Farm Music Contest Has Wider Implications – Butler Eagle

Elizabeth Anderson, center, plays the guitar while Olivia Anderson plays the fiddle during the Old Time Fiddling, Banjo, Mandolin and Flat Top Guitar Contest at the Butler Farm Show on Saturday. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Whether you’re wandering through the grocery store, watching a movie, or attending the local farm show, you’ll encounter music.

When you go to a concert to hear a live music act or comedian, music plays while you wait for the headliner.

Even in the silent film era, music was such an important element to the experience that the film was accompanied by live musicians.

The music that plays around us requires talent and dedication. Over the weekend, during the Butler Farm Show, that talent and dedication was on display in the form of the Old Time Fiddling, Banjo, Mandolin and Flat Top Guitar Contest.

Irina Bucur, Eagle staff writer, was present at the pageant and found that gender reverence was on full display.

The competition has been a fixture at the Butler Farm Show since 1984, said contest coordinator Kim Thomas of Sigel.

“It’s just unique,” she said. “I mean, this is bluegrass, whatever you want to call it — Appalachian. Fiddling has a lot of different styles. People might do bluegrass, they might do Texas swing, they might do old time.”

Lucian Mikush, 17, who plays mandolin and fiddle, said he sees himself carrying on the bluegrass tradition.

“I like a lot of the simplicity of folk music, and to fit into that simplicity, you have to play one of these instruments,” Lucian said. “It’s pretty interesting to see, like the American roots and the kind of music that’s been in this area for hundreds of years,” he said.

Lucian is a wonderful example of the passion for music that must be instilled in young people. And we applaud the farm show for its inclusion — for the past 40 years — of this competition, understanding that it’s not just about the prize money. It’s about the future of music.

It’s about the advancement of the Butler Symphony Orchestra. It’s about the next musical released at Butler County Community College. It’s about the Independence Day parade full of high school marching bands. It is about the Christmas concert and the guitar liturgy at the church. It is about the preservation of culture.

We encourage you to encourage yourself and those around you to be more musical, for all the reasons listed above.

— RJ

Emmaline Anderson, left, watches Elizabeth Anderson perform in the guitar division during the Old Time Fiddling, Banjo, Mandolin and Flat Top Guitar contest at the Butler Farm Show on Saturday. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Ceyson Magagnotti performs in the guitar division during the Old Time Fiddling, Banjo, Mandolin and Flat Top Guitar Contest at the Butler Farm Show on Saturday. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Elizabeth Anderson performs in the guitar division during the Old Time Fiddling, Banjo, Mandolin and Flat Top Guitar Contest at the Butler Farm Show on Saturday. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Lucian Mikush performs in the junior fiddle division during the fiddle, banjo, mandolin and flat top guitar contest at the Butler Farm Show on Saturday. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Olivia Anderson plays in the championship fiddling division during the Old Time Fiddling, Banjo, Mandolin and Flat Top Guitar contest at the Butler Farm Show on Saturday. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Coraline Inglis performs in the junior fiddle division during the fiddle, banjo, mandolin and flat top guitar contest at the Butler Farm Show on Saturday. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Olivia Anderson plays in the banjo division during the Old Time Fiddling, Banjo, Mandolin and Flat Top Guitar contest at the Butler Farm Show on Saturday. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Leighlynn Magagnotti plays in the junior fiddling division during the Old Time Fiddling, Banjo, Mandolin and Flat Top Guitar Contest at the Butler Farm Show on Saturday. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

David Anderson plays in the banjo division during the Old Time Fiddling, Banjo, Mandolin and Flat Top Guitar Contest at the Butler Farm Show on Saturday. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Tim Cicotello plays in the banjo division during the Old Time Fiddling, Banjo, Mandolin and Flat Top Guitar Contest at the Butler Farm Show on Saturday. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Lucian Mikush performs in the junior fiddle division during the fiddle, banjo, mandolin and flat top guitar contest at the Butler Farm Show on Saturday. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Farm Music Contest Has Wider Implications – Butler Eagle

By Matthew. Jr

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Farm Music Contest Has Wider Implications – Butler Eagle

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