Eight winners, including Teddy Chipouras, Emily Mitchell, Michael Rose, Susan Rowe, Mike Ryan, Jimmy Stewart, Yasmin Williams and Gabrielle Zwi will perform their winning songs and some of their other material.

Teddy Chipouras is from Lovettsville, Va. He is one of those rare thoughtful singer songwriters that manages to lead the listener into profound situations through unapologetic imagery and prose. He is able to seamlessly incorporate unusual turns of phrase that are difficult to reproduce. His songs are simple in nature but complex and building in structure. His songs are catchy but thoughtful. https://www.teddychipouras.com/

Emily Mitchell, 17, is a singer/songwriter from Gaithersburg, Maryland. She has been singing for as long as she can remember and loves it! At the age of six, Emily joined her school choir and in 5th grade began taking class guitar lessons. She performed her first original work at the age of 11 in her school talent show. She has continued to develop her singing, songwriting, and guitar skills, studying with Paul Hutchison, Bonnie Kunkel, and Gerry Kunkel. https://www.emilymitchellmusic.com/

Michael Rose is a comedian, composer, songwriter, performer in the area. His campy songs have a cabaret style and many of his better songs seem like they belong on a Broadway stage. He is the Children’s Silver Award winner in the MASC with his epic ballad of Isabella Sarsaparilla. http://iammichaelrose.com/

Susan Rowe is a singer/songwriter living in Alexandria Virginia. As one of her songs states - She believes in mysterious love and things she cannot see. Influenced by such artists as Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Hank Williams and George Gershwin--she has eclectic taste and it shines through in her music. Her songs are boosted by her well executed arsenal of potent guitar work and piano finesse with a variety of rhythm styles that seem inevitably perfect for each song. http://susanrowe.org/

Mike P. Ryan is an Oklahoma-born, Virginia-based singer/songwriter who writes heartfelt songs about the emotions and experiences of everyday people. Mike's music has been called “the work of a consummate storyteller who nails his subject matter with warmth and understanding." His melodies have been described as "absolutely magical" and his lyrics have been called "unique and perfectly crafted." A natural raconteur, Mike is an instant hit with live audiences. His songs tell the simple sincere and sometimes tragic stories of everyday people living extraordinary lives. His song "Left Behind" has also help him win accolades at the Kerrville Folk Festival New Folk Competition and at the 2018 Southwest Regional Folk Alliance (SWRFA) Annual Conference. His new album is “At Home in the Darkness.” Mike also is a combat veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan who volunteers with Musicians On Call, an organization that brings live music to the bedsides of hospital patients including wounded service members. https://mikepryanmusic.com/home

Jimmy Stewart is an acoustic finger style guitarist and recording artist from Baltimore, Maryland. His recent album, "Just Left of Beautiful", is his first album of original music. His melodies are hauntingly soulful and rich with an incredibly pure acoustic sound. The open "C" tuning on his guitar allows his music to breath an expansive range of notes you will not hear in other acoustic guitar music. https://www.jimmyplaysguitar.com/about

Yasmin Williams is an acoustic fingerstyle guitarist with an unorthodox, modern style of playing. Her music has been commonly described as refreshing, relaxing, and unique and has been called some of the most imaginative guitar music out today. She utilizes various techniques including alternate tunings, percussive hits, and lap tapping in her music to great effect. She has won various local talent shows, was a finalist in the Rolling Stones Young Gun guitar competition, was the Grand prize winner of New York University's Ultra Violet Live talent show and won the grand prize in Culpeper Has Talent. She was recently featured on NPR's Weekend Edition Saturday show. http://www.yasminwilliamsmusic.com/

Gabrielle Zwi’s songs about friendship, breaking barriers, and identity bring the listener through her teen years (which are not over yet). With her signature tenor ukulele, Gabrielle compliments her thoughtful lyrics with energetic and captivating music. Her debut album, Without a Label, is now on all major online music platforms, and CDs are available at her live shows. Gabrielle hopes to amplify voices that have not been heard, through music and other forms of advocacy. https://www.gabriellezwi.com