Thomlinson takes first in Senior Fiddle

Alex Thomlinson, of Suches, was awarded First Place in Senior Bluegrass Fiddle at the 8th Annual Stecoah Mountain Music Championship, near Robbinsville NC, on June 16, 2007. Twelve-year-old Alex had originally competed in his own age division (16 years old and under) earlier in the day, but was reclassified to a more difficult category when judges exercised their prerogative to advance any Junior contestant to the Senior division based upon advanced playing skills. The Stecoah championship employs blind judging; judges do not see the contestants, and do not know the name, gender, or age of any contestant.

Competing in a field of 6 Senior Bluegrass fiddlers, Alex played Limerock and Roxanna Waltz. He was then placed in the fiddle-off between the top three contestants in Senior Bluegrass Fiddle, and played Lovers? Waltz and Bill Cheatum in this final round. The judges named Alex the winner of the Senior Bluegrass Fiddle division.

The music championship also held Junior and Senior competitions in old-time fiddle, old-time banjo, bluegrass banjo, mandolin, flat-pick guitar, and finger-style guitar. There was also competition in Bluegrass Band and Old-Time Band. $5000 in prize money was awarded to the day?s contestants. Alex was the winner of the Junior Bluegrass banjo competition, and placed 3rd in Junior mandolin. He also played banjo in the Bluegrass Band competition for the group, Scrap Iron, which captured 2nd place.

Alex was the First Place winner of the Junior Fiddle division at Stecoah in 2005 and 2006.The championship is held in the auditorium of the beautiful Stecoah Valley Center, which is a restored stone schoolhouse built in 1926, now preserving mountain traditions through festivals, concert series, and an artisans gallery. Further information on the Mountain Music Championship and other activities at the Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center may be found on the web at www.visitsvcenter.com