From the Top at Carnegie Hall Season 2, Program 3

Fourteen-year old Travis Johnson from Milwaukie, Oregon chose the wood for his own custom-made guitar on which he performs Boppin’ by Bryan Johannson, a piece commissioned for him, on this episode of From the Top at Carnegie Hall. Seventeen-year old marimba player Jingchen Sun moved to New York City after her father sold the family’s home in China to pay for her marimba. Inspired by a chance meeting with the great marimba player and composer Keiko Abe, Jingchen gives an energetic performance of Nebojsa Jovan Zivkovic’s Ultimatum I before a live audience. Twelve-year old MacKenzie Melemend from Paxton, Massachusetts is a bowling champion and a master magician in addition to being a skilled pianist. His pursuit of the piano has enabled him to meet President Bush, Rosie O’Donnell, and Marvin Hamlisch, and to perform as part of a Mozart program on The Discovery Channel. MacKenzie closes the episode with a performance of Prokofiev’s Sonata No. 1 in F minor, Op. 1.