teens from counties in Georgia and South Carolina that surround Chatham, and Chatham County itself. “This change enables far more teens to participate,” says Savannah Folk Music Society president Hank Weisman.

The deadline for submission of original songs in the folk ballad tradition is SEPTEMBER 1, 2009, giving any eligible young people plenty of time to start or refine a song. Youth who haven’t become twenty years old by the finals on October 10, 2009 may compete. They must live in Chatham, Bryan, Effingham or Liberty Counties in Georgia or Beaufort or Jasper Counties in South Carolina. Students in residence (like college student) in those counties are also eligible if they meet the age requirement.

“We have had winners who ranged in age from 12 to 19,” says Weisman, “Young people are writing some very fine songs.” The annual Youth Songwriting Competition is in its fourth year and is part of the annual Savannah Folk Music Festival, now in its 21st year. The Festival is produced by the Savannah Folk Music Society and funded, in part, by the Savannah Department of Cultural Affairs and sponsor AMR Music.

On Saturday, Oct. 9, 2010 at 2:00 PM will be the finals of the “Youth Song Writing Competition” held at The First Presbyterian Church, 520 E Washington Avenue.

Full information about the Youth Songwriting Competition is located on the following Fact Sheet.

Sept. 1, 2010 is the deadline for entries to the fourth annual Youth Songwriting Competition at the Savannah Folk Music Festival. Start now with original compositions and compete for $1,000 in prizes!
The 20th Annual Savannah Folk Music Festival, presented by the Savannah Folk Music Society on October 8, 9 and 10, 2010, will feature the finals of a Youth Songwriting Competition . The purpose of this competition is to encourage young people from the greater Savannah area to develop their skills in musical and lyrical expression, promote the time-honored method of storytelling by song, and recognize outstanding achievement in these efforts.

Any resident of Chatham, Bryan, Effingham or Liberty Counties in Georgia or Beaufort or Jasper Counties in South Carolina, who has not reached his or her twentieth birthday by the conclusion of the competition, October 9, 2010, is eligible to participate. Only those who have won first place in the previous years of competition are ineligible to participate. Those wishing to participate must submit a song (original words and music), written in the acoustic folk ballad tradition, by September 1st, 2010 on cassette tape or compact disk. The songwriter may accompany him or herself or have one or more other individuals provide instrumental accompaniment. By “acoustic folk tradition” the competition includes story-song ballads and excludes the use of back-tracks and percussion. Only one entry per person per year, please.

From those entries submitted by the September 1st deadline, a panel of judges will use common criteria to select a group of finalists. These finalists will be notified and asked to perform their compositions at an event, open to the public, at 2:00 PM on October 9, 2010 at the First Presbyterian Church, 520 E. Washington Avenue in Savannah. At this event, judges will select the top three submissions. Third place will receive a $200 gift certificate from event sponsor AMR Music. Second place will receive a $300 gift certificate from AMR Music. The first place winner will receive a $500 gift certificate from ARM Music and will be invited to perform the winning composition the next day, October 10th during the Festival’s final event, “The Concert at Grayson Stadium.” That concert features major folk performers including Janis Ian and Jay Unger and Molly Mason. The Festival is financed, in part, by the City of Savannah’s Cultural Affairs Department.

Those interested in participating or having questions may contact Hank Weisman at the Savannah Folk Music Society by calling  912-786-6953 or writing to SFMS at 1111 B Bay Street, Tybee Island, GA 31328.

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2008 Winner = Jamison Murphy - “Happy, Healthy, Normal and Strong"

12 Year Old Jamison Murphy Wins Youth Songwriting Competition

The Third Annual Youth Songwriting Competition was held last Saturday s part of the Savannah Folk Music Festival and the youngest finalist, Jamison Murphy was the winner.

Gist certificates were also awarded to second place finisher Christy Miltiades, age 18, and third place winner Cecilia Witt, age 15. This was the second time Jamison and Cecilia entered the competition.

Jamison’s winning song, called “Happy, Healthy, Normal and Strong, was written for his nephew born with Downs Syndrome.

Six Savannah area youth who were finalists in the 2008 Youth Songwriting Competition. These young people are: Lauren Maxwell, age 13; Christy Miltiades, age 18; Jamison Murphy, age 12; Lauren Trivitayakhun, age 18, Zachary Williams, age 17; and Cecelia Witt, age 15.