Bolz Young Artist Competition

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 who play violin or piano. (This instrumentation only holds for the 2021 competition.) 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 we anticipate 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.

Contact Education Assistant Lisa Kjentvet at lkjentvet@madisonsymphony.org with any questions.

Thank you to our partners

The Bolz Young Artist Competition is made possible by a generous endowment from

The Eugenie Mayer Bolz Family Foundation

Wisconsin Young Artists Compete: The Final Forte concert and broadcasts are the result of a historic partnership among

Major funding provided by

Stephen Morton

Fred and Mary Mohs

Additional funding provided by

David and Kato Perlman

Darcy Kind and Marc Vitale

The Focus Fund for Young Performers

Special thanks to Farley’s House of Pianos for providing the pianos for our Young Artist Competition auditions