[♪ THEME MUSIC ♪] >>> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS, INSTITUTE.

ON CRONKITE NEWS, HOW CHANGES IN HEALTHCARE PRACTICES DUE TO THE PANDEMIC HAVE IMPACTED PATIENTS AT VA HOSPITALS, AND ON BREAK IT DOWN, THE NEW NORMAL FOR ATHLETES DURING THE PANDEMIC.

THAT'S ALL COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR ON ARIZONA PBS.

>>> GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

I'M TED SIMONS.

GOVERNOR DUCEY TODAY SIGNED A CONTROVERSIAL BILL THAT WOULD REMOVE SOME VOTEDERS FROM WHAT WAS THE STATE'S PERMANENT EARLY VOTING LIST.

IT CALLS FOR THE STATE TO REMOVE VOTERS WHO MISS TWO ELECTION CYCLES.

MOST OF THOSE REMOVED FROM THE LIST WOULD BE DEMOCRATS, PEOPLE OF COLOR AND THE WORKING POOR, AS MUCH MANY PEOPLE WERE AGAINST THE MEASURE.

>>> THE SENATE SPOKESMAN KEN BENNETT TOLD A LOCAL POOL REPORTER THAT A NEW LEASE AGREEMENT IS READY TO BE SIGNED, WHICH MEANS THE AUDIT WOULD SHUT DOWN AND MOVE OUT NEXT WEEK, AND THEN MOVE BACK IN AND RESUME GOING OVER BALLOTS ON MAY 24TH.

>>> STATE-RUN COVID VACCINATION SITES IN THE PHOENIX, TUCSON, FLAGSTAFF AND YUMA AREAS ARE SET TO BEGIN VACCINATING CHILDREN 12 TO 15 YEARS OF AGE AS SOON AS THURSDAY.

THIS FOLLOWS THE FDA'S AUTHORIZATION OF THE PFIZER VACCINE FOR USE IN THAT AGE GROUP.

>>> A U.S. SENATE HEARING WAS HELD TODAY TO UPDATE EFFORTS TO FIGHT COVID-19.

>> WE ARE IN A RACE BETWEEN THE VACCINE AND THE VIRUS.

IF LEFT TO ITS OWN DEVICES WILL CONTINUE TO SURGE, BASED ON EXPERIENCE THUS FAR IN THIS COUNTRY AND GLOBALLY, I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL VERY SOON HAVE A SITUATION WHERE WE WILL HAVE TO FEW INFECTIONS IN THIS COUNTRY, WE WILL BEGIN TO RETURN TO THE NORMALITY THAT ALL OF US DESIRE SO MUCH.

>>> A NEW SURVEY FINDS THAT MORE AMERICANS WENT OUT TO EAT LAST WEEK SINCE THE PANDEMIC STARTED.

AND WHILE THE POLL FOUND ABOUT THE SAME NUMBER SAID THEY ARE PRACTICING SOCIAL DISTANCING, IT IS STILL DOWN 8% FROM LAST MONTH, AND THE NUMBER OF THOSE LIKELY TO WEAR A MASK WHEN THEY GO OUT, THAT IS DOWN AS WELL.

>>> MORE THAN 47 MILLION PEOPLE PLAN TO TRAVEL FOR MEMORIAL DAY.

RISING VACCINATION RATES AND INCREASED CONSUMER CONFIDENCE IS THE DRIVER.

>>> A ROMANIAN CASTLE SAID TO BE THE HOME OF DRACULA IS OFFERING FREE VACCINATIONS.

THEY ARE OFFERING THE SHOT FREE TO VISITORS ON WEEKENDS THIS MONTH.

>>> ASU'S BIODESIGN INSTITUTE HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE STATE'S FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19.

EARLIER TODAY WE SPOKE WITH INSTITUTE'S DIRECTOR DR. JOSH LABAER ABOUT WHERE WE STAND WITH THE VIRUS AND WHAT PARENTS NEED TO KNOW NOW THAT VACCINATIONED ARE APPROVED FOR AGES AGE 12 TO 15.

JOSH, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

LET'S START WITH THE 12 TO 15 YEAR OLDS, THE STATE AUTHORIZING VACCINATIONS COME THURSDAY, I BELIEVE.

WHAT DO PARENTS NEED TO KNOW?

