PBS Wisconsin Music & Arts

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: