WISCONSIN ORIGINAL PRODUCTION.
>> THEY SHARE A PASSION FOR
MUSIC AND THE DRIVE TO EXCEL
TALENTED YOUNG PERFORMERS, EAGER
TO TAKE THE STAGE AND BRING
THEIR DREAMS TO LIFE.
THE MADISON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA,
UNDER THE BATON OF ASSOCIATE
CONDUCTOR KYLE KNOX, WELCOMES
THE FOUR FINALISTS TO OVERTURE
HALL: LUCY WU,
ARISA OKAMOTO,
AMELIA ZITOUN
AND SOPHIA JIANG.
IT'S "WISCONSIN YOUNG ARTISTS
COMPETE: THE FINAL FORTE."
MAJOR FUNDING FOR "THE FINAL
FORTE" IS PROVIDED BY:
[APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU.
>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO
FINAL FORTE THE CULMINATION OF
THE 2023 BOLZ YOUNG ARTIST
COMPETITION.
I'M LORI SKELTON, HOST OF
WISCONSIN PUBLIC RADIO'S
"AFTERNOON CLASSICS."
>> AND I'M CLINT WALZ, DIRECTOR
OF INDIVIDUAL GIVING AT PBS
WISCONSIN.
2023 MARKS THE 17TH
YEAR OF THIS HISTORIC ALLIANCE
BETWEEN THE MADISON SYMPHONY
ORCHESTRA, WISCONSIN PUBLIC
RADIO, AND PBS WISCONSIN, A
COLLABORATION FORMED TO
RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE THE
TALENTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF
WISCONSIN'S BRIGHTEST YOUNG
PERFORMERS.
>> TONIGHT, LIVE FROM OVERTURE
HALL IN MADISON, FOUR TALENTED
AND EXTREMELY DEDICATED
TEENAGERS WILL COMPETE FOR TOP
HONORS.
THE WINNER OF TONIGHT'S
COMPETITION WILL RECEIVE THE
MARIAN BOLZ PRIZE FOR
DISTINGUISHED MUSICAL
ACHIEVEMENT, WHICH INCLUDES A
$2000 SCHOLARSHIP.
>> SECOND PLACE WILL RECEIVE THE
STEENBOCK YOUTH MUSIC AWARD,
WHICH ALSO INCLUDES A $2000
SCHOLARSHIP.
TWO HONORABLE MENTION
SCHOLARSHIPS OF $1000 WILL BE
AWARDED, AS WELL.
>> TONIGHT'S FINALISTS EMERGED
FROM A FIELD OF 30 STUDENTS WHO
AUDITIONED IN JANUARY.
THEY ARE:
PIANIST SOPHIA JIANG OF MADISON
CELLIST LUCY WU OF MILWAUKEE
CELLIST AMELIA ZITOUN OF
SHOREWOOD AND VIOLINIST ARISA
OKAMOTO OF BROOKFIELD.
>> EACH WILL PERFORM HERE
TONIGHT, ACCOMPANIED BY THE
MAGNIFICENT MADISON SYMPHONY
ORCHESTRA, UNDER THE BATON OF
ASSOCIATE CONDUCTOR KYLE KNOX.
>> SO, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO,
LET'S BEGIN TONIGHT'S
COMPETITION WITH THE FIRST OF
OUR FOUR FINALISTS, CELLIST LUCY
WU.
[MUSIC]
>> MY NAME IS LUCY WU. I'M 14
YEARS OLD. I AM A FRESHMAN AT
WHITEFISH BAY HIGH SCHOOL. I
PLAY THE CELLO, AND I'VE BEEN
PLAYING FOR SEVEN YEARS NOW. I
DID THE MYSO CONCERTO
COMPETITION.
I THINK I JOINED WHEN I WAS TEN.
I WON TWO YEARS IN A ROW.
IT WAS MY FIRST REAL
COMPETITION.
WHEN YOU PLAY THE CELLO,
THERE'S THIS SONOROUS BASS LINE.
AND YOU CAN ALSO GO ALL THE
WAY UP TO THE TOP OF THE
FINGERBOARD AND BE LIKE A
VIOLIN, ALMOST.
>> VERY GOOD.
VERY GOOD.
>> I STUDY WITH DR. STEFAN
KARTMAN.
