Advertisement At age 5, Spring started taking lessons, and within months she became a student of David Reedy at the Reed Music Studios in Onalaska, Wis.
She couldn’t wait to play the next challenging piece.
“I like to be challenged more, so I can keep on working and getting better,” Spring said.
The 10-year-old Onalaska girl became eligible for the first time as a fourth-grader this year to compete at the 2008 Wisconsin Music Teachers Association Badger state piano auditions.
Spring was one of three La Crosse area students to win their divisions at the May competition, held at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Bobby Levinger and Madeline Davidson, also students of Reedy, won their divisions at state for the second time.
The three pianists will be featured at the studio’s honors recital Oct. 5 at UW-La Crosse. Reedy has had more than 40 state division winners over the years.
“I like to compete because I learn more,” Spring said. “I was a bit surprised I won, but I thought I could do it.”
Spring, who will be a fifth-grader at Eagle Bluff Elementary School in Onalaska in the fall, played high-school level pieces composed by Mendelssohn and Haydn.
“She’s a very, very bright girl with a lot of talent,” Reedy said. “She not only played these difficult pieces but also played them well.”
Spring, who also plays violin, said she will continue to practice this summer. “My next goal is to win again next year,” she said.
Davidson, 15, who will be a junior at Onalaska High School in the fall, won the 10th-grade division. She has qualified for state for seven years. She won her division in 2005 and finished runner-up twice.
She said she was challenged with a difficult Brahms piece, which became her favorite and gave her a chance to show off some of her talent.
“Madeline is an extremely great reader and has grown musically,” Reedy said. “The judge liked everything about her playing and she is playing college-level repertoire.”
Davidson said piano is her favorite instrument although she plays violin, oboe and flute as well.
“Piano gave me my start on everything and is the basis for all the other instruments,” Davidson said. “I can relax when I play the piano and I feel really good after practicing. I love making music on the piano.”
Levinger won his division at state for the second straight year, this time capturing the sixth-grade division. The 12-year-old La Crosse boy has been studying piano for five years and plans to attend a piano camp this summer at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. He said he wants to be a concert pianist some day.
“Bobby has talent in all areas and technically he is strong and has been growing musically,” Reedy said. “He’s a fast learner and has a lot of potential.”
Reedy said Levinger has played more repertoire in a single week than any student he has ever had at the studio.
“I thought I played pretty well this year,” Levinger said. “Winning is a reward for all the time spent and hard work.”
He said he plans to practice four hours a day this summer.
“I like to practice and how the piece turns out after practicing,” Levinger said. “It’s a lot of fun.”
Terry Rindfleisch can be reached at trindfleisch@lacrossetribune.com or (608) 791-8227.
other winners
Other La Crosse area students who won awards at state:
n Two La Crosse area students, Megan Sorenson, 10th-grader and a student of Rita Schuman, and Faith Blum, in the 11th/12th-grade division and a student of Dorinda Hawk, were runners-up in their divisions.
n Six area students received honorable mention: Sarah Osteboe, fourth grade, student of Alethia Kenworthy; Eugenia Kim and Tess Kim, sixth grade, students of David Reedy; Christopher Stancic, ninth grade, student of Judy Stafslien; Erik Blomquist and Sarvesh Periyasamy, 10th grade, students of David Reedy.
