Student to Star With Chippewa Valley Symphony

Tom Giffey |

Young Artist winner Jessica Jiang
Young Artist winner Jessica Jiang

Every year, some of the most talented teenage musicians in the state compete in the Kristo Orthodontics Young Artist Competition, with the winner taking the stage with the Chippewa Valley Symphony Orchestra at its “Young People’s Concert.” This year’s champion is 15-year-old Jessica Jiang of Madison, who won the competition in early December on the strength of her performance of Sergei Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3. (Jiang isn’t just a talented pianist: Last year, she took second place in the Young Artist Competition playing violin!)

If you’re hoping to inspire a young person to explore music or simply enjoy experiencing the classics yourself, you can see Jiang perform with the Chippewa Valley Symphony Orchestra at 2pm on Saturday, Feb. 1, in the RCU Theatre at the Pablo Center at the Confluence, 128 Graham Ave. In addition to the top teen talent, the program will include family favorites such as “Peter and the Wolf” by Prokofiev and Benjamin Britten’s “Young People’s Guide to the Orchestra,” performed with narration by local artist Joseph Hubbard.

For ticket information visit cvsymphony.org/concerts