I REALLY LIKE STUDYING WITH HIM.
I THINK HE'S A GREAT TEACHER.
>> TRY AGAIN.
HE REALLY, LIKE, MAKES ME DO,
YOU KNOW, SCALES AND ETUDES, AND
ALL OF THESE EXERCISES YOU
KNOW, VIBRATO EXERCISES, THUMB
POSITION EXERCISES.
>> OF COURSE, I CAN'T EVEN READ
MY WRITING.
>> HE'S REALLY FUNNY, AT TIMES.
HIS PERSONALITY JUST REALLY
INSPIRES ME TO DO MY BEST.
>> THAT SOUNDS GREAT!
>> I'M PLAYING THE ELGAR CELLO
CONCERTO, FOURTH MOVEMENT. IT
STARTS OUT REALLY NOBLE BUT THEN
IT GRADUALLY GETS SADDER AND
SADDER AS HE APPROACHES DEATH.
BUT AT THE END, THERE'S, LIKE,
THIS REBIRTH AND IT'S PRETTY
POWERFUL.
I'M PART OF THE ACADEMY AT THE
MUSIC INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO SO I
GO THERE EVERY SATURDAY FOR THIS
PRE-COLLEGE TRAINING PROGRAM
THAT INCLUDES THEORY, ORCHESTRA
AND CHAMBER MUSIC,
AS WELL AS MUSICIAN WORKSHOPS.
I'M IN A PIANO TRIO AND MY
PIANIST AND MY VIOLINIST ARE
BOTH SUPER TALENTED AND THEY
REALLY INSPIRE ME.
IT IS A PRETTY BIG COMMITMENT.
BUT I DON'T REALLY REGRET
ANYTHING BECAUSE I THINK THE
ACADEMY JUST DOES SO MUCH TO
HELP YOU BECOME A BETTER
MUSICIAN.
MY SCHOOL NEWSPAPER IS CALLED
THE TOWER TIMES, AND I AM ONE OF
THE REPORTERS.
SO I WRITE ARTICLES IN MY FREE
TIME.
I REALLY LIKE WRITING ABOUT
PCURRENT ISSUES AND, YOU KNOW,
POLTICS AND WORLD ISSUES. I
FEEL LIKE ALL THESE EXPERIENCES,
YOU KNOW, THEY REALLY HELP ME
GROW MORE CONFIDENT, ESPECIALLY
WHEN I'M DOING OTHER
COMPETITIONS.
I'M SO EXCITED BECAUSE I'VE
NEVER REALLY PLAYED IN, LIKE, A
SUPER-BIG HALL AS, LIKE, A
SOLOIST.
I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS BUT I'M
MORE EXCITED TO, YOU KNOW,
COLLABORATE WITH THE MSO
MUSICIANS AND THE CONDUCTOR.
[APPLAUSE]
>> AND NOW, LUCY WU IS TAKING
THE STAGE ALONG WITH MAESTRO
KYLE KNOX.
>> LUCY WILL BE PERFORMING THE
FOURTH MOVEMENT OF EDWARD
ELGAR'S CELLO CONCERTO
IN E MINOR.
>> EDWARD ELGAR WAS AN ENGLISH
COMPOSER OF THE LATE NINETEENTH
AND EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURIES.
HIS CELLO CONCERTO IS ONE OF HIS
LATER WORKS, COMPOSED DURING THE
SUMMER OF 1919,
[MUSIC]
[*]
[APPLAUSE]
>> THAT WAS 14-YEAR-OLD LUCY WU,
PERFORMING THE FOURTH MOVEMENT
OF EDWARD ELGAR'S CELLO CONCERTO
IN E MINOR.
LUCY IS THE FIRST OF FOUR
COMPETITORS IN THIS FINAL ROUND
OF THE 2023 BOLZ YOUNG ARTIST
COMPETITION.
>> FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE
BOLZ COMPETITION, AS WELL AS
OTHER MADISON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
PERFORMANCES, VISIT THE MSO
WEBSITE, AT MADISONSYMPHONY.ORG.
OUR NEXT COMPETITOR TONIGHT IS
VIOLINIST ARISA OKAMOTO.
>> I'M ARISA OKAMOTO AND I AM A
SENIOR AT BROOKFIELD EAST HIGH
SCHOOL.
