SPRINGFIELD — Public radio station WUIS/WIPA will sponsor its third Young Musician Concert Competition beginning at 2 p.m., Saturday, May 3, at the New Salem State Historical Site Visitor's Center Auditorium. The event is free and open to the public.
WUIS/WIPA Music Director Karl Scroggin noted that this program differs from previous competitions in that it is for young Bluegrass fiddlers. The event is made possible by Illinois National Bank.
Competition rules are available at http://wuis.org. Advance registration is not necessary; contestant sign-up begins at noon on May 3 at the Visitor's Center Auditorium.
"Contestants, up to and including high school seniors, will perform in front of a live audience for cash prizes totaling $1,800," Scroggin said. The program will be recorded for later use on WUIS' Bluegrass Breakdown, which airs on Sundays at 6 p.m.
Scroggin said that the aim of the competition is to foster an interest in Bluegrass music and to encourage the next generation of performers. He added that WUIS/WIPA has hosted a weekly, locally produced Bluegrass music program for more than 30 years, attracting devotees across central and west central Illinois.
The station is located within the Center for State Policy and Leadership at the University of Illinois at Springfield.
