ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, March 16, 1997 TAG: 9703170005
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-14 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
Symphony bus trip leaves from Blacksburg
The New River Valley Friends of the Roanoke Symphony will offer a bus package for the symphony's performance Monday. The round-trip bus ride and symphony ticket package costs $30. The bus ride alone costs $10. The bus leaves the Gables Shopping Center at 6:30. To reserve a seat, call 552-1835 or 552-2108.
Creative writing sought for Chautauqua
WYTHEVILLE - Nine cash prizes will be awarded to amateur writers of short stories, essays and poetry in the 1997 Creative Writing Contest of the Wytheville Chautauqua Festival.
Prizes of $75, $50 and $25 will be offered in each of the three adult categories; $25, $15 and $10 for grades 10-12; and $15, $10 and $5 for grades 6-9. Only one manuscript per category is allowed, and the story (under 5,000 words), poem (under 50 lines) or essay (under 2,000 words) must not have been previously published.
Entries must be postmarked by April 25 and sent to Dan Jones, Chautauqua Creative Writing Contest, Wytheville Community College, 1000 E. Main St., Wytheville 24382.
Entry fees are $5 for each adult entry and $2 for students in grades 6-12. If a teacher believes that a student is unable to pay the fee, this should be noted on the title page and can be waived. Two typed, double-spaced originals or copies of each entry should be submitted, and a third kept by the contestant, as no entries will be returned. Each manuscript should have a removable title page with the writer's name, address, age group and literary category. The writer's name should not appear anywhere else.
Winning manuscripts may be published. Winners will be notified by June 9, with awards scheduled to be presented June 20. Winners will be invited to the festival to receive their prizes.
Sherwood Anderson contest approaches
MARION - Another upcoming writing contest that usually has winners from the New River Valley is the 21st Sherwood Anderson Short Story Contest, which is for residents or natives of Southwest Virginia or adjoining areas of bordering states.
Stories should deal with life in rural or small-town America, perhaps on a theme Anderson would have chosen. Entries must be postmarked by May 31.
Adults, including college and graduate students, are eligible for $100, $50 and $25 prizes; students in grades 9-12, $40, $25 and $15; grades 5-8, $30, $20 and $10; and grades 1-4, $15, $10 and $5.
Only one entry per person will be accepted. Professional writers and creative-writing teachers are not eligible to enter, nor are previously published stories eligible for consideration.
Stories should be typed and double-spaced on one side of the paper only, should not exceed 6,000 words, and should include a cover page with the title, name and address of the writer, telephone number, contest category or school grade and name of school, and hometown newspaper. The writer's name should appear nowhere else.
A $5 entry fee must accompany entries in the adult category. The fee will be waived if the entrant chooses to send $8 to buy a copy of "Stories from Sherwood Anderson Country: Contest Winners 1976-1986."
Winning stories in this contest may be published in the future. Entries will not be returned.
Entries should be mailed to: Sherwood Anderson Short Story Contest, P.O. Box 1161, Marion 24354. Questions can be directed to Don Francis at 496-7716 (work) or 783-8230 (home). The contest is sponsored by the Sherwood Anderson Association.
Christiansburg auto decals available
CHRISTIANSBURG - Town auto decals are now on sale. Deadline for purchase is April 15.
Bring a receipt showing that personal property taxes have been paid.
If you did not receive an application, forms are available in the Municipal Building, 100 E. Main St., Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Multimedia music from Mahin slated
EMORY - Bruce Mahin, composer, performer and director of the Center for Music Technology at Radford University, will give a multimedia performance at 8:15 p.m. Tuesday at Emory & Henry College in the Wiley Hall auditorium. Admission is free.
The concert will feature original compositions for electronic wind instruments, interactive computer and synthesizers.
During the performance, Mahin will play from a written score and the computer will follow along, making musical decisions and performing its own accompaniment using algorithms in real time.
Mahin has composed music for interactive computer and live performers since 1985. A graduate of West Virginia University, Northwestern University and the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University, he has been assistant professor of music and director of the Radford University Center for Music Technology since 1989.
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