Young Artist
Competitions
The Final Forte
Wednesday, February 26, 2020, 6:45 p.m., Overture Hall
The Final Forte finalists are selected from a group of young Wisconsin artists who competed in the Bolz Young Artist Competition’s two preliminary rounds. The event gives these four artists the chance to perform a movement from a concerto with the MSO.
Congratulations to this years’ four finalists:
Jessica Jiang, Piano
Piece: Prokofiev Concerto 3, Mvt. 1
School: Madison Memorial High (Grade 11)
Jonah Kartman, Violin
Piece: Saint-Saens Concerto, Mvt. 1
School: Homeschool (Grade 12), Glendale
Emily Hauer, Violin
Piece: Sibelius Concerto, Mvt. 1
School: Homeschool (Grade 12), Appleton
Michael Wu, Piano
Piece: Liszt Totentanz
School: Sun Prairie High (Grade 12)
Wisconsin Young Artists Compete: The Final Forte is a free concert 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.
Performing with the Madison Symphony Orchestra is really a remarkable experience. Working with so many great musicians and Maestro John DeMain inspired me to bring my own playing to a new level. It brought my understanding of my own musicianship and my piece to a different place. It is rare for anyone to work with such a skilled orchestra and conductor, let alone musicians of my age. To be given the entire experience of performing with an orchestra, from speaking with the conductor to the rehearsals and to the concerts, is an experience and opportunity of a lifetime. It has taught me so much as a musician and a person.
This was a deeply meaningful event for me because it was my first solo appearance with an orchestra. It truly felt like a dream.
It is an extraordinary opportunity for everyone to feel the commitment and energy of these young performers and to reflect on the central role the arts play in our lives. I look forward to these events with great joy
View photos…
Click images for captions.
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
Wisconsin Young Artists Compete: The Final Forte was funded by major support from Diane Ballweg, Stephen Morton, W. Jerome Frautschi, A. Paul Jones Charitable Trust, Fred and Mary Mohs, and Elizabeth Olson, with additional support from Bell Laboratories, James Dahlberg and Elsebet Lund, Kato Perlman, Cyrena and Lee Pondrom, Sentry Insurance Foundation, Darcy Kind and Marc Vitale, Dr. A. Beyer-Mears, Nick and Judith Topitzes, the Focus Fund for Young Performers, and Friends of PBS Wisconsin.
Special thanks to Farley’s House of Pianos for providing the pianos for our Young Artist Competition auditions
