Arts and Humanities Commission to honor area artists this month
Apr. 15—FAIRMONT — Next weekend, a number of artists will be recognized for their talents by the Fairmont Arts and Humanities Commission for the contributions they made to the local arts scene over the previous year.
The Commission's 38th Annual Awards will be held April 23 at 2 p.m. at Central Christian Church, 1641 Big Tree Dr., Fairmont. This year, the Commission will honor the work of a cross-section of artists ranging from high school seniors to those will more seasoned records in their disciplines.
Here is a look at the 2023 honorees.
Michael Stewart has been honing the craft of songwriting since he was a boy growing up in the mountains of Wetzel County. He used his grandmother's old, out of tune piano to get the sounds in his head to translate out to the world. Later, a beat-up harmonica he found made playing it feel personal and it never left his pocket. But he found out that harmonicas make it hard to sing and he had more to say to the world than just the melodies of that rusty old friend.
Two gifts from family changed everything — a $30 guitar and a free upright grand piano. Finally, Stewart had the tools to compose that he needed. All through his time spent studying the normal rules of music in college he would cherish the time in the evening breaking those rules and finding his voice in melody and lyric.
Upon finding a job as a barista, he gathered some of his new friends together and formed a band called $60. Through the contributions of his band mates and the accumulation of musical influences ranging from blues to Latin and folk to punk they played the local scene. As life moved on, so did some of the band mates and even the band names changed as did the sounds Michael tried to embrace, constantly writing new material as time passed. Once he'd he formed another band, The Ultimatums, its horn section allowed him to dabble in rhythm and blues.
Now, Stewart and his current band, the fm, with bandmates Todd Rider, Jonah Katz, Aaron Hostutler and Jacon Noska, have finished an album which is his first step into the world of electronic and hip hop music, though the lyric content and arrangements are still penned straight from the heart. The next phase is to rehearse a solid new set list and gather a host of musicians new and old to play shows in front of actual, in-person, real live people.
Alyssa Schwartz comes from Jamestown, New York and is the director of bands at Fairmont State University, director of the Morgantown Community Orchestra, development coordinator for Black Diamond Philharmonic, and instructor of flute and piano through Fairmont State University's Academy for the Arts.
Alyssa Schwartz
Alyssa Schwartz
She debuted at New York City's Carnegie Hall in November 2017 and returned for a second performance the same month as a result of winning first prize in the 2017 Golden Classical Music International Competition and second prize in the 2017 Concert Artists International Music Competition. Schwartz has released two albums with her flute quartet, BETA, in 2017 and received her first multiple-CD recording grant from Polyphony Arts Management in 2020.
Schwartz is a competitive performer with some of her most notable competition wins including first prize in the 2020 International Music Competition-Bonn, for which she was invited to perform at Beethoven's Bonn residence in August 2021 and first prize in the 2017 International Grand Prize Virtuoso Competition Senior Division for which she gave her debut performance at the Wiener Saal Mozarteum in July 2017.
A new music advocate, Schwartz is passionate about premiering new music with a focus in exploring interdisciplinary music. Recently, she partnered with Cambridge-based physicist and composer Domenico Vicinanza in recording two ringtones and a short piece for NASA, taking data from the first audio recording of a Marsquake. Schwartz recorded the ringtones and piece for NASA in October 2020, and these were included and premiered during NASA's Virtual SC20 Conference.
A founding member of BETA Quartet, Schwartz has participated in many competitions, performances, and masterclasses for chamber ensemble. The group won first prize in the 2020 France Music Competition and was selected to perform at the 2020 International Low Flute Festival in Japan.
Fairmont native Neil L. King is currently the director of bands at Suncrest Middle School and also serves as The Monongalia County Instrumental Music Coordinator. He holds a bachelor's degree in music education from Fairmont State College, and an master's degree in music education from The Ohio University School of Music. In 2014, King was named W.Va. Bandmaster of the Year by the Phi Beta Mu music honorary. King currently directs the Fairmont State University Jazz Ensemble where he serves as adjunct professor of Jazz Studies. As a teacher, King has directed 6 West Virginia State Honors Ensembles, 5 of which were jazz ensembles.
Neil King
Neil King
King is an in-demand professional trumpeter, and has performed both domestically and abroad. He has worked with The Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra, the world famous Glenn Miller Orchestra, Jazz Guitarist/TV Personality Joe Negri, internationally-recognized trumpeter Sean Jones, Saxophonist-Arranger Michael Tomaro, NEA jazz master Benny Golson, Grammy Award winning bassist Christian McBride, Grammy Award winning drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts, Pianist Bill Cunliffe, jazz vocalist Allen Harris, jazz vocalist Maureen Budway, The Huntington Symphony, The Mon River Big Band, The Maestros of Swing, WV Public Theater, The Martinsburg Jazz Orchestra, as well as 60's and 70's pop stars Bobby Vinton and Tony Orlando. King also leads the acclaimed Morgantown Jazz Orchestra, The Morgantown Jazz IX (MJIX), and is featured yearly with the W.Va. Italian Heritage Festival Orchestra.
