Senior Bradley Riss was first introduced to music when he was five. Fast forward 18 years, and he is now graduating UW-Whitewater with a degree in music.

He said his mother is his biggest inspiration because she was also a cellist and motivated him to stick with his instrument throughout his years. His peers and staff members within UW-Whitewater’s Music Department have also helped him develop as a musician, he added.

“The music faculty pushed me toward the individual that I’ve wanted to be since I was little, which is a more disciplined person at individual practicing and paying as close attention to detail as possible,” Riss said. “The faculty and students who have gone before me have served as positive role models musically.”

Riss specifically pointed to Professor Benjamin Whitcomb as a mentor and educator.

“I’ve grown and had children of my own, but even before then and since, it’s a similar pride whether they’re up on stage or succeeding in their career or just delighted with their own progress,” Whitcomb said about being an educator. “There is nothing quite like it. It’s really wonderful.”

Riss and Whitcomb have become well acquainted over Riss’ college career. They usually see each other during a one-hour lesson each week.

Whitcomb said the one-on-one time has helped him see Riss’ strengths more clearly.

“He has a wonderful instrument, but it’s far more than that,” Whitcomb said. “It’s the tone that he is able to get out of it, it’s a beautiful voice that he has through the instrument.”

Riss said Whitcomb gave him suggestions for improvement and constructive criticism during the hour-long sessions.

“My playing ability and objective towards how I want my instrument to sound compares very well to his,” Riss said. “Therefore, I am able to duplicate what he demonstrates very quickly.”

In the future, Riss said he hopes to continue his studies with music and the cello in graduate school at either the University of Wisconsin-Madison or the University of Minnesota. After that, he wants to pursue his dream of playing in a professional orchestra as well as pursue something in the field of arts marketing, he added.