THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS A PBS WISCONSIN ORIGINAL PRODUCTION.
♪ >> THEY SHARE A COMMON BOND:
TALENTED YOUNG MUSICIANS WITH A
PASSION TO PERFORM AND A DRIVE TO EXCEL, EAGER TO TAKE
THE STAGE AND FULFILL THEIR DREAMS.
THE MADISON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, UNDER THE BATON OF MUSIC
DIRECTOR JOHN DEMAIN, WELCOMES THE FOUR FINALISTS TO OVERTURE
HALL: ANDR É PECK, JANE STORY, KATARINA KENNEY, AND ELLIOT
LESPERANCE. IT'S "WISCONSIN YOUNG ARTISTS
COMPETE: THE FINAL FORTE."
MAJOR FUNDING FOR "THE FINAL FORTE IS PROVIDED BY:
W. JEROME FRAUTSCHI. DIANE BALLWEG.
BARBARA AND NORM BERVEN. WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM:
JAMES DAHLBERG AND ELSEBET LUND. JULIE AND LARRY MIDTBO.
ELIZABETH OLSON. KATO PERLMAN.
SENTRY INSURANCE FOUNDATION. TRUST POINT.
CYRENA AND LEE PONDROM. DARCY KIND AND MARC VITALE.
DOCTOR A. BEYER-MEARS. JOAN JOHNSTON.
DONORS TO THE FOCUS FUND FOR THE ARTS.
AND FRIENDS OF PBS WISCONSIN.
♪ [APPLAUSE]
>> GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "FINAL FORTE," THE CULMINATION
OF THE 2024 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. 2024 MARKS THE 18TH YEAR OF THIS
HISTORIC COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE MADISON SYMPHONY
ORCHESTRA, WISCONSIN PUBLIC RADIO, AND PBS WISCONSIN, A
PARTNERSHIP FORMED TO RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE THE
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
$2,000 SCHOLARSHIP. >> SECOND PLACE WILL RECEIVE THE
STEENBOCK YOUTH MUSIC AWARD, WHICH ALSO INCLUDES A
$2,000 SCHOLARSHIP. TWO HONORABLE MENTION
SCHOLARSHIPS OF $1,000 WILL BE AWARDED AS WELL.
>> TONIGHT'S FINALISTS EMERGED FROM A FIELD OF 35 STUDENTS FROM
AROUND THE STATE WHO AUDITIONED FOR THE BOLZ COMPETITION IN
JANUARY. THEY ARE:
PIANIST ANDRÉ PECK OF LA CROSSE. CELLIST KATARINA KENNEY OF
MADISON. MARIMBIST ELLIOT LESPERANCE OF
AND VIOLINIST JANE STORY OF STEVENS POINT.
>> ALL WILL PERFORM HERE TONIGHT, ACCOMPANIED BY THE
MAGNIFICENT MADISON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, UNDER THE BATON OF
MUSIC DIRECTOR JOHN DEMAIN, NOW CELEBRATING HIS 30TH SEASON WITH
THE ORCHESTRA. LET'S GET A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
[APPLAUSE]
>> SO, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, LET'S BEGIN TONIGHT'S
COMPETITION WITH THE FIRST OF
OUR FOUR FINALISTS, PIANIST ANDRÉ PECK.
♪ >> I'M ANDRÉ PECK.
I'M 14 YEARS OLD, AND I PLAY
PIANO. I'VE BEEN PLAYING SINCE I WAS
FOUR-AND-A-HALF. I LIKE THAT YOU CAN IMITATE THE
SOUND OF AN ORCHESTRA BECAUSE YOU HAVE ALL THESE DIFFERENT
VOICES THAT YOU CAN PLAY. MUSIC HELPS YOU SAY THINGS THAT
YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SAY IN WORDS.
THERE ARE SO MANY MORE EMOTIONS THAT YOU CAN CONVEY THROUGH
MUSIC.
♪ >> NOW GET SET.
