The lawn of the Vienna Town Green was blanketed with contestant supporters and community guests out for a lovely evening of good music and small-town ambiance. Photo by Donna Manz.
It took 45 auditions, months of preparation and community outreach, and dozens of sponsors and volunteers to come down to this moment: Vienna Idol 2016 finals. On June 10 on the Vienna Town Green, the community converged to listen to the six finalists competing for three top spots. Using the one-vote-per-dollar system, Town Green audience members voted for Brian Bui as this year’s Vienna Idol.
Earthy, jazzy Alex Giller was second runner-up, and the bouncey duo Falling Home came in first runner-up to Bui. Zach Dorman, Tina Franklin, and Brian Johnson rounded out the performance finals.
Vienna Idol founder and organizer, Michael Amouri of Caffe Amouri, took to the stage and social media to thank the community, neighbors and friends, the Town of Vienna Parks and Recreation Department, volunteer coordinators/judges/production crew, contestants, and sponsors for making Vienna Idol 2016 “such a great success.”
“I can't even think of everyone to list, but in no particular order....Thank you Celia Blalock, Penny Oszak, DaVo David Oszak, Nicki Amouri, Tammy Moore, John Asman, Tom Kyllo, Monica Melendez, Jeff and Laura Kilburg Bollettino, Mary Foerster, David Salzberg, Donna Manz, Carey Sienicki, Vienna Smiles, Caboose Brewery, Fisher Custom Homes, Whole Foods Vienna, School of Rock, Town of Vienna, Kathie Rawson......I've probably missed a couple but thank you, all,” Amouri said.
Vienna Idol was founded five years ago to fundraise on behalf of the Khristin Kyllo Memorial Fund, founded by Tom and Julie Kyllo to honor the memory of their daughter who died from an epileptic episode. The fund provides scholarships to James Madison High School students who epitomize Khristin’s spirit, donations to research into Sudden Unexpected Death from Epilepsy (SUDEP), and seizure watches for epilepsy patients. The Madison graduate died at the end of her first semester at Princeton University.
Besides the funds for the Khristin Kyllo Memorial Fund – netting more than $13,000 - Vienna Idol raised enough money to purchase three seizure monitor watches selling for $800 each. The monitors alert emergency contacts to a seizure.
To see more photos of the 2016 Vienna Idol competition, go to https://www.facebook.com/viennaidolva/timeline.