Huff Family Contest Celebrates--and Rewards--Community’s Young Music Makers

Pictured: The late Lewis Huff’s children join the winners of a long-running music contest bearing his name on stage: (pictured left-right): Wayne Huff, Tate Grimshaw, David Green, Katie Gneiting, Jacob Hayes, and Matthew Palmer.  See all the participants of the 2014 Huff Music Contest in the March 12, 2014 printed edition of The Payson Chronicle.

Pictured: The late Lewis Huff’s children join the winners of a long-running music contest bearing his name on stage: (pictured left-right): Wayne Huff, Tate Grimshaw, David Green, Katie Gneiting, Jacob Hayes, and Matthew Palmer.  See all the participants of the 2014 Huff Music Contest in the March 12, 2014 printed edition of The Payson Chronicle.

A decades-long tradition celebrating excellence in music-making continued March 4th. That was when the annual Huff Music Contest brought together fourteen young musicians to the auditorium at Payson High School, all there for an evening of harmonious competition. Competition, though friendly, was tight, and every performance proved pleasing to the ear.  But only four could walk away as winners after the final song had played. Winning the contest's highest honor that night was Katie Gneiting.  She was presented a large trophy for having won the Sweepstakes prize for her stunning vocal solo.  Rendering winning performances, too, were Tate Grimshaw, who was awarded this year’s Instrumental Solo Award for his percussion performance, while vocalist David Green won the Vocal Solo Award, and Samantha Hayes walked away with the Piano Solo Award. Marilyn Morgan, Payson High School Choir Instructor, and Brad Collins, PHS Orchestra Instructor, led the event.  As a panel of three judges deliberated, Abby Bennion, 2013 Huff Music Contest Instrumental Solo Award winner, joined, too, by delighting the audience with a performance on French horn.   The Huff Music Contest was established in Payson over forty years ago by the late Lewis Huff.  Mr. Huff was active in the Kiwanis Club talent contest, as well as the Peteetneet School and local dance bands, of his day, and saw a need to create the event as means by which to celebrate the community’s music makers. Two of Lewis’s children, Wayne Huff and Colleen H. Wilson, represented the Huff family at last week’s competition. “We look forward to hearing the youth perform,” said Wayne, as he and his sister shared a bit of history with an audience gathered to take part in its continuation.  Wayne further thanked music instructors, Mr. Collins and Mrs. Morgan, for supporting and helping to sustain a contest that has surpassed its fortieth year. Colleen noted that two of her children, April Wilson Jones and Rhett Wilson, who were in the audience that evening, were among a long list of Huff Music Contest participants over the years. “We are so happy that it is still here,” Colleen added.

A decades-long tradition celebrating excellence in music-making continued March 4th. That was when the annual Huff Music Contest brought together fourteen young musicians to the auditorium at Payson High School, all there for an evening of harmonious competition.

Competition, though friendly, was tight, and every performance proved pleasing to the ear.  But only four could walk away as winners after the final song had played.

Winning the contest's highest honor that night was Katie Gneiting.  She was presented a large trophy for having won the Sweepstakes prize for her stunning vocal solo.  Rendering winning performances, too, were Tate Grimshaw, who was awarded this year’s Instrumental Solo Award for his percussion performance, while vocalist David Green won the Vocal Solo Award, and Samantha Hayes walked away with the Piano Solo Award.

Marilyn Morgan, Payson High School Choir Instructor, and Brad Collins, PHS Orchestra Instructor, led the event.  As a panel of three judges deliberated, Abby Bennion, 2013 Huff Music Contest Instrumental Solo Award winner, joined, too, by delighting the audience with a performance on French horn.  

The Huff Music Contest was established in Payson over forty years ago by the late Lewis Huff.  Mr. Huff was active in the Kiwanis Club talent contest, as well as the Peteetneet School and local dance bands, of his day, and saw a need to create the event as means by which to celebrate the community’s music makers.

Two of Lewis’s children, Wayne Huff and Colleen H. Wilson, represented the Huff family at last week’s competition. “We look forward to hearing the youth perform,” said Wayne, as he and his sister shared a bit of history with an audience gathered to take part in its continuation.  Wayne further thanked music instructors, Mr. Collins and Mrs. Morgan, for supporting and helping to sustain a contest that has surpassed its fortieth year.

Colleen noted that two of her children, April Wilson Jones and Rhett Wilson, who were in the audience that evening, were among a long list of Huff Music Contest participants over the years.

“We are so happy that it is still here,” Colleen added.

David Green (pictured here as he sings "Loch Lomond") was awarded the Vocal Solo Award at Tuesday night's Huff Music Contest in Payson. Subscribe to the Chronicle. Log on to paysonads.com today and you will be on your way!

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