2024 Wisconsin Young Artists Compete: The Final Forte, Live Concert and Competition took place on Wednesday, March 6, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. in Overture Hall
Congratulations to our 2024 winner of The Final Forte, Katarina Kenney! All four competitors gave outstanding performances. The final results are:
First Place: Katarina Kenney
Second Place: Jane Story
Honorable Mentions: André Peck and Elliot Lesperance
Broadcast live from Overture Hall at the Overture Center for the Arts in Madison, the concert featured the magnificent Madison Symphony Orchestra led by Music Director John DeMain. The four finalists were chosen from eight competitors at the 2024 Bolz Young Artist Competition Semi-Finals for the opportunity to compete in The Final Forte.
Encore Broadcasts
Congratulations to our 2024 Finalists!
Katarina Kenney, cello
Elgar, Cello Concerto in E minor, Op. 85, 4th mvmt
Read Katarina's Bio
Katarina Kenney is a freshman at Madison Country Day School. She studies cello with Cornelia Watkins and is a scholarship fellow at the Music Institute of Chicago’s Academy. As a member of the Pondrom Quartet, Katarina won the silver medal and BIPOC performance prize in the 2023 Saint Paul String Quartet Competition.
Elliot Lesperance, marimba
Abe, Prism Rhapsody
Read Elliot's Biography
Elliot Lesperance is a junior at Oregon High School. He began studying percussion at the age of 11 and is currently a student of Dr. Todd Hammes. Elliot is a member of both the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra and WYSO Percussion Ensemble, and performed in the 2023 Wisconsin School Music Association Honors Band.
André Peck, piano
Saint-Saëns, Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, 1st mvmt
Read André's Biography
André Peck is a freshman at Logan High School in La Crosse. He has been studying piano since the age of four and is currently a student of Dr. Joseph Zins. André earned first prize in the 2024 La Crosse Rising Stars Concerto Competition and was a finalist at the 2023 Nashville International Chopin Piano Competition.
Jane Story, violin
Mendelssohn, Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64, 1st mvt
Read Jane's Biography
Jane Story is a junior from Stevens Point. She began violin studies at the age of four and is currently a student of Dr. Anna Cromwell. In 2023, Jane received first prize in the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Stars of Tomorrow Competition and the Central Wisconsin Symphony Orchestra’s Young Artist Concerto Competition.
Watch Soloist Interviews
Wisconsin Young Artists Compete: The Final Forte is a free concert that is broadcast live on PBS Wisconsin and Wisconsin Public Radio. This competition has captured an enormous following and numerous honors, including an Emmy nomination, First Place in the “Special Interest” category from the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association in 2007, and fifth most-watched program in the February 2007 Nielsen ratings. The 2008 broadcasts reached more than 60,000 viewers and listeners in the Madison market alone and the 2009 broadcasts reached an estimated 200,000 statewide.
The Bolz Young Artist Competition is a highly-regarded statewide competition in which Wisconsin’s young musicians compete for scholarships and the opportunity to perform as soloists with the MSO. The competition is open to Wisconsin residents in grades 9-12. Previous winners may not compete in consecutive years on the same instrument. Contracted musicians of the MSO are ineligible.
The four semi-finalists compete in The Final Forte, which will be broadcast on PBS Wisconsin and Wisconsin Public Radio. Each winner receives a $2000 scholarship and the Marian Bolz Prize for Distinguished Musical Achievement or the Steenbock Youth Music Award. Up to two Honorable Mention scholarships of $1000 may also be awarded.
Discover more about our past winners and presentations of The Final Forte!
2023
Read the Recap Story
2022
Read the Recap Story
2020
Press Release
The Final Forte and Spring Young People’s Concert
2019
Meet our Final Forte Finalists
Congratulations to The Final Forte 2019 Winners