>> MY TEACHER IS DR. JOSEPH ZINS. EVERYTHING HE SAYS HAS A
PURPOSE, WHICH I REALLY LIKE. >> GIVE IT A LOT OF TONE ON THE
MM HMM. >> HE FOSTERS A LOVE THROUGH THE
INSTRUMENT BY REFERENCING THE CLASSICAL MUSIC GODS.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE A RELIGION FOR HIM BECAUSE IT'S BEEN WITH HIM
ALL OF HIS LIFE, AND HE'S TRYING TO FOSTER THAT WITH ME.
>> YEAH. YOU KNOW THE OLD SAYING: "IF IT
AIN'T BROKE, DON'T FIX IT! FOR FUN, I GENERALLY DO THINGS
WITH MY FRIENDS. WE PLAY LOTS OF BOARD GAMES
BECAUSE OUR PUBLIC LIBRARY DOES BOARD GAME RENTALS, WHICH IS
REALLY COOL, BECAUSE YOU CAN JUST CYCLE THROUGH PRETTY MUCH
INFINITE THINGS. I'M A FRESHMAN IN HIGH SCHOOL,
BUT I GO TO THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - LA CROSSE FOR MUSIC
THEORY CLASSES AND FOR MATH. I'M PROBABLY GOING TO GET A
BACHELOR'S IN MATH, BUT HOPEFULLY THEN I CAN GO TO MUSIC
SCHOOL AND KEEP MUSIC, LIKE, THROUGH MY ENTIRE LIFE.
THEY'RE OPPOSITES, BECAUSE ONE OF THEM IS SUPER LOGICAL AND THE
OTHER IS REALLY EMOTIONAL, WHICH I REALLY LIKE, THE VARIETY.
I WAS IN THE INTERNATIONAL YOUNG ARTIST CONCERTO COMPETITION.
THEY HAVE 16 KIDS PLAY WITH A PROFESSIONAL ORCHESTRA, WHICH IS
THE MOST I'VE EVER SEEN BEFORE. IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE.
PLAYING WITH AN ORCHESTRA IS JUST ONE OF THOSE EXPERIENCES
THAT YOU DON'T FORGET. PLAYING WITH THE MADISON
SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY EXCITING
BECAUSE THEY ARE SUPER HIGH LEVEL.
I'M PLAYING SAINT-SA ËNS' 2ND CONCERTO, THE FIRST MOVEMENT.
IT STARTS REALLY TRAGIC, AND THEN IT KIND OF GETS TO A MORE
HOPEFUL SECTION. >> AND I REALLY LIKE THE VARIETY
BECAUSE IT CHALLENGES ME IN EVERY WAY, WHICH I NEED TO
DO IT TO SURVIVE AS A MUSICIAN. MY TEACHER ALWAYS SAYS THAT IF
YOU HAVE A FEELING, THEN YOU CONVEY IT THROUGH THE MUSIC
AND THE AUDIENCE IS GOING TO FEEL IT AS WELL.
IF YOU WANT TO SERVE OTHER PEOPLE WITH MUSIC, YOU HAVE TO
SERVE THE MUSIC FIRST. I'M PROUD OF THE THING THAT I
GET TO DO BECAUSE I GET TO SHOWCASE WHAT I'VE DONE AND MY
HARD WORK IN FRONT OF SO MANY PEOPLE.
[APPLAUSE]
>> AND NOW, ANDRÉ PECK IS TAKING THE STAGE ALONG WITH MAESTRO
JOHN DEMAIN.
>> ANDRÉ WILL BE PERFORMING THE FIRST MOVEMENT OF CAMILLE
SAINT-SA ËNS' PIANO CONCERTO NO. 2 IN G MINOR.
>> SAINT-SA ËNS WAS A FRENCH COMPOSER, CONDUCTOR AND PIANIST
OF THE LATE 19TH AND EARLY 20TH CENTURIES.
HIS SECOND PIANO CONCERTO WAS COMPOSED IN 1868.
THOUGH NOT INITIALLY SUCCESSFUL, IT HAS BECOME ARGUABLY HIS MOST
POPULAR PIANO CONCERTO.
