LaGrange Symphony Orchestra hosts Young Artists Competition

Just up the road in LaGrange, if you go to a concert by the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra, you’ll see a familiar figure leading the orchestra.

Patricio Cobos, the now-retired violin professor in the Columbus State University Schwob School of Music, is the conductor of the LSO.

Every year, the LSO holds the 14th annual Young Artists Competition. This year, it’s scheduled for Feb. 5 in Callaway Auditorium on the LaGrange College campus.

There are also competitions for the 13th annual Barbara Malis Award and the Eighth annual SCALA (Student Competition Awards in the LaGrange Area).

“These three competitions reflect the LSO’s ongoing commitment to nurture artistic talent at various developmental stages, from young musicians to pre-professional artists,” said Toni Anderson, chair of the LSO competitions committee. “Through the generosity of our various donors, cash awards are awarded to the winners of each competition, and demonstrate tangibly this community’s value of the musical arts.”

For the Malis Award, any music student between the ages of 16-20 on the day of the competition who is a resident or resident student in Troup County is eligible for the competition. Students may perform in piano, percussion, voice, winds or strings. The deadline to enter is 5 p.m. Jan. 14. The concert is March 8.

For the Youth Artists Competition, it’s too late to enter this year. But keep it in mind for next year.

You have to be a vocalist or wind instrumentalist 25 or younger, and must be a resident or resident student in Georgia, Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina or Tennessee. The first place winner will perform with the LSO the following season.

SCALA is open to any music student 18 or younger on the day of the competition who is a resident of Troup, Chambers, Heard, Harris and Meriwether counties. Students may perform on piano, percussion, voice, winds or strings.

The deadline to enter is 5 p.m. Jan. 15. For more information, call 706-882-0662.

ChattGlide Tours

I was lucky enough to ride a Segway when I did a story of John and Vicky Partin’s business, ChattGlides Tours, when they opened a couple of years ago.

The first time I actually saw a Segway in person was at the Atlanta Airport, where security guards ride around on them.

And then, there was the memorable program on “The Tonight Show” when the inventor was on the show. The guest that night just happened to be Russell Crowe, who had just come off his biggest movie yet, “Gladiator.”

He was riding around the studio while the inventor kept pleading with him to be careful. It was rather amusing.

I’m not the most graceful of women, and often cannot figure out how to do anything complicated.

But I had absolutely no problems riding the Segway. Honestly. And it is so much fun!

I got a postcard from the Partins, who are offering a great stocking stuffer — a ChattGlide Tour for Two for $55. It’s good through April 30.

The two-hour ride includes training. And they won’t let you go unless you prove to them that you can handle the Segway. It also includes helmet rental, bottled water and a photograph of you gliding on the Chattahoochee Riverwalk.

Call 706-660-9247.

This story was originally published December 17, 2009 at 12:00 AM with the headline "LaGrange Symphony Orchestra hosts Young Artists Competition."