Arts Alive San Antonio

We are fortunate to have a lot of good music here in San Antonio.

This weekend, The San Antonio Philharmonic will perform an homage to the life and work of civil rights leader, Martin Luther King, inaugurating its 2023 pop series, and featuring music of a number of famed composers of past and present. Conducted by Charles Floyd, the program opens with “Lift Every Voice and Sing” by J.W. Johnson and J.R. Johnson, and continues with one great piece after another, including
Symphony No. 1, “Afro-American,” by William Grant Still; Spirituals sung by San Antonio’s favorite baritone Timothy Jones; Symphony No.3 in C minor by Florence Price, and Felix Mendelssohn’s “War March of the Priests” from “Athalia.”

Other pieces are “Fanfare for the Common Man” by Aaron Copland; “America the Beautiful” and “We Shall Overcome” by Charles Albert Tindley. Several pieces have been arranged for the occasion by the conductor. The concert is also part of Dream Week. (Jan. 27-28 at 7:30 p.m., First Baptist Church of San Antonio, 515 McCullough, 78215; 210-226-0363; to contact the Philharmonic 210-201-6006, https://saphil.org)

The Agarita Chamber Players ensemble is always looking for interesting artistic collaborations, and this time they are partnering with the most natural classical-music partners: ballet dancers. The latter are members of Ballet San Antonio, our city’s sole professional ballet company. The concert is “shaped by choreography” says the press announcement, and it makes perfect sense. Though no actual titles of musical pieces are given, the composers are: Antonin Dvorak, Spanish composer, Gaspar Cassado; Norwegian Handel-Halvorsen; Frederik Chopin, Judd Greenstein, Libby Larsen; Kenji Bunch and Johannes Brahms. Quite a range there!  The ballet dancers are Sofie Bertolini, Logan Acker, Sabrina Kjeirolomoom. Brenna Mulligan and Aidan Carrasquel. Can’t wait to see this show! (Jan. 28 at 7:30 p.m.; McAllister Auditorium, 1300 San Pedro Ave., 78212; free but you must reserve your tickets at www.agarita.org)

Soprano, Elena Villalon, will be the featured artist of the Tuesday Musical Club on Jan. 31. The Cuban-American singer is currently a third-year-studio artist with the Houston Grand Opera and she was a Grand Finals winner of the 2019 Metropolitan Opera National Council Audition. She is also described as “an avid art song recitalist.” Though we have no info on the San Antonio program, we assume that art songs will be prominently featured. (Jan. 31 at 2 p.m., Laurel Heights United Methodist Church, 227 W. Woodlawn Avenue; individual tickets, $25, are sold at the door; students free with school ID)

More good music awaits you at the YOSA Winter Showcase this Sunday. YOSA stands for Youth Orchestras of San Antonio, and these kids are talented. YOSA’s most advanced ensemble, the YOSA Symphony, will be conducted by Kenneth Freudigman, the co-founder of Camerata San Antonio, and the YOSA Wind Ensemble will be conducted by Andy Post. Martin McCain will complete the ensemble as a guest bass trombone soloist. (Jan. 29 at 7 p.m., Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, 100 Auditorium Circle; tickets $5; tickets@tobincenter.org or call 210-223-8624)

For something very different you may want to experience a world music presentation, organized by Intercultural Talent Consultant, Marisa Ortiz, at Brick at Blue Star. A part of Dream Week, this “celebration” will come alive thanks to the Austin-based Sufi band Atash which partnered with San Antonio World Dance teachers and practitioners, Lopita Nath (Indian classical dance Kathak), Yisheiri Fuentes (Belly dance); Genevieve Obregon (flamenco) and Mary Jane Hernandez (folklorico). The program will illustrate the evolution and changes of a dance that started in India a long time ago. If you are interested in dance, this show sounds like a must-see. (Jan. 27 at 8 p.m.; Brick at Blue Star, 108 Blue Star 1773, 78204; $5; 210-262-8653, https://brickatbluestar.com)

Award-winning pianist and UT-Austin professor, Andrew Brownell will present an evening of solo piano works on Tuesday. He has performed with orchestras such as the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and the Slovak Philharmonic. (Jan. 31 at 7:30 p.m.; UTSA Recital Hall, One UTSA Circle; 78249; 210-458-4011; www.music.utsa.edu)

Here’s a reason to visit the new San Pedro Creek Culture Park downtown.  It’s another Dream Week event, featuring Konshens the MC & Classically Dope who will be performing live this Saturday at St. James A.M.E.C. Culture Crossing. Konshens the MC is a hip-hop artist/songwriter/educator & speaker who is currently the U.S. Department of State global hip-hop cultural ambassador. (Jan. 28 at 2 p.m.; San Pedro Creek Culture Park; 715 Camaron St., 78205.; free; the event is sponsored by the city’s Department of Arts & Culture.)

We also want to let you know that Musical Bridges Around the World – MBAW – will celebrate its Silver Jubilee with a bunch of concerts, starting with Feb.2 and running through Feb. 5. This is also the new version of the organization’s former International Music Festival, renamed UNITYFest.  More about it next week, but you can get your free tickets at www.mbaw.org/unityfest right now. Performers include: Jazz Masters; the Bill Charlap Trio; Russian-French piano Duo, Ludmila Berlinskaya and Arthur Ancelle; and French-Korean pianist Yedam Kim and the Gwangiu Symphony.

