A dozen aspiring songwriters showed off their talents on Saturday during the fifth annual Tucson Desert Song Festival songwriting competition at the UA's Holsclaw Hall.
Songwriters from 8 to 18 penning everything from a capella odes to a late grandmother (8-year-old Phaedra Farbrook) to a skat lamenting the stupidity of people on the Internet (18-year-old Andrew McDonald) competed for cash prizes from $50 to $100. Winners were selected by age group. Winners included Rowa Brack, 11, a sixth-grader at Orange Grove Middle School, first prize in the elementary; and Sophia Rankin, 17, a senior at Catalina Foothills High School, first place in the high school division.Β
Only one of the songs was classical in nature. Marana High School junior Julia Glunt, 16, wrote a choral piece "Voce Notis" that a group of her Marana high choir buddies sang in Latin and English. (Disclosure; my daughter was part of the Marana group.)Β
Sophia, who performed the country song "Goodbye" with Inge Pham-Swann, was the most veteran performer on Saturday's stage. Sophia is a regular at various community events from the Firefighters Chili Cookoff to the annual Tucson Folk Festival.
The Tucson Desert Song Festival runs through Feb. 5.
