MSO's support of young musicians illustrates how the organization tries to stay in touch with the community at a time when many of the nation's orchestras are hurting for lack of attendance and money. We actually get cheering sections in the audience. Friends and neighbors root for the young musicians they know on stage. We like that kind of excitement. Last year, the orchestra gave 200 performances to 400,000 concert-goers, including thousands of youngsters attending youth and high school concerts and Kinderkonzerts for children 3 to 13.
Some orchestra members take a personal interest in developing young talent.
They collectively teach as many as 300 students annually. Some of the musicians volunteer to tutor children with limited finances through the orchestra's Minority Scholarship Program. Wayne Lin, the soloist winner from Green Bay, travels regularly to Milwaukee for private classes with Frank Almond, the orchestra's concertmaster. Chrissy Kim, a junior at Central High School in La Crosse, likes to shop at malls and eat pepperoni pizza with her sister when not practicing her cello. After her audition, she left without knowing she was a winner.