PBS Wisconsin congratulates the four dedicated student musicians headed to the final round of Madison Symphony Orchestra’s (MSO) 2026 Bolz Young Artist Competition at the Overture Center for the Arts.

Witness the drama and excitement of the finals in Wisconsin Young Artists Compete: The Final Forte live at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 4, on WPR Music and pbswisconsin.org/final-forte.

Watch the broadcast premiere at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 17 on PBS Wisconsin.

The program will also be rebroadcast at:

• 12 p.m. Sunday, March 8, and 8 p.m. Monday, March 9, on WPR Music.
• 8 p.m. Friday, March 20, and 2 p.m. Saturday, March 21, on The Wisconsin Channel (PBS Wisconsin-2).
• 2 p.m. Saturday, April 4 on Milwaukee PBS (WMVT, Channel 36.1).

Congratulations to the 2026 Final Forte finalists:

More about the Bolz Young Artist Competition

The Bolz Young Artist Competition is a highly regarded statewide concerto competition in which Wisconsin high school musicians compete for the opportunity to perform as soloists with the MSO, led by music director John DeMain.

The four finalists each receive scholarships, ranging from $1,000 to $2,000, and the winner performs again the following day at the Spring Young People’s Concert.

2026 marks a triple milestone year for this musical event. It is MSO’s centennial, the 20th year of Wisconsin Young Artists Compete: The Final Forte and DeMain’s final season as MSO’s music director, a position he has held since 1994.

Photos by Dynae Allice Photography.