Aside from his work in Mon County and as professional musician, King maintains an active schedule as a guest conductor and adjudicator throughout the country. He enjoys collecting jazz recordings and lifting weights. King and his wife, Corina, a music specialist in Marion County, reside in Fairmont.
Cecelia Moran is an East Fairmont High senior who has been involved in art from an early age, and has participated in many local arts programs, including Arts in the Park, where she worked with other local student artists.
Cecelia Moran
Cecelia Moran
In her senior year at EFHS, she designed and painted a mural for the school entitled "Grow," which highlights the bee spirit of the school and adds joy to the hallways with its bright colors and design.
Moran is inspired by nature and the things she sees while traveling and she thanks her art teacher and her family for their encouragement and support. After high school, she plans to study environmental science at WVU.
Eva Tennant is a senior at North Marion High and she graduates this spring. She is the daughter of Chris Tennant and the late Sheri Wine.
Tennant's performing career started in church where she participated in seasonal plays and skits. At a young age she studied voice and acting at the Academy for the Arts sponsored by Fairmont State University. She sang in the choir in middle school. She learned to play the alto saxophone and participated in the middle school band.
Eva Tennant
Eva Tennant
As a freshman in high school she joined the theater group and became a Thespian during her junior year. Her plays include 'The Tempest," "The Tell-Tale Lilac Bush," "The Miser," and "A Midsummer Night's Dream."
She is a member of the Husky marching and concert bands and also plays in the pep band during basketball games. At present she is the leader of the alto saxophone section.
She joined 4H at a young age and has attended 4H camp for 10 years. She has held several offices in the Fairview 4H club. Presently she is the club president.
In high school Eva has been a member of the rocketry club for four years. She has completed multiple AP classes and is a winner of the Promise Scholarship.
Eva plans to attend West Liberty University in the fall.
Melissa Ryan is a local performance artist and painter, who created an event entertainment company called Entertainment by Miss Pockets. She has expanded her company year by year and now she can offer contracted arts and entertainment services provided by other local artists. Her main goal in life is to create opportunities for her peers to make a living in the arts, to create unique art experiences for her audience, and continue to use the arts as a medium through which she explores the large and small mysteries of existence and art.
Melissa Ryan
Melissa Ryan
She graduated cum laude from Fairmont State University with a bachelor's degree in theatre and minors in education and art. She went on to pursue a master of arts education at WVU. She is now a part-time adjunct instructor with Fairmont State in the art department. She teaches future elementary education students how to integrate the arts into their core curriculum.
She was recently awarded the Travel and Training grant from the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History to attend a conference for entertainers.
Most of her weekends are booked with balloon twisting, character visits, face painting and magic performances. She co-hosts nearly all the tea parties at The Tea Shoppe in the Seneca Center in Morgantown, most of which sell out. Rehearsals have just started for the Dancing Elephant production of a play called The Dumbshow. She is not only playing a character, but also choreographing the comedic fight scenes. She is looking forward to providing free face painting for the Summer Concert Series at Ruby Hazel McQuain Park in Morgantown.
Each year, Fairmont's Arts & Humanities Commission presents its Satterfield Award to a graduating senior at Fairmont State who has displayed talent and dedication to the arts. The Satterfield Award is named for the late Marian Satterfield. a long-time performer in Fairmont State's theatre This year, the Satterfield goes to musician Bailey Phillips, a student of both piano and the flute.
Bailey Phillips
Bailey Phillips
Phillips has performed in the Fairmont State Marching Band, its Wind Ensemble and choir, as well as with the Morgantown Community Orchestra. He is also an eager soloist.
Parallel to his interest in music, Bailey plans to explore neuroscience and the ways that the brain is affected while composing art and music.
Delayne Pyle is a senior at Fairmont Senior High where she is the 2022-2023 drumline captain for the Polar Bear Band. She is also a member of the Madrigal Chamber Choir and concert band.
Delayne Payne
Delayne Payne
In third grade, Pyle began private piano lessons at Fairmont State University's Academy for the Arts under the instruction of Rayme Pullen and continues to study piano with her at Rayme's Piano Studio in Salem. During Pyle's junior year, she had the opportunity to play the piano accompaniment for the Polar Bear Band and Mass Choir on Seal Lullaby and My Heart's in the Highlands.
In addition to playing the piano, she loves to sing and has taken private voice lessons at Fairmont State Academy for the Arts with Greg DeVito. There isn't a musical that she hasn't heard and doesn't love.
She is looking forward to continuing her piano studies at WVU in the fall. She recently auditioned and was accepted into the music and health program. Pyle hopes to expand her musical abilities and eventually pursue a career in medicine.
