Sleep-deprived musicians compete in 'Hands On' contest

It's a story about music that doesn't involve a note, but the young people involved just want to play. For the past eight years, Summerhays Music Center in Salt Lake has held a contest where the winners get a brand new professional instrument worth $4,000 for free. But, they really have to work for it.

It's called the "Hands On" contest for a very specific reason. Beginning last Friday at 6 p.m., 111 contestants placed both hands on an instrument case, plopped down on the floor and made themselves as comfortable as they could for the long haul.



But it's the end result that drove these contestants - they were in it to win a new professional-quality musical instrument worth several thousand dollars. The contestants got a 10-minute break every six hours. They could drink or eat snacks at any time, just as long as their hands and fingers stayed on their instrument case.

Just 10 people remained at the 30-hour mark, looking bleary eyed and miserable. The rules also changed a bit. They turned up the heat inside the room and talking was no longer allowed. The winners were 23-year-old Levy Lundgreen - who lasted 39 hours and chose a saxophone - and Kadelyn Egan, who held on even after falling asleep at 3 a.m. She took home a new flute.

With two news videos.