Last month, the UWM Symphony Orchestra performed in the Zelazo Center featuring clarinetist and first year master’s student Mauricio Franco. This concert served as the culmination of Franco’s achievement in the 2024-25 Concerto Competition held at the Peck School.
Concerto Competition
The Concerto Competition was a one-round competition with ten of PSOA’s greatest classical music minds competing for a solo performance at the Symphony Orchestra’s winter concert. As opposed to some other competitions that present contestants with a strict repertoire, Franco and his fellow competitors selected works themselves.
“I felt like I had a lot of freedom to choose something that was a bit more creative,” said Franco.
Franco performed alongside a piano accompanist for a panel of three judges, including the conductor of Milwaukee’s Festival City Symphony.
The experience for Franco was a “nice change of pace” compared to other auditions as he was able to interact with and watch the judges’ reactions in real time.
Following the audition process, Franco said he was “shocked” to find out that he had won and set sights on his preparations for the eventual concert. Franco prepared alongside his instructor Todd Levy.
“He’s probably been the most beneficial relationship I’ve made at school,” said Franco. “What he’s presented to me has been an entire world of the instrument and artistry that I didn’t know before.”
While Franco feels that skilled musicians such as himself should bring a set of skills into their university studies, he often cannot help but be amazed at Levy’s guidance and skillset.
“There’s a certain level of experience you feel like you should have,” said Franco. “But sometimes I feel like a kid in a candy store… The amount that I can learn is really amazing.”
February concert
For the eventual concert, Franco selected Marcel Bitsch’s Concertino for Bassoon (transcribed for bass clarinet) for the symphony to perform.
Franco selected this piece to expand the UWM Symphony’s repertoire, looking to break away from “mainstream” classical music.
“The UWM Symphony is fairly mainstream, most often,” said Franco. “You’re looking at composers like Brahms, Mozart, Beethoven… A shift into this kind of repertoire really stretched the ensemble.”
The intricacies of the piece not only stretched the ensemble but were also meant to expand the audience’s musical vocabulary both through the composition of the piece and Franco’s performance.
“I really looked into trying to delve into the colors and changing the sound of the instrument as much as possible,” said Franco. “I just wanted to feel like I’m stretching the possibilities of what I’m presenting to the audience.”
The concert, which also featured Brahms’ Serenade No. 1 in D Major and Weber’s Oberon Overture, among other selections, was conducted by Dr. Jun Kim (Associate Professor, Instrumental Conducting Director, Orchestral Activities, Symphony Orchestra, University Community Orchestra).
In preparing himself and the ensemble for the winter concert, Franco got the opportunity to work closely with Dr. Kim. Throughout this process, Kim and Franco collaborated to ensure success for the symphony, an experience that Franco felt was positive.
“I feel super comfortable in our collaboration, and I think that’s shone through to create a great musical experience,” said Franco.
Upon reflecting on the performance, Franco noted the success of the concert.
“The concerto was an unprecedented success, and the encore that followed was positively received as a calm, reflective ending to an exciting and unique performance,” said Franco.
Story by Jason McCullum ’25