♪
[APPLAUSE]
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
>> THAT WAS 14-YEAR-OLD AND É PECK, PERFORMING THE FIRST
MOVEMENT OF CAMILLE SAINT-SA ËN'' PIANO CONCERTO NO. 2 IN G MINOR.
ANDRÉ IS THE FIRST OF FOUR COMPETITORS IN THIS FINAL ROUND
OF THE 2024 BOLZ YOUNG ARTIST COMPETITION.
>> FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE BOLZ COMPETITION, AS WELL AS
OTHER MADISON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PERFORMANCES, VISIT THE
ORCHESTRA'S WEBSITE AT MADISONSYMPHONY.ORG.
OUR NEXT COMPETITOR TONIGHT IS VIOLINIST JANE STORY.
♪ >> MY NAME IS JANE STORY, AND I
AM A 17-YEAR-OLD JUNIOR FROM
STEVENS POINT, WISCONSIN. I'VE BEEN PLAYING THE VIOLIN FOR
13 YEARS. I ALWAYS HEARD CLASSICAL MUSIC
GROWING UP. MY MOM'S A SINGER, MY DAD DOES
CLASSICAL AND JAZZ DOUBLE-BASS. SO IT WAS JUST ALWAYS AROUND,
ALWAYS A PART OF MY LIFE. I'M GOING TO BE PERFORMING
MENDELSSOHN'S VIOLIN CONCERTO IN E MINOR, FIRST MOVEMENT.
IT HAS SUCH A WIDE RANGE OF EMOTIONS.
THERE ARE PLACES WHERE IT'S VERY SWEET AND SENTIMENTAL, AND
THERE'S OTHER PLACES WHERE IT SOUNDS LIKE THE VIOLIN IS
SCREAMING IN PAIN. AND I LOVE THE RANGE OF COLORS
THAT I GET TO CREATE. PROBABLY MY FAVORITE PART OF THE
PIECE IS TOWARDS THE END OF THE MOVEMENT.
THERE'S THIS HUGE OCTAVE RUN. IT'S A GREAT TECHNICAL
CHALLENGE, AND IT'S ALSO VERY EXCITING.
I AM CURRENTLY STUDYING WITH DR. ANNA CROMWELL AT THE UNIVERSITY
OF WISCONSIN -STEVENS POINT. I HAVE BEEN WANTING TO PLAY THIS
CONCERTO FOR A VERY LONG TIME, BUT I NEVER TALKED TO MY TEACHER
ABOUT IT. I WAS VERY EXCITED WHEN SHE TOLD
ME THAT IT WOULD BE MY NEXT PIECE TO LEARN.
>> AND SO WE REALLY WANT THE MOTION TO HAPPEN HERE.
>> I REALLY LIKE HOW SHE FOCUSES ON BOTH THE TECHNICAL AND THE
MUSICAL SIDE OF MY DEVELOPMENT AS A MUSICIAN.
DR. CROMWELL AND I BEGAN WORKING ON THIS PIECE AT THE BEGINNING
OF THE SUMMER. WE REALLY FOCUSED ON THE
TECHNICAL CHALLENGES FIRST. LATELY WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THE
MUSICAL SIDE: THE BEAUTIFUL LONG LINES AND CREATING A CONTRAST
BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT CHARACTERS.
BECAUSE THERE ARE PLAYFUL CHARACTERS, THERE'S SWEET
CHARACTERS AND THERE'S ANGRY CHARACTERS.
>> YEAH. OKAY.
I THINK THAT WAS BETTER. >> I'VE BEEN A MEMBER OF WYSO
FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS. MY FAMILY AND I DRIVE DOWN THERE
EVERY WEEKEND. BEING A PART OF WYSO HAS TAUGHT
ME A LOT ABOUT LISTENING CAREFULLY AND CARVING MY SOUND
SO THAT IT FITS WITHIN A SECTION.
BECAUSE THE AUDIENCE DOESN'T WANT TO HEAR JUST ME, THEY WANT
TO HEAR EVERYONE, AS ONE BIG, BEAUTIFUL SOUND.
