News Roundup, March 18, 2022
We are all witnessing the tragic war in central Europe, so it’s not surprising that San Antonio artists and arts organization want to express their concern and support for the suffering people of Ukraine.
A large group of well-known San Antonio poets will gather Saturday afternoon in Main Plaza, to read poems “in solidarity with Ukraine.” Organized by Natalia Trevino and the literary organization Voices de la Luna, the event will feature: Carol Coffee Reposa, James Dennis, Jim LaVilla-Havelin, Lahab Assef Al-Jundi, Amalia Ortiz, Elizabeth Cardona Rodriguez, Jen Yanez-Albaniz, Mobi Warren, Octavio Quintanilla, Josh Robbins, Anthony the Poet, and others. (March 19, 3:30 – 6 p.m.; Main Plaza downtown; free; bring folding chairs.)
The next day on Sunday, March 20, Voices de la Luna is having its annual gala/fundraiser where the Ukraine will also be remembered and honored. In fact, our editor, Jasmina Wellinghoff, was asked to speak about it and read a poem by a Ukrainian poet. A lot of literary luminaries will be there to honor writer John Phillip Santos and artist Steven Daluz. In addition, many artists have contributed their artworks to an online auction to benefit Voices. (Sunday, March 20, 3-6 p.m.; 1 Towers Park Lane, www.voicesdelaluna.org/gala.html; to view auction items: https://www.32auctions.com/voices2022
Also, the flamenco show, “Confluencias” presented by Arte y Pasion this weekend will be “dedicated to all the people in Ukraine, including the poor Russian soldiers.” “Confluencias” features flamenco dance, song and music performed by outstanding artists from here and other places: dancers Tamara Adira and Genevieve Obregon from San Antonio and Daniel El Caballero from Spain; musicians Berto Boyd from Oregon, Randy Cordero & Alex Nicholas from here, and Spanish singer Celia Sellers. San Antonio poet laureate, Andrea “Vocab” Sanderson is also part of the show. (March 18 at 8 p.m., Carmens de la Calle Café, 320 N. Flores, and March 19 at 7 p.m. at a private location disclosed upon ticket purchase. For tickets go to www.arte-y-pasion.com) {to learn more about this, read our article from March 16 on this site}
Cellist extraordinaire, Gabriel Royal, will perform at the Carver Community Cultural Center, Friday, March 18. We told you a bit about him last week. As far as we know, he is not going to talk about Ukraine- though he might – but he sings in silky, calming tones, that are sure to please and sooth our souls during these unnerving times of disease and war. (March 18 at 8 p.m.; Carver Community Cultural Center, 226 N. Hackberry; tickets $29; 210-207-7211, www.thecarver.org/event/gabriel-royal-21-22-season/)
The big news in music next week is the Musical Bridges Around the World’s 8th International Music Festival, live and in-person like it should be. It opens Wednesday with the appropriately titled “Gracias a la Vida!” at the Charline McCombs Empire Theater, featuring Spanish and Mexican jazz performed by vocalist Magos Herrera, accordionist Victor Prieto and pianist Aaron Prado’s jazz trio.
The fest continues through Sunday, March 27, when it will conclude with Family Day in Main Plaza. Dancers and musicians will showcase several different cultures, by performing Spanish flamenco, American jazz, Mexican mariachi, dance from India and “European renaissance.” (No explanation about this last item. Are they referring to the Renaissance or some new, minor-league “renaissance”)
The in-between concerts are: “Melting Pot” featuring Sam Reider and the Human Hands (March 24); “The Lark” featuring the Miro Quartet with bassoonist Kristin Wolfe Jensen (March 25); Duo AMAL (March 26) and Spring Renaissance with the fabulous Austin Troubadours who specialize in medieval and Renaissance music. (March 27) All concerts start at 7p.m., and all are free but registration is required. The San Fernando Cathedral is the venue for the concerts of March 25-26 and the evening concert on the 27th. Register at www.mbaw.org/imf.
The First Baptist Church of San Antonio’s First Fine Arts Series continues with a March 22 Lenten concert showcasing violinist Stephanie Westney who will perform music by women composers, including Clara Kathleen Rogers, Florence Price, Edna Longoria and Jessie Montgomery. She will be accompanied by pianist Tracy Cowden, chair of the Department of Music at UTSA. (First Baptist Church of San Antonio, 515 McCullough Ave., 210-226-0363; info@fbcsa.org)
Another worthy concert will also take place March 22, when the highly praised organist, Damin Speitzer, will play in San Antonio under the auspices of the Tuesday Musical Club. She will perform on the Parker Chapel’s organ at Trinity University. The program lists works by Cesar Frank, Johann Sebastian Bach, Mary Howe, Herbert Howells, Pierre Kunc and Harvey Grace. The chapel’s organ was built by Otto Hoffman in 1966 but additions have been added since then. (March 22 at 7:30 p.m.; free; masks optional)
The organ is also playing a starring role in another event: the 2022 River Walk International Organ Composition Competition. Unfortunately, little information is available beyond the basics. The event is scheduled for March 18 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church downtown across the street from Travis Park.; 210-226-2426; www.stmarks-sa.org/event/.
This Sunday, March 20, The San Antonio Chamber Music Society will present the all-female Aizuri String Quartet, which will also focus on women composers: Hildegard von Bingen, Barbara Strozzi, Nina C. Young, GabriellaSmith, Rhinnon Giddens and Eleanor Alberga. The concert is named “What’s Past is Prologue” and they embrace a long past, from the 12th century to 2015. The meaning is obvious – our history has brought us to where we are today. The four members of the quartet are: Emma Frucht (violin), Miho Saegusa (violin), Ayane Kozasa (viola) and Karen Ouzounian (cello). (March 20 at 4:30 p.m.; Temple Beth-El, 211 Belknap; tickets $25 at the door, student and military free; www.sacms.org/concert-tickets/
Also this Sunday, the County Line Community Band will perform its “Composers Tribute Concert” which will feature the music of San Antonio native Charles L. Booker, a retired U.S. Army bandmaster and professor of music. He’s a nationally recognized composer who was recently commissioned by the Texas Bandmasters Association to write a new work in celebration of the organization’s 75th anniversary.
(March 20, 3-4 p.m., Buena Vista Theater, UTSA downtown campus; free and open to the public) In addition, the Greater San Antonio Community Band Association will hold its first ever Community Band Music Festival on March 26 at the Beethoven Maennerchor (March 26, 11:30-8 p.m.; 422 Pereida St.)
For a different kind of experience, you may want to join the Pachanga de San Patricio hosted by the Tobin Center in theWill Naylor Smith Plaza on the River Walk. They call it a FolkPunkRock festival that mixes together cultural influences and a lot of lively music. Featured bands are Bombasta (a barrio big band), Pinata Protest (an accordion-driven Tex-Mex rock band) and Los San Patricios (Irish Punk Rock). Dancers will add to the fun and the Irish mood. What’s more, the Tobin’s chef, Armando Lopez, will prepare “a fabulously twisted menu” to reflect the different cultural influences. {March 19, 2 p.m. free community event.}
On Sunday, the Tobin will present a new stage version of the famous movie “An Officer and a Gentleman” that starred Richard Geer. It will feature the Grammy-winning song “Up Where We Belong.” The show will be preceded by a presentation on military traditions with Lieutenant General Robert T. Clark of the U.S. Army. (March 20 at 7 p.m.; Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, 100 Auditorium Circle; tickets $49.50-$94.50; doors open at 6 p.m., show at 7 p.m.; tickets@tobincenter.org
Speaking of San Patricio, you’ll find the usual St. Patrick’s Day Fest and parade downtown, with bagpipers and other performers celebrating with you. (1-8 p.m., Friday-Saturday, La Villita; parade starts at 4 p.m. Saturday; free)
On the visual arts front, there’s always so much going on in our city.
Artpace has just opened the exhibit of its spring artists-in-residence: Ariel Rene Jackson from Austin; Glendalys Medina from New York City, and Claudia Martinez Garay from Lima, Peru. The three have been in residence since January, exploring San Antonio and creating new work. They were selected by curator Marcella Guerrero. Artpace is also inviting the public to join them Sunday, for the Spring Equinox Reset, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. They promise lots of interesting activities in conjunction with their other exhibit, “Mystic Toolkit” in the Hudson Showroom. (Artpace, 445 N. Main Ave., 210-212-4900; info@artpace.org.)
An exhibit organized by the city’s Department of Arts & Culture will examine the Status of Women in San Antonio through the work of 15 women artists, including Jenelle Esparza, Mari Hernandez, Karen Robinson, Kat Cadena and Hiromi Stringer. (The Culture Commons Gallery, 115 Plaza de Armas, downtown. Opens March 22 with a public reception 6-9 p.m.; free access; for more info go to www.getcreativesanantonio.com)
San Antonio’s sculptor, Danville Chadbourne is currently showing his highly original work at the Dock Space Gallery. More than 40 works are included, mostly in wood – his favorite material – and ranging in scale from small sculptures to wall pieces and large free-standing sculptures. (Dock Space Gallery, 107 Lone Star Blvd.; on view through March 30, 210-723-3048, www.DockSpaceGallery.com