FIDDLERS PLAY LICKS AT LITTLE OPRY

BURFORDVILLE -- A fiddler practicing his licks outside the Little Ole Opry Saturday afternoon tells a late arrival to hurry inside.

"You don't want to miss Liesl," he says with a smile.

No you don't. Liesl, the 11-year-old daughter of Dr. John and Brenda Schoenberger of Cape Girardeau, finished a close second in the fiddle contest but bowed up thunderstorms of music and applause.

Liesl was one of seven fiddlers from as far away as Fenton who competed in the contest. They ranged from Liesl, who's still in braces, to 81-year-old Cape Girardean Glenn Kirchhoff, who picked up the fiddle after he retired.

About 100 people attended the Mississippi River Valley Scenic Drive event. The drive continues today with more events scheduled throughout the region.

Dressed in a Bavarian vest and a hat decorated with pins given to her at past fiddle contests, Liesl charged through "Tom and Jerry," "Canadian Waltz" and "Draggin' the Bow" like the virtuoso she is.

Trained in the Suzuki method since the age of 2 1/2, Liesl is a serious student of the violin. She travels to Indiana University every other week to take lessons.

"If I have a career in music it'll be, classical's going to be it," says Liesl, who plays an instrument made in 1743.

The St. Mary's School student has taught herself to play fiddle tunes since entering a contest two years ago at the suggestion of her piano teacher.

"Fiddle to me is fun. And the contest is fun," she says. "I don't care if I win."

She doesn't know how many contests she's won but she does know she has 11 trophies and almost $1,000 in the bank from fiddling contests.

The expressive playing of 16-year-old Matt Wyatt of Fenton won the contest and a $75 check.

Matt didn't start playing the fiddle until age 12 and approaches the instrument differently from Liesl. He can't read music, so he learns songs off old records and the radio on a fiddle his grandfather gave him.

A rock 'n' roll guitarist as well, Matt also is apprenticed to a master fiddler at nearby High Ridge, an advantage provided through an arts program administered by the University of Missouri.

Matt is in his third year of roaming the state playing fiddle contests, participating in 25 last year. "Practically every little town in the state has one," says his father, Alan, who accompanies Matt on guitar.

Kirchhoff, the third-place finisher in the contest, played the guitar in the Bob Dolle and Bob Rosenquist dance bands for many years. Fiddle was practically a new instrument to him.

"I played a little when I was a kid. I think I took nine lessons," he said. "In nine lessons you just barely learn to hold the fiddle."

He also woodshedded in the basement with tapes and records, and now plays occasionally at nursing homes.

Lloyd LaLumondier of Festus finished fourth and Bob King of Jackson was fifth in the contest.