Ouachita Stories

T.J. Bailey, a junior worship arts major from Fort Smith, Ark., won first place in Ouachita Baptist University’s 35^th annual Virginia Queen Competition for Excellence in Piano Performance.

Thirteen students competed in this year’s event. Bailey received the competition’s $600 first prize. Second place with a prize of $400 was awarded to Jillian Turner, a freshman piano and vocal performance major from Fort Worth, Texas. Third place was awarded to Sean Jackson, a freshman music theory and composition major from Milton, Fla., with a prize of $250. Honorable mention and $50 each was awarded to Rusty Butler, a junior worship arts major from Little Rock, Ark.; Jordan Denniston, a sophomore music major from Plano, Texas; and Christopher Mazen, a senior worship arts major from Shreveport, La.

Other students who competed were Stephen Curry, a freshman worship arts major from Little Rock, Ark.; Jenna Cummings, a senior music major from Jacksonville, Ark.; J.K. Slyby, a senior music, mathematics and software engineering major from Hot Springs, Ark.; Courtney Stanage, a sophomore piano performance major from Hot Springs, Ark.; Courtney Stanage, a freshman piano performance major from Hot Springs Village, Ark.; Sarah Stiles, a freshman Biblical languages major from Aubrey, Texas; and Christina Wood, a senior piano performance and music theory and composition major from Longview, Texas.

The Virginia Queen competition was established 35 years ago by Queen, professor emerita of music.

“Her idea in establishing it was to motivate our OBU piano majors and piano minors to improve and to succeed as pianists,” said Dr. Ouida Keck, OBU’s Addie Mae Maddox Professor of Music. Queen, along with family member and former students, contribute to the endowment for the annual awards.

By Stephanie Hampton