I HAVE BEEN PLAYING THE VIOLIN
FOR 14 YEARS.
ALTHOUGH MY PARENTS DON'T PLAY
AN INSTRUMENT, MY BROTHER
ACTUALLY PLAYS THE PIANO.
LAST YEAR WE DID A LITTLE
COMMUNITY CONCERT AT THE CHURCH
IN WAUWATOSA.
I HAVE BEEN STUDYING WITH ILANA
SETAPEN SINCE I MOVED TO THE
U.S. SO IT'S BEEN ABOUT A YEAR
AND A HALF.
>> CAN YOU TRY IT ONE MORE TIME.
>>SHE IS VERY ENERGETIC.
>> DID YOU HEAR THE MAGIC IN
THAT ONE?
IT WAS SO MAGICAL!
>>SHE TAUGHT ME HOW TO USE
VIBRATO EFFECTIVELY AND HOW TO
OPEN UP MY SOUND TO CONVEY MY
STORY TO THE AUDIENCE.
I'LL BE PERFORMING THE FIRST
MOVEMENT OF SIBELIUS' VIOLIN
CONCERTO.
THE SHIMMERING
BEGINNING MAKES ME THINK OF A
LONELY BIRD IN THE ICY COLD,
VAST LANDSCAPE.
BUT AS THE PIECE PROGRESSES, THE
BIRD FINDS ITS ACCOMPANIST AND
FLIES ACROSS THE SKY.
I TOOK IT PERSONALLY BECAUSE
MOVING TO THE U.S., SOMETIMES I
FEEL LONELY.
BUT I ALWAYS FIND MYSELF HAVING
FAMILY AND FRIENDS SUPPORTING
ME.
I ENJOY BAKING BREAD WITH MY
FAMILY.
I REALLY LOVE THE COMFORTABLE,
WARM SCENT WHEN IT'S
READY TO GET OUT OF THE OVEN.
I KIND OF SEE THE SIMILARITIES
BETWEEN, LIKE, MUSIC AND BREAD.
DEPENDING ON HOW YOU APPROACH
THE PIECE AND WHAT YOU'RE
THINKING ABOUT OR HOW YOU'RE
FEELING, THE OUTCOME IS VERY
DIFFERENT.
THE SUPREMES PROGRAM IS A
YEAR-LONG PROGRAM AT THE MEDICAL
COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN.
WE GO INTO SCIENTIFIC LABS TO DO
OUR OWN PROJECT.
>> THAT HELPS YOU NAVIGATE.
>>I'M WORKING WITH DR. KAJANA
FROM VA MEDICAL CENTER.
AND MY PROJECT IS ABOUT HOW
DIFFERENT CLASSICAL MUSIC
AFFECTS THE RESPIRATION RATE.
I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT MUSIC
HAS, LIKE, A VERY STRONG POWER
TO CONNECT PEOPLE.
BUT I REALLY FELT LIKE SCIENCE
VISUALIZED THE SPIRITUAL POWER
THAT MUSIC HAS.
>> ARISA OKAMOTO IS COMING ON
STAGE NOW TO PERFORM THE FIRST
MOVEMENT OF JEAN SIBELIUS'
VIOLIN CONCERTO IN D MINOR.
>> JEAN SIBELIUS WAS A FINNISH
COMPOSER OF THE LATE ROMANTIC
AND EARLY-MODERN PERIODS.
SIBELIUS HIMSELF HAD DREAMED OF
BECOMING A VIRTUOSO VIOLINIST,
BUT HE DIDN'T START STUDYING THE
INSTRUMENT UNTIL HE WAS 14.
[*]
[APPLAUSE]
>> THAT WAS 18-YEAR-OLD ARISA
OKAMOTO PERFORMING THE FIRST
MOVEMENT OF JEAN SIBELIUS'
VIOLIN CONCERTO IN D MINOR.
WHILE SHE'S TAKING HER BOWS,
WE'D LIKE TO LET YOU KNOW THAT
THE MADISON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
OFFERS A COMPETITION FOR YOUNGER
MUSICIANS, AS WELL.
>> THE FALL YOUTH CONCERTO
COMPETITION IS OPEN TO MUSICIANS
IN GRADES THREE THROUGH EIGHT.
THE WINNER GOES ON TO PERFORM IN
A PROGRAM WITH THE MADISON
SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA.
INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND ON THE
MSO WEBSITE AT
MADISONSYMPHONY.ORG.
>> COMING UP NEXT, WE'RE GOING
TO HEAR FROM OUR THIRD FINALIST,
CELLIST AMELIA ZITOUN.
>>MY NAME IS AMELIA ZITOUN, I
AM IN 11TH GRADE, AND I ATTEND
SHOREWOOD HIGH SCHOOL.
MY LIFE IS BASICALLY MUSIC.
THE THING I LIKE ABOUT THE
CELLO IS ITS TONE: IT'S REALLY
WARM.
I STARTED PLAYING WHEN I WAS
FIVE AND A HALF.
BOTH OF MY PARENTS ARE MUSICIANS
THEY'RE BOTH CELLISTS.
AND I ALSO HAVE A YOUNGER
BROTHER, HENRY, WHO ALSO PLAYS
THE CELLO.
WE PLAY TOGETHER AS A FAMILY,
AND THEN EVERY YEAR WE SEND OUT
A CHRISTMAS CARD.
[LAUGHS]
>> I LIKE JIGSAW PUZZLES; THOSE
ARE A LOT OF FUN.
IT'S NICE WHEN YOU FIND TWO
PIECES THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, KIND
OF SIMILAR: "AHH, YOU PUT THEM
TOGETHER!"
>>WELL, I LIKE TO PAINT.
I GUESS MUSIC IS, LIKE, THE ART
OF SOUND, AND PAINTING IS
VISUAL, SO I GUESS IT'S JUST
SHIFTING THE SENSES.
AND I LOVE ART, IN GENERAL.
>> LET IT RING A LITTLE BIT.
LIKE THAT.
>> MY PROFESSOR IS HANS JENSEN
AND HE IS AN AMAZING TEACHER.
>> GO, "WOOO!"
(LAUGHS)
>>HE'S SUPER CHARISMATIC BUT HE
KNOWS WHAT HE WANTS, AND HE
WON'T STOP UNTIL IT'S PERFECT.
>> YEAH!
GOOD.
>>I PLAY WITH THE MUSIC
INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO, THE
ACADEMY ORCHESTRA, AND IT'S AN
AMAZING ENVIRONMENT. SO I
CARPOOL EVERY WEEK WITH LUCY WU,
WHO IS ANOTHER ONE OF THE
FINALISTS. WE WERE TALKING,
"OH, IT WOULD BE SO COOL IF WE
BOTH GOT TO THE FINALS!" AND
I'M LIKE,
"OH, MY GOODNESS. YEAH, IT
WOULD." BUT, I MEAN, WHEN IT
ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, CAME TO
LIFE, IT WAS SO EXCITING!
I'LL BE PLAYING THE FIRST
MOVEMENT OF THE BARBER CELLO
CONCERTO.
BARBER WAS AN ARMY AIRMAN IN
1945, WHEN THIS PIECE WAS
WRITTEN.
AND SO I'M SURE HE WAS REALLY
UNEASY AND REALLY ANXIOUS AND
YOU CAN DEFINITELY HEAR THAT.
BUT THEN IT DEVELOPS INTO THESE
REALLY
LUSCIOUS MELODIES AND
SENTIMENTALITY FOR CHILDHOOD.
I THINK SOMETHING THAT REALLY
LED ME TO CHOOSE MUSIC AS A
CAREER WERE OTHER YOUNG
MUSICIANS WHO WERE SO PASSIONATE
ABOUT MUSIC.
AND THESE PEOPLE ARE, YOU KNOW,
NOT ONLY YOUR PEERS, BUT THEY'RE
YOUR CLOSEST FRIENDS AND YOUR
TEACHERS, AND THEY REALLY
INSPIRED ME TO WORK HARDER.
[APPLAUSE]
>> OUR THIRD COMPETITOR,
17-YEAR-OLD AMELIA ZITOUN, IS
NOW COMING ON STAGE.
>> SHE'S CHOSEN TO PERFORM THE
FIRST MOVEMENT OF SAMUEL
BARBER'S CELLO CONCERTO.
>> SAMUEL BARBER WAS ONE OF THE
MOST CELEBRATED AMERICAN
COMPOSERS OF THE 20TH CENTURY.
