Piano and voice teacher, Teresia Queen, Davie County resident, was named this year as having the No. 1 ranked Federated Music Studio in North Carolina by the National Federation of Music Clubs.

This is a high honor from a national organization with more than 135,000 members. Queen’s studio was ranked 16th in the nation.  The studio is a junior club which participates in the annual NFMC Junior Music Festival on the campus of Wake Forest each year.

Although many other factors contributed to this honor, the participation and success of the students at Wake Forest was the largest contributing factor to the ranking.

North Carolina holds 13 area festival competitions around the state with more than 4,000 students competing annually.  The Junior Festivals are sponsored by the national organization (NFMC) and are designed to give musicians of all levels and abilities the opportunity to perform and receive yearly evaluations in a non-competitive environment. Participation in the festivals promotes music study, stimulates interest in the musical literature of the USA and the world, and encourages each student to reach a high standard of musical achievement.  Students also participate in NFMC’s gold cup program, which places a score on each performance, requiring 3 years of a perfect score to earn the first 15 point cup.

This year’s gold cup recipients include:

• Jake Hannah is a fourth grader at Shady Grove Elementary and has been playing piano for five years.  This was his first year possible to earn a gold cup from NFMC, and he did just that in winning the 15 point cup in American patriotic/folk songs. He is the youngest student from Queen’s studio to ever win this award.  In addition to playing the piano, Jake enjoys outdoor activities such as golf and helping his dad on the family farm.  Jake’s parents are Matt and Laura Hannah of Advance.       

• Holyn Hedrick is a sixth grade student at North Davie Middle School where she plays clarinet in the sixth grade band. She is a member of the Clemmons Presbyterian Church, and her parents are David and Kathy Hedrick of Advance.  Holyn has been taking piano for three years and earned her first three NFMC Gold Cups of musical excellence this year in the events of piano solo, hymns and American patriotic/folk song.

• Paige Carter is a sophomore at Davie High School where she is a percussionist for the Wind Ensemble, plays piano for the Jazz Band and will serve as a drum major in the Marching Band for the upcoming year. She is a member of Tri-M Music Honor Society and National Honor Society. Paige earned 3 gold cup awards through her NFMC competition in the events of piano solo, hymns and American patriotic folk songs. She is an active member at Green Meadows Baptist Church, and is the state title holder for Hymns Class I. Her parents are Martin and Renee Carter of Advance.

• Cren Rosenbaum is an eighth grade student at South Davie Middle School where he plays percussion in the concert and jazz bands.This year, Cren earned his NFMC gold cup in the event of American patriotic/folk songs. He earned previous gold cups in piano solo and hymns.)  He loves acting in musical theater and Shakespearean productions and stays active playing on the Tiger soccer and tennis teams. Cren is a member of the First United Methodist Church of Mocksville. His parents are Daryl and Elizabeth Rosenbaum.

• Molly Powell is a rising senior and plays on the varsity lacrosse team and participates in a number of clubs and four honor societies. She has taken piano and voice lessons for seven years. Molly was successful in all three of her piano events, piano solo, hymns and American patriotic, in receiving the highest score possible to earn a gold cup in each event. She is on track to earn gold cups in voice her senior year in Musical Theater and Vocal Art Song. She attends River Oaks Community Church and is the daughter of Rob and Emily Powell.

• Taylor Tremblay is the daughter of Russ and Shannon Tremblay of Advance.  She is a rising senior at Bishop McGuinness High School. Taylor won two 30 point cups, representing six years of perfect scores in piano. Her events were piano solo and hymns. She will be competing for her 30 point gold cup in voice this coming year. She is the state title holder in voice in the American patriotic/folk song event. Taylor plays the clarinet in her school orchestra and plans to further her music education in college with a music major.

• Taylor Walton is an upcoming graduate of Davie High School and will be attending Lenoir Rhyne University where she will major in pre-medical science with the goal of becoming a dentist. Taylor earned the prestigious 45-point NFMC Gold Cup by combining points between the piano solo and the piano concerto events.  She is a previous state title winner in Hymns Class I event from 2015.  Her parents are Donna and Joe Walton of Advance.

• Becca Thurmond was part of the homeschool program and is taking classes at Forsyth Technical College in the criminal justice track.  She has also taken classes in the nursing field. She will be part of the graduating class of 2018. Becca earned her two 30 point NFMC Gold Cups in Piano Solo and Hymns. Her parents are Joe and Carolyn Thurmond of Advance.

Since their founding in 1898, NFMC has become the largest nonprofit organization in America to promote and support American music, performers and music education. NFMC provides opportunities for musical study, performance and appreciation to more than 135,000 senior, student and junior members in 6,500 music-related clubs and organizations nationwide.

“Federation members across the US, as well as here in North Carolina, work to create a dynamic musical and cultural environment in their communities through education and sponsorship of musical events,” Queen said.

Queen likes the opportunities the federation provides students for challenge and growth in their musical education.

“Thank you to all students who contributed to being named No. 1 in the state of NC and overall 16th in the nation,” she said. “You contributed with your festival participate scores, sharing music in your churches, performing at nursing homes and talent shows, letters of recognition from congressional leaders in your areas, and all those students who were named state finalists, as well as state title-holders in your respective events.”

Other Davie students who contributed to the state and national ranking but who are in the middle of gold cup years and not pictured, include: EJ and Arabella Yaroszewski, Natalie and Jeffrey Lyons, Kaley Ridenhour, Emily Henson, Joshua Woods, Tyler Moore, Landon Vick, Will Hedrick, Layah, Rima, Elaina and Joseph Boulos, Toni Depaoli, Molly Engstrom, Meredith and Savannah Everett, Wyatt Roby and Emilee Murphy.