The Youth Orchestras of San Antonio, known as YOSA had to cancel the December showcase involving more than 400 young musicians due to growing concerns over the new wave of COVID infections. Needless to say, the musicians were disappointed as were their instructors and audiences. At the time, YOSA promised a virtual showcase in January and it is delivering on …

The women’s art organization, GAGA, that we introduced to you last year, continues to grow and present shows by its members, albeit mostly online. The latest, “A Winter’s Song” includes 40 artists and is available for viewing on GAGA’s website, www.gagaart.org.  Just about all works are for sale at very reasonable prices, so, it’s a great place to start or …

So, here we are, in 2021, hoping for a happier, healthier new year!The arts scene is just regaining momentum after the post-Christmas lull but there are some fun choices despite all the gloomy news about the pandemic and other things. Let’s start with live in-person events. The Tobin Center for the Performing Arts is presenting a show featuring the talented …

Last week, we, here, at ARTS ALIVE SA, came up with the idea of a survey that, we thought, might lift people’s spirits at this time of fear and uncertainty. Our little survey was not scientifically designed. We just asked about 100 folks to share their experiences and tell us about the positive, comforting “silver linings” of life in semi-lockdown. …

This is a week of rest and celebration, so we asked San Antonio novelist Nancy West for permission to print her new holiday song, and she graciously agreed. Enjoy! And please share your thoughts with us. To learn more about Nancy’s books, visit nancygwest.com. You can purchase her novels through the Nowhere Bookstore, 5154 Broadway.

MERRY CHRISTMAS And Best Wishes for a Safe and Happy Holiday Season To All Our Readers

Ballet San Antonio has a Christmas gift for you. In a wonderful gesture of holiday generosity, the company has made its 2020 production of “The Nutcracker” accessible to all via YouTube, free of charge. Different from all previous versions, this is a COVID-19-imposed reinvention of the classical staging, born out of need and ingenuity. It will be available for streaming …

It’s holiday time but, thanks to COVID-19, we can’t do a lot of things that we normally do, like going to festive shows or gather with friends and family. But there’s a silver lining: we can still go outside to explore the outdoors. You may be surprised to discover that San Antonio and Bexar County have lots of parks, large …

‘Tis the season for “The Nutcracker”!  Though Ballet San Antonio’s 2020 edition of the beloved show closed last Sunday, here comes another one, produced by the Children’s Ballet of San Antonio, the pre-professional company of talented dancers led by the former principal dancer of the National Ballet of Panama, Vanessa Bessler. These dancers may be young but many are quite …