Entertainment
La Crosse Symphony Orchestra has its Conductor Wannabe winners for concert finale Saturday
The winners were announced Wednesday for the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra’s Conductor Wannabe competition.
This year’s La Crosse Symphony Orchestra fundraiser, that incorporates five other local nonprofits, raised nearly $74,000.
At an event Wednesday morning, the two winners were announced along with the musical selections they’ll guest conduct at Saturday night’s concert.
The top two in the competition that raised the most money, to become conductors for a night, at the symphony’s season finale concert were Kelly Colgan, advocating for Habitat for Heroes, and Erik Vose, representing the children’s Star Academy for the La Crosse Community Theatre.
Colgan took the top spot raising more than half the entire total at $42,300 for the symphony and her cause, Habitat for Heroes, through Habitat for Humanity of the Greater La Crosse Region.
She’ll take the baton to conduct the Marche Militaire, D.733 by Franz Schubert.
Vose raised $13,500, which is split between the symphony and the Star Academy at the La Crosse Community Theater.
His choice is the Wedding March from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Op. 61 by Felix Mendelssohn.
In total, $73,700 was raised through the competition.
All the funds are split between the symphony and those local organizations, which also included the La Crosse Community Nonprofit Initiative (LCNI), ORA Trails and La Crosse Area Youth Symphony Orchestra.
The other conductor wannabes were also at Wednesday’s event to show their support, including Jaime Schloegel, Jake Sciammas, Jed Olson, and Mark Kvale.
Each contestant received a baton for their fundraising efforts.
There are still tickets available for the concert, entitled “Midnight In Paris”. It begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Viterbo Fine Arts Center in La Crosse.
PBS Wisconsin is recording a special for Saturday’s performance.
La Crosse Symphony’s Eva Marie Restel presents a check to Kelly Colgan, who raised $42,300 in the Conductor Wannabe contest. 
Erik Vose came in second in the contest. He’ll be one of the guest conductors at Saturday’s performance. 
Jamie Schloegel, Jake Sciammas, and Eva Marie Restel pose for pictures with the check they’re receiving for their charity as part of the Conductor Wannabe contest. 
Jed Olson and his charity, Outdoor Recreation Alliance (ORA) Trails, receives a check from the La Crosse Symphony’s Eva Marie Restel. 
Conductor Wannabe Mark Kvale receives his check from Eva Marie Restel. 
The Conductor Wannabe contestants for 2025. Together, they raised more than $73,700 for the symphony and other local charities. 