PERFORMING IN THE "FINAL FORTE" INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCES OF MY
LIFE. WHEN YOU FINISH A PIECE, IT'S
ALMOST LIKE YOU DON'T REMEMBER ANYTHING THAT'S JUST HAPPENED.
IT'S LIKE IT'S ONLY BEEN A SECOND SINCE YOU JUST STEPPED ON
EXCEPT YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PERSON
BECAUSE YOU'VE GONE ON A JOURNEY WITH THE PIECE.
I THINK MY FAVORITE THING ABOUT PLAYING MUSIC IS THAT THERE'S
NEVER AN END POINT. YOU CAN ALWAYS LEARN SOMETHING
NEW, CREATE SOMETHING DIFFERENT OR EXPLORE A DIFFERENT SIDE OF
EACH PIECE THAT YOU LEARN. I THINK MUSIC IS JUST THE MOST
WONDERFUL THING. AND VIOLIN IS MY WAY OF BEING A
PART OF THE MUSIC.
>> JANE STORY IS COMING ON STAGE NOW TO PERFORM THE FIRST
MOVEMENT OF MENDELSSOHN'S VIOLIN CONCERTO IN E MINOR.
>> FELIX MENDELSSOHN WAS A GERMAN COMPOSER, PIANIST AND
CONDUCTOR OF THE EARLY ROMANTIC
PERIOD. THE VIOLIN CONCERTO IN E MINOR
IS MENDELSSOHN'S FINAL CONCERTO. ♪
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
>> THAT WAS 17-YEAR-OLD JANE STORY PERFORMING THE FIRST
MOVEMENT OF FELIX MENDELSSOHN'S
VIOLIN CONCERTO IN E 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
ORCHESTRA'S WEBSITE AT MADISONSYMPHONY.ORG.
>> COMING UP NEXT, WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM OUR THIRD
COMPETITOR, CELLIST KATARINA KENNEY.
♪ >> MY NAME IS KATARINA KENNEY,
I'M A 15-YEAR-OLD CELLIST, AND
I'M A FRESHMAN AT MADISON COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL.
I'VE BEEN PLAYING SINCE I WAS THREE-AND-A-HALF.
MUSIC HAS ALWAYS RUN THROUGH MY HOUSE.
MY MOM PLAYS VIOLIN, MY DAD PLAYS A LITTLE BIT OF
DOUBLE-BASS, AND MY SISTER PLAYS VIOLIN.
MY FIRST RECITAL WAS ACTUALLY WITH HER, PLAYING "POP GOES THE
WEASEL. MUSIC HAS BROUGHT US TOGETHER.
I FEEL REALLY HONORED TO HAVE SUCH A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP.
LIKE, LITERALLY. UH HUH, SO [VOCALIZING]...
>> I STUDY WITH CORNELIA WATKINS.
>> YEAH! >> SHE HELPS ME TO DIVE DEEP
INTO FIGURING OUT WHAT I WANT TO EXPRESS, WHILE ALSO
FINDING A BALANCE BETWEEN WHAT THE COMPOSER REALLY WANTS.
>> ARE YOU AWARE OF WHERE THE ACCENTS ARE...IN THIS SECTION?
>> SHE DOESN'T LET ME GET AWAY WITH ANYTHING.
BUT SHE'S VERY SUPPORTIVE. >> GOOD!
NOW LET'S KEEP GOING. THAT SOUNDED BEAUTIFUL.
>> I'VE BEEN A PART OF THE MADISON YOUTH CHOIRS FOR EIGHT
SEASONS NOW. WHEN I SING, I FEEL LIKE I AM
THE INSTRUMENT. [CHOIR SINGING]
>> EACH CONCERT SEASON THERE'S A THEME.
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE AND EMILY DICKINSON.
THE MADISON YOUTH CHOIR INTRODUCED ME TO THOSE POETS.
I LOVE TO READ AND WRITE. I LOVE BEING ABLE TO, LIKE,
BRING MY IDEAS TO LIFE AND TO EXPRESS MY EMOTIONS, JUST LIKE I
DO WITH MY CELLO. READING JUST LETS ME ESCAPE FROM
THE REAL WORLD AND USE THE CREATIVE PART OF MY MIND.