HIS CELLO CONCERTO WAS COMPOSED
IN 1945, WHILE BARBER WAS ON
ACTIVE DUTY WITH THE U.S. ARMY.
THIS IS THE LEAST-WELL-KNOWN OF
ALL FOUR WORKS TONIGHT; FEW
PERFORMERS TACKLE IT BECAUSE OF
HOW TECHNICALLY DIFFICULT IT IS.
[*]
[APPLAUSE]
>> THAT WAS AMELIA ZITOUN
PERFORMING THE FIRST MOVEMENT OF
SAMUEL BARBER'S CELLO CONCERTO.
>> BEFORE WE CONTINUE, WE'D LIKE
TO TAKE A MOMENT TO TELL YOU WHO
WILL BE JUDGING TONIGHT'S
COMPETITION.
>> MYUNG HEE CHUNG IS AN
EMERITUS PROFESSOR OF KEYBOARD
STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
WISCONSIN - WHITEWATER.
>> BENJAMIN WHITCOMB IS A
PROFESSOR OF CELLO AND MUSIC
THEORY, ALSO AT UW- WHITEWATER.
>> AND BERNARD ZINCK IS
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF VIOLIN
AND CHAMBER MUSIC DIRECTOR AT
UW-MILWAUKEE.
>> THE JUDGES TAKE INTO
CONSIDERATION A RANGE OF
PERFORMANCE CRITERIA INCLUDING:
QUALITY AND CONSISTENCY OF TONE
BALANCE AND BLEND WITH THE
ORCHESTRA
MATURITY OF SOUND MUSICALITY
AND STAGE PRESENCE.
>> NEXT, WE'RE GOING TO
INTRODUCE YOU TO TONIGHT'S FINAL
COMPETITOR, PIANIST SOPHIA
JIANG.
>>MY NAME IS SOPHIA JIANG, AND
I AM AN 11TH GRADER AT VEL
PHILLIPS MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL.
I STARTED THE PIANO WHEN I WAS
FOUR YEARS OLD.
I ORIGINALLY LOVED IT BECAUSE OF
ITS SIZE.
AS A LITTLE GIRL, I FELT LIKE I
WAS BIGGER THAN MY BODY WHEN I
WAS PLAYING THE PIANO.
I LOVE THE BEAUTIFUL TONE THAT
IT MAKES.
IT CAN LAUGH, CRY, ROAR. I CAN
EXPERIMENT A LOT WITH THE PIANO.
I ALSO PLAY THE VIOLIN
>> ONE, ONE.
>> IN THE WISCONSIN YOUTH
SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA.
THE THING THAT GOT ME INTERESTED
IN MUSIC WAS HEARING MY SISTER
PLAY.
MY SISTER, JESSICA, ALSO PLAYS
THE PIANO AND VIOLIN.
SHE'S BEEN AN INTEGRAL PART OF
HELPING ME DEVELOP MY MUSICAL
SKILLS.
I AM A TENNIS PLAYER.
AND I THINK SPORTS AND MUSIC, IN
GENERAL, IN TERMS OF MENTALITY,
THEY REALLY DO OVERLAP.
I FOUNDED A CLUB CALLED COSHA,
WHICH STANDS FOR COALITION OF
STUDENT HEALTH ADVOCATES.
LAST YEAR, I ADDRESSED THE
SCHOOL BOARD.
>> AND I'M HERE TODAY TO
ADVOCATE FOR THE INCLUSION OF
WATER ACCESS
IT WAS KIND OF NERVE-WRACKING AT
FIRST, BUT I THINK IT REALLY
OPENED MY EYES TO THE VALUE OF
BEING BRAVE AND ENGAGING YOUR
COMMUNITY.
>> I THINK AT THE BEGINNING.
>> MY INSTRUCTOR IS BILL LUTES.
HE ALWAYS BRINGS BACKGROUND
KNOWLEDGE INTO THE PIECES I'M
PLAYING.
>> IT'S A "POCO RALLENTANDO;"
IT'S PRETTY POCO THERE.
>> HE ALSO HAS AN AMAZING SENSE
OF HUMOR.
>> THAT'S MY MOTTO: ALWAYS BLAME
THE PIANO.
>>AND THAT JUST MAKES MY
LESSONS WAY MORE ENJOYABLE, AND
I LOOK FORWARD TO THEM EVERY
WEEK.
