Wisconsin Young Artists Compete

– Lorenz Fradkin-Annen: My name is Lorenz Fradkin-Annen.

I'm in 10th grade and I go to Oregon High School.

I've been playing violin for around 11 and a half years.

I play viola, bassoon, and piano.

Piano is more fun because there's a wider variety of music that you can play.

Sometimes, I record ideas I had either on my piano or on my violin, which is a great starting point for me.

I just open up notation software and just start making something, like use my MIDI keyboard and then layering stuff on top of that.

[bright electronic music] I've been inspired by video game music to get interested into doing it myself.

A great example of it would be the EarthBound soundtrack.

[students laugh] A large number of my friends I've made through music-related things.

– Shauncey Ali: G.

[violin notes] - Lorenz: Mad Fiddle is a fiddle program in Madison taught by Shauncey Ali.

[steady violin music] We learned all of our stuff by ear.

In my school orchestra program, I play viola, and in my school band, I play bassoon.

[gentle orchestra music] Right now, I am playing viola in the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra and in the Pondrom Quartet as well.

I've been taking lessons from Mr.

Perdue for around five years.

– Eugene Purdue: Do you think it means a separation or just a stress?

– Lorenz: He's good at teaching.

And then also, he has the weirdest stories ever.

I'm going to be playing Shostakovich's first violin concerto.

There's a lot of expression in it.

I have to put myself in it, so it definitely takes a lot of effort.

Playing with Madison Symphony Orchestra, it's such an honor.

I've performed with them before.

It was really rewarding.

It really added the layers and, like, the depth.

It's kind of overwhelming, but I have a lot of fun.

I'm looking forward to sharing my progress and playing with an orchestra again, which is always exciting.

[energetic violin music] [applause]