>> WELL, FIRST THEY NEED TO KNOW THAT CHILDREN CAN GET COVID TOO.

WHEN THEY DO GET IT, MOST OF THE TIME IT IS NOT TOO BAD, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERE CASES AND EVEN DEATHS FROM CHILDREN GETTING COVID.

NUMBER 2, THESE VACCINES ARE QUITE SAFE.

IT IS AMONG THE SAFEST MEDICATIONS I'M AWARE OF, CERTAINLY SAFER THAN TYLENOL, FOR EXAMPLE, SO IT'S SAFE TO DO FOR THE KIDS, AND THE QUICKER WE GET EVERYBODY VACCINATED, THE LESS THERE IS OF THIS VIRUS IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND THE OVERALL HEALTHIER OUR COMMUNITY WILL BE.

I'M CERTAINLY GETTING MY KIDS VACCINATED AS SOON AS IT IS AVAILABLE.

>> ARE YOU EXPECTING A SIMILAR RANGE OF REACTIONS?

>> SURE.

THERE HAVE BEEN MILD SIDE EFFECTS FROM BOTH THE MODERNA AND PFIZER VACCINES AND EVEN THE J&J VACCINE, RANGING FROM SORE ARMS TO FEVERS, AND DIFFICULTY SLEEPING AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS, AND THAT MAY WELL HAPPEN IN THESE MIDDLE ADOLESCENT KIDS.

THEY ARE OFTEN IN MANY WAYS MANAGED THE SAME WAY AS ADULTS ARE, SO VERY GOOD CHANCE THEY'LL HAVE THE SAME BROOD RANGE OF EFFECTS, BUT NOTHING SERIOUS.

>> WE'RE HEARING A NUMBER OF HEALTH OFFICIALS SAYING THEY ARE CONCERNED WE MAY NEVER REACH TRUE HERD IMMUNITY BECAUSE OF THE VARIANTS AND INCREASING HESITATION TO GET VACCINATED.

>> YEAH, I WOULD SAY CERTAINLY THE U.K.

VARIANT WILL MAKE IT HARDER TO ACHIEVE HERD IMMUNITY.

THERE IS CERTAINLY HESITANCY, ALTHOUGH WE'RE SEEING SLOWLY BUT SURELY SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE HESITANT STARTING TO GET VACCINATED NOW.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THE MORE PEOPLE WE GET VACCINATED THE LESS TRANSMISSION WILL HAPPEN IN THE COMMUNITY.

EVEN AT THE CURRENT RATE OF VACCINATIONS, THINGS LOOK PRETTY GOOD FOR ARIZONA.

IT LOOKS UNLIKELY FOR US TO SEE ANOTHER SURGE LIKE WE HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST GIVEN THE LEVEL ALREADY ACHIEVED AND THE LEVEL OF OVERALL IMMUNITY IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO I'M OPTIMISTIC THAT WE'LL GET BACK TO LIFE AS WE KNEW IT.

>> THAT'S INTERESTING.

SY I'M HEARING MORE AND MORE THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SOCIETY -- THE WORLD, ALL OF US, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LEARN TO LIVE WITH THIS THING.

>> YES, I THINK THAT'S RIGHT.

IT WILL BE VERY HARD TO KWIEP THIS OFF OF THE FACE OF THE EARTH, BUT IT IS A MANAGEABLE DISEASE, THE VACCINES HAVE PROVEN TO BE VERY EFFECTIVE, AND ULTIMATELY THE WORLD WILL NEED TO BE VACCINATED OR ELSE THE VIRUS WILL KEEP BOUNCING BACK.

>> AND WITH THAT IN MIND, WHAT ARE YOUR BIGGEST CONCERNS RIGHT NOW REGARDING COVID.

WE SEEM TO BE ON THE RIGHT TRACK, BUT YOU NEVER KNOW DO YOU?

>> RIGHT.

I WOULD SAY IN THE U.S.

THINGS ARE LOOKING QUITE ENCOURAGING.

OBVIOUSLY OUR HEARTS GO OUT TO THE FOLKS IN INDIA AND SOUTH AMERICA, AND THE HOT SPOTS IN THE WORLD WHERE THINGS ARE LOOKING MUCH MORE TROUBLESOME.

IN THE U.S., YOU KNOW, AT THIS POINT, IF WE CONTINUE ON THE ROAD WE'RE ON, THE ONLY THING THAT COULD REALLY CAUSE PROBLEMS WOULD BE A CRAZY VARIANT.

