MCO Young Artist Competition Honorable Mentions

media release: MCO Young Artist Competition Honorable Mentions Recital 2024 - 2/16/24

The recital will take place on Feb. 16, 7:30 at Capitol Lakes, with distinguished pianist Thomas Kasdorf as accompanist (see full program details here). The recital is free and open to the public. Congratulations to these four honorable mentions:

Selina Wen, piano

Grace Huang, violin

Sarah Blust, piano

Indre Raghavan, violin

Saint-Saëns: Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 22, III. Presto, featuring Selina Wen

Saint-Saëns: Violin Concerto No. 3 in B minor, Op. 61, III. Molto moderato e maestoso – Allegro non troppo, featuring Grace Huang

Mendelssohn: Piano Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 25, l. Molto allegro con fuoco & III. Presto—Molto allegro e vivace, featuring Sarah Blust

Saint-Saëns: Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, Op. 28, featuring Indre Raghavan

More on the winners concert, taking place Wednesday, February 21, at 7:30 pm at the Middleton PAC:

Winners of the 2024 MCO Young Artist Competition

Christopher Ramaekers, conductor

Enescu: Romanian Rhapsody No. 1, Op. 11 (1901)

This year four winners were selected from the seventeen students who auditioned, as well as four honorable mentions who have been invited to play in a recital (date TBD) with distinguished pianist Thomas Kasdorf as accompanist. Congratulations to these talented young musicians!

2024 Winners: Ethan Bo, piano; Daniel Quainoo, cello; Alex Bo, piano; Katarina Kenney, cello2024 Honorable Mentions: Grace Huang, Indre Raghavan, Sarah Blust, Selina Wen

The annual MCO Young Artists Competition is a county wide (Dane County) competition in which young musicians compete for the opportunity to perform as soloists with the MCO. The competition is open to students in grades 9-12, living in Dane County. 

Students can find the application on MCOs website. Students may select a concerto of their choice (with some limitations) on any orchestral instrument including piano. Students must provide their own accompanist and audition on the piece they intend to perform. Applications are due around December 1st, auditions are held in early January, and the performance with the MCO is in mid February at the Middleton PAC. The winners are selected by a panel of professional musicians.

This Young Artists Concerto Concert provides the winners with the rare opportunity to solo with an orchestra and gives the MCO's musicians a chance to collaborate with these very energetic and committed young musicians. It is a joy to share the stage with them, and introduce our audience to the youth who have made music such a central role in their lives. 

Join us in welcoming these artists to the stage and supporting your community's musicians.   

General Admission - $20. All students admitted free of charge. Tickets are available at the door and at Willy St. Co-op West starting two weeks before each concert.

Box Office opens at 6:30pm; Doors open at 7:00pm; All concerts begin at 7:30pm