Arte y Pasion, a San Antonio-based flamenco company is presenting “Mercuria” today, Jan. 26. The show is described as “an anthem to the impossible choices women must make.” The theme is presented through a series of vignettes, in an exploration in poetry, music and movement. The performers are Tamara Adira, Genevieve Obregon, La Memphi, Jose Manuel Tejeda, and poet Andrea Vocab Sanderson.
(Doors open at 7 p.m., show starts at 7:30; Brick at Blue Star (in the Blue Star Complex on King William St.); tickets $30 general admission, $15 for standing room only; 210-241-2771 or www.arte-y-pasion.com)

The Pink Floyd Laser Spectacular, an evening of psychedelic entertainment “as you have never seen before,” will be at the Majestic Theater tomorrow. (Jan. 27 at 7:30 p.m.; Majestic Theater, 224 E. Houston; 210-226-3333, www.majesticempire.com)

And here’s something that’s guaranteed to make you laugh: “Greater Tuna” in the interpretation of The Company Theater, with two actors playing all the roles in this hilarious comedy about “Texas’ third smallest town, where the Lion’s Club is too liberal and Patsy Cline never dies.” The show will be presented in a dinner theater format. (Jan. 27, one night only, doors open at 6 p.m., dinner & show $45; La Hacienda Scenic Loop, 25615 Boerne Stage Rd. 78255); The Company theater 210-646-4284; http://www.thecompanytheatre.org)

A new exhibit is opening at the Centro Cultural Aztlan: the 46^th Annual Segundo de Febrario Exhibit – Chicana/Chicano Reunion Commemorating the signing of the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, 1848.”
That treaty ended the U.S.-Mexican war. Featured artists include: Santa Barraza, Celeste de Luna, Xavier Garza, Elizabeth Rodriguez, Armando Sanchez, Terry Ybanez, Andy Villareal, Ben Ortiz and others.
Centro Aztlan is a community-based organization with a mission to preserve, develop and promote Chicano/a art and culture. (Opening reception Feb. 2 at 6 p.m.; 1800 Fredericksburg Rd., Suite 103, 78201; 210-432-1896, centroaztlan@sbcglobal.net; regular hours M-F 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.)

Refined Reflections into the Formidable: Contemporary Latino Art from the Zoe Diaz Collection is opening tomorrow at the UTSA Southwest Campus, which is the former Southwest School of Art downtown. The exhibit features 23 artists whose works span a broad range of approaches in large-scale and intimate paintings, drawings, photographs and mixed media sculptures on the themes of power and pride in community legacy, spirituality, family and every-day life. The exhibit is organized by UTSA’s School of Art. (Russell Hill Rogers Galleries, UTSA Southwest Campus, 300 Augusta St., 78205; 210-458-4352; www.art.utsa.edu)

And here’s something that attracted our attention. Churches throughout Europe are treasure troves of art, since most of Europe is either Christian Orthodox or Roman Catholic. Some of the most admired painters and sculptors of centuries past are represented in the larger churches, and sometimes, surprisingly in rural chapels. Some of that tradition is here, in the U.S. as well.  We recently saw an invitation to visit the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower to learn about the history of the beautiful basilica and the lives of Discalced Carmelite saints as depicted through the Stained Glass Collection of the church. (Jan. 28, 1-3 p.m. 1715 N. Zarzamora St., 78201, 210-735-9126, www.littleflowerbasilica.org)

We also want to remind you that the Kerrville Renaissance Festival is continuing this weekend. See last week’s NEWS ROUNDUP.

Many people are not aware of the existence of the Nowhere Bookshop but it’s a very nice and welcoming – and welcomed – bookstore on Broadway.  Here’s an opportunity to visit: Libro Abierto (Open Book) presentation by two writers, Tomas Q. Marin and Suzanne Ohlmann. We don’t know much about these authors but we intend to find out. (Jan. 28 at 6 p.m.; Nowhere Bookshop, 5154 Broadway; 210-640-7260; free)

Perhaps you have heard that more and more filmmakers come to San Antonio to shoot their films, partially thanks to the San Antonio Film Commission. Now the Film Commission has launched an Annual FilmSA Competition for young filmmakers. The commission is a division of the city’s Department of Arts and Culture. The entries should tell “the story of the people, places and shared experiences that make San Antonio a vibrant and celebrated city for visitors, residents and filmmakers.” Submission deadline is April 3, 2023 at 4 p.m. Winners in each category get a $1,000 prize. The entrants are divided into groups according to their ages: 14-17 and 18-21. There are two categories in terms of themes: “Heritage and Quality of Life,” and “City Parks of San Antonio.” (For details on how to enter go to www.FilmSanAntonio.com)

The literary magazine, VOICES DE LA LUNA, has been offering poetry workshops for a long time, called Elements of Poetry with Dario Beniquez. One is coming up on Feb.6, 6-8 p.m., via Zoom. To find out how to register email voicesdelaluna22@gmail.com.

The Children’s Ballet of San Antonio is holding auditions for its upcoming production of “Sleeping Beauty”  which will be performed at the Majestic Theater, featuring American Ballet Theater’s stars, Skylar Brandt and Herman Cornejo. (Auditions will take place Saturday, Jan. 29, 12-5 p.m., at the Dance Center of San Antonio, 126 W. Rector, Suite 120, 78216; register for the audition: www.childrensballetofsanantonio.org/auditions)

A number of San Antonio arts organization have job openings. YOSA, is looking for a Director of Communication & Marketing, as well as managers of Grants & Donor Relations, and Admissions & Enrollment. (www.yosa.org/careers)

Say Si needs a new executive director and a few other professionals. (https://saysi.org/opportunities/

Meanwhile, the city’s Arts $ Culture Department is offering a tax workshop for arts  workers with CPA Elaine Lutrell: https://southarts-org.zoom.us