FERRUM, Va. (WFXR) – The primary touring ensemble of Ferrum College’s Appalachian Music program, Orchestra Appalachia, performed at the annual convention of the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) last week.
The event took place in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on Saturday, September 20. According to officials, this trip to Chattanooga marked the fourth time Orchestra Appalachia appeared at the preeminent music convention.
The performers were students Django Burgess, Maddie Cox, and Quinn May, with Emily Blankenship-Tucker and staff member Rachel Blankenship-Tucker. Blankenship-Tucker, assistant professor and program coordinator for Music and Theatre, directed the group in a college showcase and the IBMA street festival. Sarah Montgomery, who has been playing keyboard at Ferrum’s Monday music jams during her first semester at the College, also attended and displayed her clogging skills while the band performed…