>> VERY, VERY LOVELY.
I'LL BE PERFORMING THE PIANO
CONCERTO IN A MINOR BY EDVARD
GRIEG.
THE SECOND MOVEMENT IS A SERENE
WORLD OF TRANQUILITY.
AND THEN THE THIRD MOVEMENT,
IT'S A THRILLING, DANCE-LIKE
MOVEMENT.
TWO YEARS AGO, I WASN'T ABLE TO
PERFORM WITH THE MADISON
SYMPHONY, AND THERE WAS ALSO NO
LIVE AUDIENCE.
I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING
THAT COMMUNICATION AND
CONNECTION WHILE PERFORMING THIS
CONCERTO WITH THE MADISON
SYMPHONY.
[APPLAUSE]
>> SOPHIA JIANG IS COMING ON
STAGE NOW WITH MAESTRO KYLE
KNOX. SOPHIA WILL PERFORM THE
SECOND AND THIRD MOVEMENTS OF
EDVARD GRIEG'S PIANO CONCERTO IN
A MINOR.
>> EDVARD GRIEG WAS A NORWEGIAN
COMPOSER AND PIANIST OF THE
ROMANTIC ERA.
HIS USE OF NORWEGIAN FOLK MUSIC
IN HIS COMPOSITIONS HELPED
DEVELOP A NATIONAL IDENTITY FOR
NORWAY, SIMILAR TO WHAT JEAN
SIBELIUS DID FOR FINLAND.
[*]
[APPLAUSE]
>> THAT WAS OUR FINAL CONTESTANT
THIS EVENING: 16-YEAR-OLD
SOPHIA JIANG.
HOW ABOUT ANOTHER ROUND OF
APPLAUSE FOR ALL FOUR OF THESE
PHENOMENAL PERFORMERS!
[APPLAUSE]
>> AT THIS POINT, WE'D LIKE TO
INVITE MAESTRO KNOX TO JOIN US
OVER HERE.
>> MAESTRO KNOX, WE MENTIONED
EARLIER SOME OF THE CRITERIA THE
JUDGES USE FOR EVALUATING
TONIGHT'S PERFORMANCES:
QUALITY AND CONSISTENCY OF TONE
BALANCE AND BLEND WITH THE
ORCHESTRA MATURITY OF SOUND
MUSICALITY STAGE PRESENCE.
COULD YOU ELABORATE ON THOSE
QUALITIES A LITTLE, TO GIVE US A
BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT
IS THE JUDGES ARE FOCUSING ON
>> I CONSCIOUSLY AVOID THESE
SXEERNZ -- EXPERIENCES SO I
DON'T HAVE TO JUDGE BECAUSE IT'S
DIFFICULT AND DECIDING BETWEEN
THESE EXCEPTIONAL PEOPLE IS A
DIFFICULT JOB BUT ALL THE THINGS
YOU SAY, OF COURSE.
I'M IN THE A COOK BUT IF I WATCH
A COOKING SHOW EVERYONE SEEMS
AMAZING.
EVERY DISH SEEMS INCREDIBLE.
I'M SURE THEY'RE INCREDIBLE
RELATIVE TO THE BASELINE BUT A
TRAINED CHEF CAN TELL IF IT'S A
MINUSCULE TECHNICAL THINGS IN
THE BROWNING OF THE BRUSSEL
SPROUTS THAT MAKE IT RESTAURANT
QUALITY AND SAME IS ROUGHLY TRUE
OF MUSICIANS.
WE SPEND OUR LIVES PRACTICING
AND BEING IN THE WORLD AND BEING
ON STAGE.
THAT EXPERIENCE TEACHES YOU
ABOUT WHAT ARE THE ELEMENTS OF
MUSICIANSHIP AND REFINEMENT AND
POISE OF PREPARATION.
HOW PEOPLE PRACTICE
THOUGHTFULLY.
THOSE THINGS LIKE PEOPLE IN
COMPETITION THINK IT'S LIKE BEAN
COUNTING EVERY NOTE HAS TO BE
PERFECT BUT THE ACCURATE NOTES
IS MORE OF AN EXPRESSION OF THE
PROPER THOUGHTFUL PRACTICING AND
YEAR OF DILIGENT THOUGHTFUL.
