BOWLING GREEN, O.—Fans are counting down the days for the live public taping of “From the Top,” the preeminent showcase for young musicians, presented by Bowling Green State University’s College of Musical Arts. The popular National Public Radio program, hosted by acclaimed pianist Christopher O’Riley, is part of the BGSU Festival Series and will feature the performances and personal stories of talented young classical musicians from across the country at 8 p.m. on Sept. 28 in Kobacker Hall at the Moore Musical Arts Center.
Quartet Lumiere, first-place winners of the Junior Division of the 2013 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, will perform the first movement from String Quartet No. 1 in G minor, Op. 26, by Edvard Grieg. Based at The Academy at the Music Institute of Chicago where Marko Dreher is their coach, members include 18-year-old violinist Rebecca Benjamin, 16-year-old violinist Gallia Kastner, 15-year-old violist Mira Williams, and 15-year-old cellist Josiah Yoo. Quartet Lumiere will also perform the fourth movement, “Salamandrae (Fire),” from String Quartet No. 1, “Elemental,” an original composition by 17-year-old composer Chason Goldfinger from Malvern, Penn., who will also appear on the show.
Also on the broadcast: Patrick Pan, a 15-year-old pianist from Houston, is the 2013 winner of BGSU’s David D. Dubois Piano Competition. A student at Clear Lake High School, Pan studies piano with John Weems. Fifteen-year-old contrabassist Lena Goodson from York, Penn., attends Central York High School and studies bass with Devin Howell, the principal bassist of Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra. Fifteen-year-old violinist Sein An is a student at Temple Music Prep and is a recipient of From the Top’s Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award.
For tickets and information, visit www.bgsu.edu/festivalseries. “From the Top” may be heard locally on WGTE 91.3 FM Sundays at noon. This episode will air on Nov. 4, 2013.