Music students compete in marathon-style test of endurance

TACOMA, Wash. - Feb. 25, 2014 - PRLog -- It’s a music store’s version of a Battle Royale.

Around 60 of Tacoma’s most resilient young musicians will undergo a serious test of endurance inside Tacoma-based music store Ted Brown Music. The store is holding its 8th annual Hands-On Instrument Contest at 6 pm on March 7.

The Hands-On Contest pits students aged 12 to 18 against each other in a “last kid standing” effort to win a new Yamaha band/orchestra instrument. Students fight sleep and sweaty hands as they keep both hands on an instrument case. If the team of Ted Brown judges sees a single digit lift off the case, the contestant is out.

“It’s competitive, but it’s also fun and exciting,” said store manager Ellie Stevens. “Kids will sign up and see people they made friends with last year. There’s a lot of good camaraderie.”

Parents and friends provide food, hydration and moral support as the contest wears on for upwards of 30 hours. When only two are left, background music is turned off and the pressure is on.

Over the last 8 years, the contest has seen more and more signups. Many students re-enter each year to get closer to the prize, and to beat their own personal time.

“We’ve really gotten to know the students and their parents, which happens after you spend over 24 hours with them,” said Whitney Grisaffi, Ted Brown Music president. “This event is fun for everyone involved.”

Ted Brown Music is a Tacoma-based full service music store established in 1931. The company hosts year-round events to foster a love of music in young people, in the face of school music program budget cuts. The National Association for Music Education says young people involved in music programs are more likely to build abstract reasoning skills, do better at math and science, and score higher on their SATs.

For more info, check out tedbrownmusic.com or call 1-800-562-8938.