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VOL. 29 | NUM. 39
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DECEMBER 8, 2017 | NORTHERN VIRGINIA MEDIA SERVICES
Democrats seek new election in 28th District
Teen pianist heading to Carnegie Hall for winter recital
ALEX KOMA
akoma@insidenova.com
TRACY BELL
tbell@insidenova.com
S
ixteen-year-old pianist Teah Snively, of Stafford, will head to Carnegie Hall in New York City to take part in the music venue’s winter recital on Dec. 17. The honor stems from Teah’s entry into the American Protege International Talent Competition, where she was awarded second place. Teah, who attends Colonial Forge High School, has been a playing the piano for 11 years and comes from a musical family. She said she is “super excited” to play at Carnegie Hall. “My entire family is full of musicians,” explained Teah, “so I guess the question never really was whether or not I’d be a musician. It was more of what instrument I would learn.” Teah said that as a 5-year-old, she pleaded with her mother to let her take piano lessons. “Music has been a huge part of everything that I do ever since,” she said. “Since I was so young, it was never really something I had to force myself to understand. Starting music when you’re 5 is like learning your first language. First you learn the letters, then you learn some words. Before you know it you’re speaking, and as we get older our abilities develop to become more complex. Playing the piano is exactly like that, and most other people I know my age who started piano when they were little kids say the same thing.” She’s been a standout at Colonial Forge, too. There, she’s made a name for herself as the school’s jazz pianist last school year and subsequently
emocrats are now asking a federal judge to order a new election for the House of Delegates’ 28th District seat, the latest twist in the razor-close contest that could determine which party controls the General Assembly’s lower chamber. Several Fredericksburg voters, backed by attorneys for House Democrats, are hoping to block Republican Bob Thomas from taking office following his 82-vote victory over Democrat Josh Cole. The race to replace retiring House Speaker Bill Howell in the Stafford County seat has been upended by the revelation that at least 147 voters in the area received the wrong ballot, a mistake that Democratic lawyers argue has produced an “outcome that does not reliably reflect the will of the legal voters who sought to cast votes.” Attorneys filed a Dec. 6 motion asking Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis to order a special election to resolve these discrepancies, building off an earlier federal case the same voters filed to prevent state elections officials from declaring a winner in the race. That legal action was unsuccessful, and the State Board of Elections certified Thomas as the winner on Nov. 27. Cole has already asked for a recount in the race, but Democrats
Teah Snively, a Colonial Forge student, is a standout piano player due to her ability to interpret the music, said her teacher. ALEKS DOLZENKO | INSIDENOVA
became the music department’s go-to piano player. She was even the pianist at the school’s senior awards night. Teah has played the piano with her school’s symphonic band, wind ensemble, chamber orchestra and show choir. This year, she became a section leader on piccolo in the school’s marching band and she is currently first-chair flutist in the school’s wind ensemble.
She also founded and is the leading player in a flute ensemble at the school. Snively takes piano lessons from Susan Flinn, who runs The Music Studio in Stafford. “I truly enjoy working with her; her progress is amazing. As a student, Teah is very dedicated to her music (piano, flute and school RECITAL
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