Local pianist Andrew Staupe the main attraction at Sommerfest

Minneapolis, Minn. — He's the hometown boy who made good.

St. Paul native Andrew Staupe's career has unfolded before our very eyes. He studied with Lydia Artymiw at the University of Minnesota, then caught his first big break winning the Minnesota Orchestra's WAMSO Young Artist Competition in 2006.

That win led to performances with the orchestra at Sommerfest in which he was so impressive, he was invited to return to play Rachmaninoff in a regular season concert.

Staupe was also a finalist at the 2009 International Piano-e-Competition held at Hamline University last month.

Staupe will play Mendelssohn's Piano Concerto No. 1 on Friday with the Minnesota Orchestra. He spoke with us about this opportunity and his love of this particular concerto, and shares with us some samples of his performances from the e-competition.

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Join Mindy Ratner on Classical MPR Friday at 8 p.m. for a live broadcast of Andrew Staupe and the Minnesota Orchestra led by Andrew Litton. It's an all-Mendelssohn birthday bash, including selections from "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and the Italian Symphony.