I'M A PART OF THE MUSIC INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO ACADEMY.
WE GO DOWN EVERY SATURDAY. IT REQUIRES A LOT OF EFFORT FROM
THE WHOLE GROUP. AND I FEEL LIKE MY QUARTET HAS
REALLY DEVELOPED A RELATIONSHIP AND WE'RE ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER
AND BRING ALL OF OUR IDEAS TOGETHER TO CREATE MUSIC.
I HAVE HAD THE EXPERIENCE OF PLAYING WITH THE MADISON
SYMPHONY MULTIPLE TIMES. I GOT TO PLAY WITH THEM AGAIN
THIS PAST SPRING, PLAYING THE FIRST TWO MOVEMENTS OF ELGAR, SO
IT'LL BE SUPER EXCITING TO BE ABLE TO PLAY THE LAST MOVEMENT.
ELGAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN ONE OF MY DREAM PIECES.
IT HAS A VERY WIDE PALETTE OF COLORS THAT YOU CAN USE WITH
YOUR BOW. SOME OF THE MORE LYRICAL AND
DANCING MELODIES IS REFLECTING HIS PAST WITH HIS WIFE.
WHEN YOU PRACTICE AT HOME, YOU'RE, LIKE, MORE FOCUSED ON
YOUR INDIVIDUAL GROWTH AS A MUSICIAN.
BUT WHEN YOU FINALLY GET TO SOLO WITH AN ORCHESTRA LIKE MSO, IT'S
REALLY SPECIAL AND YOU GET TO BRING ALL YOUR HARD WORK TO
LIFE. [APPLAUSE]
>> OUR THIRD COMPETITOR, 15-YEAR-OLD KATARINA KENNEY, IS
NOW COMING ON STAGE. >> SHE'S CHOSEN TO PERFORM THE
FOURTH MOVEMENT OF EDWARD ELGAR'S CELLO CONCERTO
IN E MINOR. EDWARD ELGAR WAS AN ENGLISH
COMPOSER OF THE LATE 19TH AND EARLY 20TH CENTURIES.
HE WAS APPOINTED MASTER OF THE KING'S MUSICK IN 1924.
HIS CELLO CONCERTO IS ONE OF HIS LATER WORKS, COMPOSED DURING THE
SUMMER OF 1919.
♪
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
>> THAT WAS KATARINA KENNEY PERFORMING THE FOURTH MOVEMENT
OF EDWARD ELGAR'S CELLO CONCERTO IN E MINOR.
>> BEFORE WE CONTINUE, WE'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO TELL YOU WHO
WILL BE JUDGING TONIGHT'S COMPETITION.
ILANA SETAPEN IS THE FIRST ILANA SETAPEN IS THE FIRST
MILWAUKEE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AND IS ON THE FACULTY AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN. >> ANTHONY PADILLA IS PROFESSOR
OF PIANO, CHAMBER MUSIC AND COLLABORATIVE PIANO AT THE
LAWRENCE UNIVERSITY CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC IN APPLETON, WISCONSIN.
>> AND MARK DUPERE IS CURRENTLY ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF MUSIC AND
DIRECTOR OF ORCHESTRAL STUDIES, ALSO AT LAWRENCE UNIVERSITY IN
APPLETON. >> 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, MARIMBIST ELLIOT LESPERANCE.
♪ >> MY NAME IS ELLIOT LESPERANCE.
I'M 16-YEARS-OLD, AND I GO TO
OREGON HIGH SCHOOL. I'VE BEEN PLAYING THE MARIMBA
FOR ABOUT SIX YEARS. WHEN I WAS FIVE, I PLAYED PIANO,
AND THEN I GAVE IT UP TO PURSUE MARIMBA.
I LIKE THE MARIMBA REPERTOIRE. IT'S VAST.
AND I LOVE ALL THE MODERN MUSIC AND HOW EXPRESSIVE IT IS.
