Wisconsin Young Artists Compete: The Final Forte is a tremendously popular FREE concert. The statewide broadcasts have captured an enormous following and numerous honors, including an Emmy nomination. John DeMain conducts the MSO as cameras and microphones broadcast the proceedings LIVE! (This is the first time the Public Television production will be seen live.) Tune in to WPT's encore broadcast on Fri March 23 at 8 PM.

The Bolz Young Artist Competition brings young musicians from across the state to Madison to compete for top honors. The competition is open to 9th-12th grade Wisconsin students who play violin, viola, cello, bass, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba, harp, piano, percussion, saxophone, organ and classical guitar. After preliminary rounds have pared the field down to four finalists, the MSO, in partnership with Wisconsin Public Radio and Wisconsin Public Television, presents Wisconsin Young Artists Compete: The Final Forte, a free concert in Overture Hall with live and later broadcasts throughout the state. Judges are present to choose the two top winners.

The unique partnership among the Madison Symphony Orchestra, Wisconsin Public Radio and Wisconsin Public Television is producing award-winning programming! In addition to an Emmy Award nomination, the Final Forte earned First Place in the "Special Interest" category from the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association in 2007 and was rated the fifth most-watched program in the Feb 2007 Nielsen ratings (the television audience was 63 percent greater than WPT's average audience in the Madison market). The 2008 broadcasts on WPR and WPT reached more than 60,000 viewers in the Madison market alone and there were an estimated 200,000 statewide viewers and listeners for the 2009 broadcasts.

"This has been a very auspicious partnership. The quality of the broadcasts and the performances of the finalists are simply spectacular. I think this sends a magnificent message to our community and to the entire state of Wisconsin about the importance and effectiveness of our music education programs. 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."

Please contact Robin Garcia, Director of Development, at 608.257.3734 or rgarcia@madisonsymphony.org.

Anthony Cudzinovic, 15, is a junior at Milton High School. He has been playing violin for twelve years and currently studies with Janet Chisholm. As a member of the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras, Anthony served as concertmaster for the Philharmonia Orchestra in 2009-2010 and received an honorable mention for his performance in the Philharmoia Orchestra Concerto Competition that same season. Earlier this year, he won WYSO's Youth Orchestra Concerto competition, and he received an honorable mention in the same competition in 2011. Anthony is involved in many extracurricular activities at school, including tennis, forensics, Rube Goldberg teams, and Key Club. To relax, Anthony enjoys reading, playing video games, volunteering at the library, and hanging out with friends.

Charles Dieterle, 18, is a senior at Madison West High School. He began playing trombone in fifth grade and has studied with Mark Hetzler, Mark Lusk, and currently Jamie Kember. Charles also plays tuba, which he began learning in eighth grade. He joined WYSO his freshman year of high school, and has attended Interlochen Arts Camp for the past two summers. Last year, he won the Fine Arts Award for Outstanding Achievement on Trombone. Though he describes himself as a classical musician at heart, Charles is also comfortable playing jazz. He performs with Jazz West (his school jazz ensemble), At Dim Fom (school jazz combo), Isthmus High School Jazz All-Stars, and Spontaneocity (a trombone-sax improvisational duo). When not playing music, Charles is wrestling, playing Ultimate Frisbee, or doing homework.

Michael Doerr, 17, is a homeschool high school senior. He has been playing piano for more than thirteen years. Michael’s teachers have included Bruce Clark, Bette Close, and currently Dr. Raffi Besalyan of UW-Stevens Point. He began annually competing in Wisconsin Music Teachers Association’s Badger Keyboard competitions at age nine and has been the winner six times. Along with his brother, Robert, he was a national finalist in the 2010 Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Piano Duet Competition, held in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In 2011, he was the state winner and represented Wisconsin in the East Central Division of MTNA’s National Senior Piano Competition which was held in Muncie, Indiana. Along with music, Michael enjoys cooking, reading, playing tennis, turning wood, and machining.

Garrick Olsen, 16, is a sophomore at iQ/eAchieve, a virtual school within the Waukesha School District. He has been playing piano since age nine. His teachers include Larry Elliott and currently Bill Lutes. Garrick was a winner of the MSO's 2008 Fall Youth Concerto Competition, received third place in the 2010 Chopin Youth Piano Competition, and was admitted to the Jacobs School of Music Summer Piano Academy at Indiana University in summer 2011. At the Summer Academy, Garrick was selected to play in a master class for Karen Shaw and perform in the Honors Recital. At home, Garrick performs solo recitals in area retirement homes several times a year. When not playing piano, Garrick enjoys log rolling on Lake Wingra.