Arts Alive San Antonio

By PHIL HOUSEAL, Contributing Writer

As I settled into my seat, I automatically, noted the subtle cues of an impending musical experience: the murmurs of seatmates, the scraping of chairs, the shuffling of music stands upfront, the clearing of throats and the tuning of reeds and strings. It all sounded familiar and comforting. Then all sound ceased as the conductor stepped to the podium, bowing briefly to appreciative applause.

This was a concert by the Kerrville-based, poetically named, Symphony of the Hills, conducted by Dr. Eugene Dowdy, who is also the ensemble’s artistic director.

In a concert that included three spirituals, an overture by Florence Price and Haydn’s Symphony No. 88 in G Major, the centerpiece was York Bowen’s Viola Concerto in C Minor, Op.25. San Antonio native and internationally known recitalist, Julian Tello, Jr., was the featured soloist who presented a moving performance of Bowen’s best-known work, highlighting the warm tonal qualities, subtle power and hidden beauty of “the heart” of the strings.

There’s no correct way to enjoy a live symphony concert. I used to think it was rude for audience members to doze off. Mow I wonder if that is not, in fact, the proper method: to close your eyes. Lean back, relax, and forget about the clogged drain at home, the thistles in the ditch, and whether you need to stop foe groceries on the way home.

As a nervous adult beginner violin player, I once asked my conductor how to get  over my performance anxiety. “Forget yourself,” was his unexpected answer. “Instead, focus on presenting thie wonderful music to the audience. Play for them and think about what the composer is doing with the music.”

I now use this method as a member of the audience. It makes for a much more enjoyable experience.

I am grateful that I have five opportunities to do this active listening with the Symphony of the Hills. At a time when many large community – and professional orchestras – are finding it challenging to fill seats and find financial support, the Symphony of The Hills does both. Concerts Regularly sell out the 800-seat Cailloux Theater in a town of only 25,000 people.

Such a high caliber of classical music is unexpected outside large metro areas, according to Dowdy.

“Symphony orchestras like ours are rare,” said the conductor, who has graced the podium fulltime since 2015. “This is not just a community orchestra; I like to remind my friends that the Symphony of the Hills ia professional orchestra. These are professional musicians playing and teaching. How fortunate we are in the Hill Country to have a 75-piece professional symphony that plays a five-concert season.”

Dowdy is a respected leader in symphony circles. He received his doctoral degree (Ph.D.) in orchestral conducting from the University of Iowa, after studying with James Dixon there. He also has a master’s degree in music education from UTSA and a bachelor’s degree from UT Austin. He taught award-winning public-school orchestras for nine years in San Antonio’s North East ISD, and conducted orchestras for nine summers at the Interlochen Arts Camp. In addition, Dowdy is the honorary resident conductor of the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio. And we could go on with his other leadership roles in the music world.

Since the beginning, the Symphony of the Hills has enjoyed a symbiotic relationship with Schreiner University, the private institute that marked 100 years in Kerville in 2023. In fact, the orchestra began on campus in 2001, under the baton of the late Dr. Jay Dunnahoo, who served as conductor and artistic director until 2015.

The Symphony of the Hills presents concerts at the Cailloux Theater in Kerrville, another unexpected arts treasure in the Hill Country. More than just a concert hall, the Cailloux is “the crown jewel” in the
Kathleen C. Cailloux City Center for the Performing Arts. The theater welcomes mores than 50,000 guests
into its palatial lobby and impressive auditorium, on a scale and quality on a par with major cities. Managed by Playhouse 200 since 1998, the center is a kye part of the area’s thriving arts scene.

“I’ve conducted and performed in lots of theaters, and the Cailloux is a gem,” said Dowdy. “It boasts superb acoustics and is just lovely to be in. To be able to experience five concerts here at such reasonable prices is an incredible opportunity.”

                                                                   The Music

The concerts feature a surprising variety of composers and styles. In a recent season, audiences enjoyed the works of classical greats such as Rachmaninov, Bach, Strauss, Faure, Copland, Mozart and Wagner, along with popular pieces by The Who, Elton John, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and Marvin Hamlisch and John Williams. The orchestra also features top finishers in San Antonio’s Gurwitz Piano Competition and has performed world premieres of several commissioned pieces, including compositions by Ethan Wickman and Donald Grantham.

 A perennial favorite is the annual Pops concert when the ensemble has the flexibility to stretch its repertoire. Over more than 20 seasons this concert has included the likes of Donald Braswell of
“America’s Got Talent; the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, a Buddy Holly Tribute, Flash Cadillac, the Best of Broadway, etc.

Even with so much choice and vibrant performances, there are still area residents who don’t know about the Symphony of the Hills. That is something, Dowdy and the organization’s board are working to change.

“We want to make sure tat people really know about this orchestra,” said the conductor. “The Cailloux is a beautiful hall to play in, and we love picking music that out patrons will enjoy, and that draws in new fans and gets them excited. There is so much great music and we can’t wait to play it for you.”

A symphony orchestra benefits a community beyond providing classical concerts. The Symphony of the Hills offers outreach opportunities, including children’s concerts that impact 1,600 elementary school kids at 24 area schools. During the holiday season, the orchestra is joined by the Grand Symphony Chorus made up of singers from area churches to perform and enhance the festivities. It also partners with other local arts organizations to bring music to nontraditional performance spaces.                                                            
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The next concert is on April 25 at 7 p.m.; Cailloux Theater, 910 Main St.; Concert theme is ”Larger Than Life:Family and Friends” For tickets and more info call 830-792-7469 or visit www.symphonyofthehills.org The new season’s lineup will soon be announced.