North Carolina hosts 13 state-wide Junior Festival Music festivals each year as part of the National Federation of Music Clubs national program.

The local festival is held on the campus of Wake Forest University. Students competing in advanced level music can compete for a state finalist position which is held at UNCG later in the spring.

The top winners from the Wake Forest event include the following:

•Natalie Lyons, daughter of Mike and Karen Lyons. She is a high school freshman and was the area festival winner for the Carolyn Jones Summerlin Hymn Class I. She received a perfect score of 100 in her hymn playing event. She played two selections which included a contemporary setting of “God of Wonders” and the modern hymn “Lord of the Dance.” She is a member of Clemmons Presbyterian Church.

• The Carolyn Jones Summerlin Hymn Class II event was won by Paige Carter at the Wake Forest event.  Paige is a junior and a drum major for the Davie High School Marching Band.  She is a member of Green Meadows Baptist Church and played the popular praise and worship song “10,000 Reasons” and a traditional hymn from her church hymnal entitled “He Lives.”

• Emily Henson was the top winner in the Peggy Matthews Robinson Hymn Class III. She is the daughter of Philip and Amy Henson, and a member of Green Meadows Baptist Church.  She is a junior attending Davie High School. Her performing selections included: “Ose Shalom” a traditional Jewish hymn and Dennis Jernigan’s “You Are My All In All.”

• The Wake Forest top winner in Hymn Class IV, also named as the Peggy Matthews Robinson Hymn Playing Cup, is Meredith Everett. Everett is the daughter of Jody and Ashley Everett of Advance. Her competition music included:  the praise and worship song “Breathe” and the gospel version of a modern hymn titled “Rain Down.”  She is a junior at Davie High School

All four students are a part of the Teresia Ann Queen Studio of Music in Advance. Queen’s studio recently was recognized as the number one ranked NFMC studio in North Carolina for the second year in a row.

The NFMC has grown into one of the world’s largest music organizations since its founding in 1898.  The organization provides opportunities for musical study, performance and music appreciation to more than 200,000 members nationwide in its 6,500 music-related clubs and organizations.

The organization is dedicated to finding and fostering young musical talent and sponsor nationwide Junior Festivals with more than 117,000 participants.  The mission of the NFMC is to advance and develop American music and musicians.  They are a non-profit philanthropic and educational organization dedicated to music education and the promotion of the creative and performing arts across America.