I DON'T SEE THAT HAPPENING.

THE U.K.

VARIANT SEEMS TO BE DOMINANT AND HOLDING ITS OWN.

>> AS FAR AS VACCINES AND THE VIRUS IS CONCERNED, ARE WE ANY BETTER IN KNOWING WHY SOME PEOPLE REACT SO STRONGLY TO THE VACCINE?

WHY SOME PEOPLE GET SO SICK WHEN THEY COME DOWN WITH COVID, AND OTHERS GET MAYBE A RUNNY NOSE AND THEN IT'S OVER WITH.

>> IT IS OUR OWN IMMUNE SYSTEM RESPONDING TO THE VIRUS.

IT'S THE BODY'S OVERREACTION, IF YOU WILL TO THE VIRUS, SO THERE MAY BE SOMETHING ABOUT INDIVIDUALS OWNING SYSTEMS THAT PREDICT WHY SOME GET SUCH A STRONG RESPONSE, AND SOME DON'T.

THERE'S A LOT OF EXCITING RESEARCH GOING ON RIGHT NOW TO PICK THAT APART, THE GENE KNOWS OF THE PEOPLE, AND THE VARIANTS THEY HAVE BEEN INFECTED WITH.

WE ALL HAVE A DIFFERENT IMMUNE SYSTEM, AND SO THAT MAY PLAY A ROLE AS WELL.

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY, THIS COULD BE VERY IMPORTANT AS FAR AS JUST KNOWING ABOUT THE IMMUNE SYSTEM.

>> IT IS.

ASU IS ONE OF THE FOUR CAPACITY-BUILDING CENTERS FOR A PROGRAM THAT WORKS WITH THE NATIONAL CANCER RESEARCH, AND A JOINT PLAN TO STUDY THIS, TO LOOK AT JUST THAT QUESTION.

>> ALL RIGHT.

REAL QUICKLY AGAIN, YOU SOUND OPTIMISTIC AND ENCOURAGED?

>> I AM.

THINGS ARE LOOKING MUCH BETTER.

I THINK THE MODEL SUGGESTS THAT WE HAVE TO WORK WITH IT NOW, AND WE JUST HAVE TO KEEP ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO GET VACCINATED.

>> ALL RIGHT.

INSTITUTE'S DIRECTOR DR. JOSH LABAER, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

>> GOOD SEEING YOU.

>>> UP NEXTUP NEXT, THE LATEST ON HOW THE DROUGHT IS AFFECTING ARIZONA'S COLORADO RIVER WATER SUPPLY.

>>> ARIZONA WATER OFFICIALS ARE EXPECTING A SHORTAGE OF THE STATE'S RIVER WATER DUE TO THE CONTINUING BROUGHT.

WE SPOKE WITH TED COOKE, GENERAL MANAGER OF THE CENTRAL ARIZONA PROJECT.

TED COOKE THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.

LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING.

THE DOUBT -- IT JUST SEEMS LIKE IT NEVER RAINS ANYMORE.

HOW LIKELY THAT THE FIRST-EVER TIER ONE WATER SHORTAGE WILL BE DECLARED?

>> WELL, HERE WE ARE IN THE MONTH OF MAY, AND IT'S LIKELY WE'LL HAVE THE FIRST TIER ONE WATER SHORTAGE DECLARED EVER.

AT THIS POINT, WE'RE ABOUT HALF WAY THROUGH THE RUNOFF SEASON.

IT HAS BEEN A DISMAL YEAR, SO IT IS ALL BUT CERTAIN.

>> AND WHAT DOES A TIER ONE SHORTAGE MEAN?

>> TIER ONE -- WELL, THE NUMBER INDICATES THAT THERE ARE OTHER TIERS AS WELL.

AND THE OPERATING GUIDELINES FOR THE COLORADO RIVER THAT WAS DEVELOPED BY THE UNITED STATES AND -- AND THE SEVEN COLORADO RIVER BASIN STATES IDENTIFIED THREE TIERS AT WHICH REDUCTIONS IN THE AMOUNT OF WATER THAT WAS DIVERTED FROM THE COLORADO RIVER WOULD BE REDUCED.

AND THE FIRST TIER IS AT 1,075 FEET IN LAKE MEAD, AND IF THE LAKE CONTINUES TO DECLINE, THEN ADDITIONAL REDUCTIONS WOULD BE MADE AT TIER TWO, AND TIER THREE.

>> SO WE'RE EXPECTING THAT LEVEL TO HIT THAT FAR DOWN TO TIER ONE.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR ARIZONA, AND IN PARTICULAR CENTRAL ARIZONA'S AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS.

>> A TIER ONE SHORTAGE WILL BE A REDUCTION OF A LITTLE OVER 500,000 ACRE FEET TO ARIZONA'S SUPPLY.

IT HAS ABOUT 7 MILLION ACRE FEET PER YEAR, ABOUT 2.8 MILLION OF THAT IS FROM THE COLORADO RIVER.

ROUGHLY HALF OF ARIZONA'S SUPPLY IS DIVERTED BY THE CENTRAL ARIZONA PROJECT, AND ALL OF THAT WHOLE TIER ONE REDUCTION WILL BE TAKEN BY THE CENTRAL ARIZONA PROJECT, AND IT WILL BE, THEN, FURTHER -- THOSE REDUCTIONS WILL BE PASSED ALONG TO THE LOWEST-PRIORITY WATER USERS FIRST, AND YOU MENTIONED IT, THE LARGEST, LOWEST PRIORITY WATER USER IN THE SERVICE AREA IS CENTRAL ARIZONA AGRICULTURAL USERS.

THE POOL OF WATER THAT IS AVAILABLE TO THEM WILL ESSENTIALLY BE ELIMINATED IN THE TIER ONE SHORTAGE, BUT UNDER THE DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN THAT HAS BEEN PUT IN PLACE BY ARIZONA, NEVADA, AND CALIFORNIA, AND OUR OWN INTERNAL DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLANNING, A PORTION WILL BE MITIGATED.

SO THEY WON'T HAVE TO TAKE A FULL REDUCTION IN THE FIRST YEAR.

ABOUT A THIRD OF THEIR SUPPLY WILL BE RESTORED.

>> BY WAY OF GROUNDWATER PUMPING, CORRECT?

>> PRIMARILY FROM TWO USES, HIGHER PRIORITY TRIBES THAT WILL PROVIDE SOME OF THEIR WATER, AND THEN ALSO SOME CAP SUPPLY THAT HAS BEEN SUP AWAY IN LAKE MEAD JUST FOR THIS EVENT.

>> CONSIDERING LAKES POWELL AND IMMEDIATE, 35 TO 38% DRY, IF ANYTHING IT SEEMS LIKE IT HAS INTENSIFYIED IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

HOW LIKELY A TIER 2 REDUCTION?

>> THE CHANCES OF A TIER TWO SHORTAGE, YOU MENTIONED THE FACT THAT IT IS DRY AND GETTING DRIER.

WATER YEAR 2021 IS TURNING OUT TO BE ONE OF THE FIVE-WORST YEARS THAT WE HAVE EXPERIENCED ON THE COLORADO RIVER, AND THIS SEEMS TO BECOME MORE COMMON PLACE THAT WE HAVE THESE REALLY ROTTEN YEARS, COMPARED TO THE WHOLE HISTORICAL RECORD.

SO THE CHANCE OF A TIER TWO IS INCREASING.

IT COULD HAPPEN AS EARLY AS 2023.

RIGHT NOW THE LATEST STUDY IS I WOULD SAY IT'S PROBABLY ABOUT A ONE-THIRD CHANCE THAT WE'RE IN TIER TWO IN 2023, BUT THAT PROJECTION WAS MADE ONLY A MONTH AGO, AND ALREADY THE MAY PROJECTIONS ARE BEING FORM LATED -- FORMULATED AND LOOKING WORSE.

IN 2024 THERE IS A GROWING CHANCE EVEN OF A TIER THREE SHORTAGE.

ONE THING THAT IS IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT, THOUGH, IS THAT THE RESPONSES TO THESE SHORTAGE LEVELS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED, TIER ONE, TIER TWO, AND TIER THREE, ARE ALSO DEFINED IN ADVANCE.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF WE REACH THOSE LEVELS IN THE LAKE.

HERE IS WHAT THE RESPONSE WILL BE.

HERE IS HOW MUCH IT WILL BE REDUCED.