EVERYONE HERE IS A WINNER BUT
SOMEONE HAS TO WIN.
>> AND MAESTRO ALL FOUR
CONTESTANTS FELT COMFORTABLE.
YET HOW MUCH TIME DOES EACH
SOLOIST HAVE TO REHEARSE THEIR
CONCERTOS WITH ALL OF YOU?
AND WHAT DO YOU CONCENTRATE ON
DURING THOSE LIMITED REHEARSALS?
>> I THINK THEY HAD ONE HOUR OR
45 MINUTES.
IN THAT RANGE.
IT'S AMAZING LIKE THE PIECE YOU
JUST HEARD IS 15, 16 MINUTES
LONG SO MAYBE YOU HAVE TIME FOR
TWO RUNS.
FOR THESE YOUNG PEOPLE THEY
PRACTICE OFTEN WITH A PIANIST
AND IF SOMETHING MOVES THE TEMPO
YOU GO WITH IT BUT IN AN
ORCHESTRA IT'S 80 BRAINS AND A
CONDUCTOR.
THERE'S LOTS OF GIVE AND TAKE
ALIEN TO PEOPLE WHO DON'T PLAY
WITH AN ORCHESTRA MUCH BECAUSE
IT'S ALIEN TO EVERYONE BECAUSE
IT'S A RARE OPPORTUNITY.
THEY PUT IT TOGETHER.
I'M AMAZED AT HOW POISED THEY
ARE.
THEY'RE AMAZING PEOPLE.
>> THANK YOU, MAESTRO. AND NOW,
WHAT WILL THE ORCHESTRA BE
PERFORMING TO CLOSE OUT
TONIGHT'S CONCERT?
>> WE WILL BE PERFORMING THE
FESTIVE OVERTURE BY DMITRI
SHOSTAKOVICH.
THANK YOU.
>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MAESTRO
KYLE KNOX AND THE MADISON
SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, WITH THE
FESTIVE OVERTURE BY DMITRI
SHOSTAKOVICH.
[*]
[APPLAUSE]
>> KYLE KNOX AND THE MADISON
SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA WITH THE
FESTIVE OVERTURE BY DMITRI
SHOSTAKOVICH.
CAN WE HAVE ANOTHER ROUND OF
APPLAUSE FOR OUR WONDERFUL
ORCHESTRA.
[APPLAUSE]
AND NOW, THE MOMENT WE'VE ALL
BEEN WAITING FOR.
MAESTRO KNOX AND ALL FOUR OF
TONIGHT'S COMPETITORS, PLEASE
JOIN US OUT HERE ON STAGE.
[APPLAUSE]
>> BEFORE WE PRESENT THE AWARDS,
WE FIRST WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE
FACT THAT ALL FOUR OF THESE
EXTRAORDINARILY TALENTED YOUNG
ARTISTS ARE WINNERS, EACH OF
THEM TRULY DESERVING OF THE
OPPORTUNITY TO PERFORM HERE WITH
THE MADISON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA.
[APPLAUSE]
>> SO, STARTING WITH THE TWO
HONORABLE MENTIONS, WE HAVE:
LUCY WU.
[APPLAUSE]
AND SOPHIA JIANG.
[APPLAUSE]
>> OUR SECOND PLACE WINNER IS
ARISA OKAMOTO.
>> WHICH MEANS AMELIA ZITOUN
HAS TAKEN THE FIRST-PLACE AWARD
FOR THE "2023 BOLZ YOUNG ARITIST
COMPETITION".
[APPLAUSE]
>> CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL FOUR
OF OUR FINALISTS, ALONG WITH
ASSOCIATE CONDUCTOR KYLE KNOX
AND THE MADISON SYMPHONY
ORCHESTRA.
>> A WARM AND HEARTFELT THANK
YOU TO OUR LOVELY AUDIENCE
TONIGHT, AS WELL AS ALL OF THOSE
WHO TUNED IN TO THE BROADCAST OR
WATCHED ONLINE.
FROM OVERTURE HALL IN MADISON,
I'M LORI SKELTON.
>> AND I'M CLINT WALZ.
GOODNIGHT.
[APPLAUSE]
[*]
MAJOR FUNDING FOR "WISCONSIN
YOUNG ARTISTS COMPETE: THE FINAL
FORTE" WAS PROVIDED BY: