PBS Wisconsin Music & Arts

THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS A PBS WISCONSIN ORIGINAL PRODUCTION.

>> THEY SHARE A COMMON BOND: >> 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 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 "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 ANDR 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 LET'S BEGIN TONIGHT'S COMPETITION WITH THE FIRST OF OUR FOUR FINALISTS, PIANIST ANDR PECK.

>> I'M ANDR PECK.

>> I'M ANDR 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 NS' 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, ANDR PECK IS TAKING THE STAGE ALONG WITH MAESTRO THE STAGE ALONG WITH MAESTRO JOHN DEMAIN.

>> ANDR WILL BE PERFORMING THE FIRST MOVEMENT OF CAMILLE SAINT-SA NS' PIANO CONCERTO NO.

2 IN G MINOR.

>> SAINT-SA NS 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 PECK, PERFORMING THE FIRST MOVEMENT OF CAMILLE SAINT-SA N'' PIANO CONCERTO NO.

2 IN G MINOR.

ANDR 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 >> 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 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 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, >> 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.

>> 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] [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 >> 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.