I CHOSE TO PLAY PRISM RHAPSODY FOR THIS COMPETITION BECAUSE IT
DELVES INTO SO MANY DIFFERENT ELEMENTS OF MUSIC.
ON TOP OF THAT, IT SHOWS AN INCREDIBLE DISPLAY OF TECHNICAL
FACILITY. PRISM RHAPSODY WAS COMPOSED BY
KEIKO ABE. THE HARMONICS OF HER
COMPOSITIONS ORIGINATE FROM MORE CLASSICAL JAPANESE MUSIC, AND
SHE INCORPORATES IN WESTERN CLASSICAL MUSIC, AND I LOVE THE
FUSION OF THOSE TWO ELEMENTS. I TAKE LESSONS WITH DR. TODD
HAMMES. HE IS VERY CREATIVE AND GIVES A
LOT OF METAPHORS AND DESCRIPTIONS FOR HOW PHRASES AND
SHAPES AND ALL SORTS OF ARTISTIC ELEMENTS WORK.
>> WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO MAKE THIS SHAPE?
>> WE'RE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT HOW TO IMPROVE TECHNIQUE.
>> YEAH, ESPECIALLY UP HERE. >> WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ART.
HE DOESN'T JUST TELL YOU TO DO THINGS.
>> IT'S THE ONLY NOTE IN THE MEASURE THAT...
>> HE EXPLAINS THINGS IN A VERY I LOVE TO SPEND TIME WITH MY
BROTHER. >> COME ON!
YOU'VE...GOT...THIS! I'M A GYM-BRO, FOR SURE.
SOMETIMES WE LIFT WEIGHTS TOGETHER.
SOMETIMES WE PLAY VIDEO GAMES. I TAKE PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE AND
JAZZ STUDIES WITH MS. JAEGER. SHE'S ALWAYS PUSHING US, ALWAYS
GETTING US TO WORK ON MORE CHALLENGING THINGS.
I LOVE PLAYING DRUM SET. IT HAS AMAZING VERSATILITY.
IT CAN COMPRISE THE ENTIRE RHYTHMIC BASE OF A PIECE.
I ALSO LOVE WORKING WITH THE YOUNGER STUDENTS AND HELPING
THEM. I WAS TALKING TO ONE OF MY
YOUNGER PERCUSSIONISTS TODAY. HE WAS HITTING THE NODES OF THE
BAR A LOT, WHERE THE SOUND QUALITY ISN'T AS GOOD.
SO I HELPED HIM FIGURE OUT HOW TO PLAY HIS PART WITHOUT HITTING
THOSE NODES AND WHILE GETTING THE BEST SOUND QUALITY OUT OF
THE INSTRUMENT. >> GOOD JOB!
>> DR. HAMMES CAME TO ME WITH THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE
COMPETITION A YEAR AGO. HE TOLD ME THAT HE THOUGHT THAT
I COULD DO IT. AND I DIDN'T THINK THAT I COULD
MAKE IT THIS FAR. BUT I WORKED ON THAT A LOT, AND
HERE I AM.
[APPLAUSE] >> ELLIOT LESPERANCE IS COMING
ON STAGE NOW WITH MAESTRO JOHN DEMAIN.
ELLIOT WILL PERFORM COMPOSER KEIKO ABE'S PRISM RHAPSODY.
>> KEIKO ABE IS A JAPANESE COMPOSER, TEACHER AND MARIMBA
PLAYER AND ONE OF THE PRIMARY FIGURES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF
THE MODERN FIVE-OCTAVE CONCERT MARIMBA.
PRISM RHAPSODY WAS ONE OF ABE'S FIRST WORKS FOR MARIMBA AND
ORCHESTRA.
♪
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] >> THAT WAS OUR FINAL COMPETITOR
THIS EVENING: 16-YEAR-OLD ELLIOT LESPERANCE.
HOW ABOUT ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR ALL FOUR OF THESE
INCREDIBLE PERFORMERS!
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
>> NOW, WOULD YOU PLEASE WELCOME MAESTRO JOHN DEMAIN BACK TO THE
STAGE.
[APPLAUSE]
MAESTRO, FIRST OF ALL, CONGRATULATIONS.
>> THIS IS YOUR 30TH SEASON AS MUSIC DIRECTOR OF THE MADISON
SYMPHONY. YOU'VE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH THE
"FINAL FORTE" SINCE ITS INCEPTION BACK IN 2007.
CAN YOU TELL US HOW THIS COLLABORATION WITH WISCONSIN
PUBLIC MEDIA CAME ABOUT? >> WELL, I THINK IT WAS THE
BRAIN CHILD OF ANDRES YOKUM. WE WERE THINKING WHAT WOULD BE
THE IDEAL THING TO DO? AND SINCE THIS HAS EXISTED SINCE
BEFORE THE TELEVISION SHOW, WE WERE ALWAYS BLOWN AWAY BY THESE
TEENAGERS, WHAT THEY COULD DO. SO GET AN IDEA TO DO FINALS WITH
AN ORCHESTRA. THEY'VE BEEN HOPING FOR A CHANCE
TO PLAY WITH AN ORCHESTRA. AND, YOU KNOW, RIGHT FROM THE
I'M AMAZED TO SEE HOW SMART THEY AT THAT AGE.
>> WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAESTRO.
AND NOW, WHAT WILL THE ORCHESTRA >> WE WILL BE PERFORMING THE
OVERTURE TO DIE FLEDERMAUS BY JOHANN STRAUSS.
>> JOHN DEMAIN AND THE MADISON
--FIEDERMAUS BY JOHANN STRAUSS.
♪
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
>> MAESTRO JOHN DEMAIN AND THE MADISON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA WITH
THE OVERTURE TO DIE FLEDERMAUS BY JOHANN STRAUSS II.
AND NOW, THE MOMENT WE'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR.
CAN WE HAVE MAESTRO DEMAIN AND COMPETITORS JOIN US HERE ON
STAGE, PLEASE.
[APPLAUSE]
>> BEFORE WE PRESENT THE AWARDS, WE FIRST WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE
FACT THAT ALL FOUR OF THESE EXTRAORDINARILY-TALENTED YOUNG
ARTISTS ARE INDEED WINNERS, EACH OF THEM TRULY DESERVING OF THE
OPPORTUNITY TO PERFORM HERE TONIGHT WITH THE MADISON
SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] >> SO, STARTING WITH THE TWO
HONORABLE MENTIONS, WE HAVE: ELLIOT LESPERANCE.
[APPLAUSE] >> AND ANDRAE PECK.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
>> OUR SECOND PLACE WINNER IS JANE STORY.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] >> WHICH MEANS CA KATARINA KENNY
IS THE WINNER FOR THE 2024 BOLZ
YOUNG ARTIST COMPETITION.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
>> CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL FOUR OF OUR FINALISTS, ALONG WITH
MUSIC DIRECTOR JOHN DEMAIN AND THE MADISON SYMPHONY
ORCHESTRA.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] >> A WARM AND HEARTFELT THANK
YOU TO OUR LOVELY AUDIENCE TONIGHT, AS WELL AS ALL OF THOSE
WHO JOINED IN THE BROADCAST OR IS WATCHING ONLINE.
FROM OVERTURE HALL IN MADISON, I'M LORI SKELTON.
>> AND I'M CLINT WALZ.
MAJOR FUNDING FOR "WISCONSIN YOUNG ARTISTS COMPETE: THE FINAL
FORTE" WAS PROVIDED BY: W. JEROME FRAUTSCHI.
DIANE BALLWEG. BARBARA AND NORM BERVEN.
WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM: JAMES DAHLBERG AND ELSEBET LUND.
JULIE AND LARRY MIDTBO. ELIZABETH OLSON.
KATO PERLMAN. SENTRY INSURANCE FOUNDATION.
TRUST POINT. CYRENA AND LEE PONDROM.
DARCY KIND AND MARC VITALE. DOCTOR A. BEYER-MEARS.
JOAN JOHNSTON. DONORS TO THE FOCUS FUND FOR THE
ARTS. AND FRIENDS OF PBS WISCONSIN.