La Crosse Symphony Orchestra’s Conductor Wannabe winners revealed

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) — Two people are getting the chance of a lifetime this weekend.

Mayo Clinic Health System Chief Administrator Joe Kruse and Vice Chair of the UW-La Crosse Foundation Ilene Kernozek are this year’s “Conductor Wannabe” winners.

It’s the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra’s largest fundraising campaign of the year bringing in more than $46,000.

About half of the money will go to area non-profits.

Seven nominees collected votes in the form of dollars and the top two get to conduct a piece with the orchestra.

“I really did not anticipate being able to participate in the symphony, but this is just going to be a lot of fun,” said Kruse.

“I’ve just heard from other winners that it’s a once in a lifetime experience to be up there, surround by the symphony,” said Kernozek.

The two winners will make their conducting debut with the orchestra this Saturday at Viterbo University in La Crosse.