AND HERE IS HOW IT IS GOING TO BE IMPACTED, SO IT DOESN'T MAKE IT ANY LESS PAINFUL, BUT AT LEAST WE HAVE SOME ADVANCED KNOWLEDGE ABOUT WHAT WILL OCCUR AND WHO IT WILL IMPACT.

>> AND MORE LIKELY WITH TIER TWO AND THREE, RESIDENCES AND BUSINESSES WOULD FEEL THE PINCH?

>> RIGHT.

TIER 2 IS NOT AS BIG OF A JUMP, AND CERTAINLY BY THE TIME WE GET TO TIER 3, THERE MIGHT BE IMPACTS ON MUNICIPAL AND INDUSTRIAL AND TRIBAL SUPPLIES.

HOWEVER, THERE IS ALSO MITIGATION FOR THOSE SUPPLYIES THROUGH 2025, AND WE DON'T EXPECT THE NET IMPACT TO HOMES AND BUSINESSES TO BE -- TO BE EVEN NOTICEABLE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN IF THIS CONTINUES INTO THE FUTURE, THAT -- THAT THOSE KIND OF THINGS MIGHT HAPPEN, BUT WHILE WE'RE IMPLEMENTING THE DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN, WE'RE WORKING ON THE NEXT PLAN.

WE NEED ANOTHER PLAN THAT WILL ADDRESS ESSENTIALLY EVEN MORE CHALLENGING FUTURES.

>> GOOD INFORMATION.

TED COOKE, GENERAL MANAGER OF THE CENTRAL ARIZONA PROJECT, SIR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, WE APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU.

>>> ON MAY 14TH A GROUP MUSIC NOVA WILL PERFORM AT THE SCOTTSDALE CENTER FOR THE ARTS.

PERFORMANCE INCLUDES A PIECE BY OUR NEXT GUEST, 24-YEAR-OLD QUINN MASON, WHO'S RECOGNIZED AS A RISING STAR IN THE CLASSICAL WORLD.

QUINN MASON, GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

IT'S A PLEASURE TO MEET YOU.

YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE INCREDIBLE.

YOUR RESUME IS REMARKABLE, AND YOU HAVE A PIECE THAT IS GOING TO BE PERFORMED COMING UP.

TALK TO US, REAL QUICKLY ABOUT THIS PIECE.

I'LL LET YOU PRONOUNCE IT, AND YOU TELL US WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT.

>> IT IS A CZECH WORD THAT MEANS DAWN OR SUNRISE, AND THIS IS A VERY SPECIAL PIECE FOR ALL OF US, BECAUSE I WROTE IT'S SPECIALLY FOR MUSIC NOVA, ESPECIALLY FOR THIS OCCASION.

IT'S ON THE WINGS OF HOPE, AND BORN OUT OF THE TURBULENT TIME WE'RE STILL LIVING IN, AND I WROTE THIS PIECE AS A MESSAGE OF HOPE THAT WE'RE TRANSITIONING INTO A NEW TIME, A TIME WHEN THINGS ARE GOING TO GET BETTER FOR EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US, AND THE MESSAGE IS TO NOT GIVE UP HOPE.

HOPE IS ON THE WAY.

>> THAT IS A GREAT MESSAGE.

I FIND IT FASCINATING WHEN ARTISTS CAN PUT A MESSAGE INTO A PIECE OF ART, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT IS MUSIC.

HOW DO YOU DO THAT?

DOES IT ALL MESH TOGETHER AS YOU ARE PUTTING IT TOGETHER?

>> YEAH, IT DEPENDS ON THE TYPES OF CHORDS, AND THE TYPES OF KEYS I CHOOSE.

FOR THIS PARTICULAR PIECE, IT'S IN TWO VERY HOPEFUL BRIGHT KEYS, AND BOTH OF THE MOVEMENTS ARE SLOW AND REFLECTIVE.

IT'S ALMOST LIKE MIDDLE-AGE MUSIC WRITTEN DOWN -- SORRY -- NEW-AGE MUSIC THAT HAS BEEN WRITTEN DOWN, AND IT'S MUSIC TO MAKE YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH AND WHERE WE'RE GOING.

>> THAT'S INTERESTING.

SOME ARTISTS SAY THEY WANT THE MESSAGE TO BE OPEN TO INTERPRETATION.

DO YOU FEEL THAT AS WELL?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THIS IS NOT ME TELLING YOU EXACTLY WHAT TO THINK.

IT'S A PIECE THAT I WANT THE AUDIENCE TO MAKE UP THEIR OWN MIND AND DECIDE EXACTLY WHAT I MEAN, AND WHAT THEY WANT IT TO MEAN.

>> YOU ARE A YOUNG MAN, BUT YOU WERE EVEN YOUNGER WHEN YOU STARTED THIS.

YOU HAD YOUR FIRST SYMPHONY BY 18.

WHEN DID YOU KNOW THAT MUSIC IN GENERAL -- BUT THIS KIND OF MUSIC -- WHEN DID IT GET ITS HOOKS INTO YOU?

>> WHEN I WAS VERY, VERY YOUNG.

I STARTED WHEN I WAS 10 YEARS OLD, AND I STARTED BY PLAYING PIANO IN SCHOOL, AND I LEARN THE CELLO, AND I DEVELOPED A PERSONAL CONNECTION WITH THIS MUSIC, AND FOUND A MEDIUM WHERE I CAN EXPRESS MYSELF, AND I FOUND THAT MY MUSIC, ESPECIALLY THE MUSIC I'M WRITING NOWADAYS, HAS CONNECTED WITH PEOPLE, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WANT TO HEAR IT AGAIN.

>> WHEN YOU COMPOS, IN THE PROCESS OF CREATING A PIECE, ARE YOU CREATING IT TO A PERSON?

DO YOU SEE AN AUDIENCE?

OR SOMEONE LISTENING TO IT ON HEADPHONES?

HOW DOES THAT WORK?

>> I LIKE TO TAKE ALL OF THE THINGS I HAVE STUDIED OVER THE YEARS AND MESH THAT INTO MY MUSIC, AND I TAKE INFLUENCE FROM ALL SORTS OF STYLES OF MUSIC.

WHEN I WRITE MY MUSIC, I KEEP IN MIND THE WIDE AUDIENCE THAT COULD COME TO THE CONCERT HALL, AND HAVING THEM LATCH ON.

>> YEAH.

A LOT OF KIDS DON'T NECESSARILY LATCH ON TO CLASSICAL MUSIC.

IT JUST SOUNDS LIKE THIS REALLY GRABBED YOU.

DID POP MUSIC EVER ATTRACT YOU?

>> WHEN I WAS VERY, VERY YOUNG, YOUNGER THAN TEN, YES.

MY EARLIER MUSIC WAS INFLUENCED BY POP MUSIC.

THAT'S WHAT I GREW UP ON.

>> DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE COMPOSER?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

MY FAVORITE IS EGOR, THE RUSSIAN COMPOSER.

>> THAT PIECE CAUSED A RIOT WHEN IT DEBUTED.

>> YEAH.

>> YOU HEARD ABOUT THAT.

IT SEEMS VERY FOREIGN, BUT IT TELLS YOU IT CONNECTED IN SOME WAY, SHAPE OR FORM.

WHEN SOMEONE LEAVES THE CONCERT HALL AND THEY HAVE YOU HEARD YOUR PIECES PERFORMED, WHAT DO YOU WANT THEM TO THINK ABOUT?

>> MY STORY AND HOW I GOT TO WHERE I AM.

BECAUSE IT WASN'T AN EASY PATH TO BECOME A COMPOSER.

I DEALT WITH A LOT OF -- HOW DO I SAY -- I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE WORD IS, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE DIDN'T THINK I COULD DO IT, BECAUSE I GREW UP IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM, AND WASN'T ENCOURAGED TO DO CLASSICAL MUSIC, AND THANK GOODNESS I FOUND MENTORS THAT GUIDED ME ALONG THE WAY.

>> WELL, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR SUCCESS.

I'M READING ABOUT YOU, AND THEY SAY THIS IS THE NEXT BIG SUPER STAR.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT?

>> I THINK I HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO YET.

>> CONGREGATIONS ON YOUR SUCCESS, QUINN MASON.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

>>> AND THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

♪♪ >>> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HALF HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS, ON CRONKITE NEWS, TELEMEDICINE HAS SURGED DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

IS THIS TECHNOLOGY HERE TO STAY.

AND ON BREAK IT DOWN, STRATEGIES TO COPE WITH MENTAL HEALTH.

♪♪ 23RZ