Arts Alive San Antonio

NEWS ROUNDUP, May 16, 2024

The Annual Tejano Conjunto Festival in San Antonio is the first and longest-running Conjunto Festival in the nation, and is internationally recognized as the most influential event for this popular South Texas musical tradition. You can experience the fun, the music and dance during the next three days of festivities in Rosedale Park. You’ll have a chance to see exceptional musicians, including Linda Escobar y su Conjunto; Conjunto Prestigio, Los Cucuys de Rodney Rodriguez, Los Conjunto Kings de Flavio Longoria, Los Texmaniacs, and others. (Rosedale Park, 340 Dartmouth, 78237; $15-$80; tickets can be purchased by calling 210-271-3151; a three-day pass gives access to three days of events for $50. The fest is organized by the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, https://guadalupeculturalarts.org For more, read AASA’s article from 5/15.)

The Alamo City Arts- Heart of Texas Concert Band promises a concert “Full of Firsts.” The featured artist will be the world-renowned saxophonist, Paul Cohen, who will perform a number of pieces, including Jack Stam’s “Elegy for English Horn and Band,” and the premiere of “Valse Caprice” for alto saxophone and concert band, one of the lost works of Herbert L. Clark, the Sousa Band cornet soloist. And a number of other pieces. (May 19 at 3 p.m. Edgewood Theater of the Performing Arts, 402 Lance St., 78237; suggested donation $10; no tickets required; for info call 210-860-3177)

YOSApalooza is a huge concert, featuring all eleven orchestras of the YOSA organization, with about 500 young musicians on stage. Tickets are sold out but a simulcast of the concert will be broadcast on the giant screen in the Will Naylor Smith River Walk Plaza. (May 19 at 6 p.m.; tickets are $5-$10, if you can get them.)

The Adelante Winds quintet will join forces with River City Winds, Prickly Pear Clarinet Ensemble and a few others for a concert that celebrates National Chamber Music Month.  (May 18 at 7 p.m., Madison Square Presbyterian Church, 319 Camden; suggested donation is $10; you can reserve seats at www.eventbrite.com)

The San Antonio Wind Symphony is concluding its season with a concert featuring movie classics from films like “Star Trek,” “South Pacific,” and “Star Wars.”  (May 19 at 5 p.m., Benack Concert Hall at the University of the Incarnate Word; 4301 Broadway, 78209; for more contact www.sawinds.com)

The Caritas Music Series is concluding its third season of choral and organ concerts with internationally known organist, Diane Meredith Belcher, whose virtuosic performances have been described by American Record Guide as “glowingly brilliant, rhythmically vibrant and consistently expressive.”
Unfortunately, the press release does not say what she will be performing in San Antonio, but you can’t go wrong with an artist of her caliber. (May 19 at 3 p.m.; Chapel of the Incarnate World, 4503 Broadway; free and open to the public)

The Cuba 1918 Jazz Club is inviting you to a night of jazz on Friday, May 17. You can indulge in Cuban cuisine, and “lose yourself in the magic of live Cuban music.” (May 17, 7-10 p.m.; 2809 W. Southcross, 78211; 210-296-3617, www.Cuba1918.com)

Fusion Festival Featuring Bombasta celebrates San Antonio’s “Collage of Culture” in the heart of downtown, with live performances, stories and more. The event is organized by the Main Plaza Conservancy and artists who blend fusion of cultures and represent “the coming together of heritage” will be featured at this event. Bombasta is a ten-member S. Texas band that blends elements of funk, cumbia, hiphop and salsa, with the big band approach. (May 18, 4-10 p.m.; for info call 210-225-9800; free https://www.mainplaza.otg)

Ben Haggard: An Evening of Songs by Merle is a musical treat for Merle Haggard’s many fans, delivered by the legendary artist’s youngest son. Ben has been the lead guitarist in Hag’s longtime band for the past eight years, since he was 15. Earlier this year, Ben was featured with The Strangers backing Toby Keith for a Merle tribute on the nationally televised American Country Countdown Awards. (May 18 at 8 p.m.; Stable Hall, 307 Pearl Parkway, 78215; tickets $29-$69  www.stablehall.com)

And the night before at the same venue, The Texases will transport you back to the days of guitars, Cadillacs and hillbilly music. (May 17 at 8 p.m. $18)

At the Frost Bank Center, you can see Stevie Nicks whom you may know from her time with Fleetwood Mac. She was inducted in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice, (May 18 at 7 p.m.; tickets starting at $199, via www.ticketmaster.com)

The Mexican band Reik will perform at the Boeing Center at Tech Port Arena. (Doors open at 7 p.m.; tickets at Center’s box office, 1-800-514-3849, via ETIX and through www.boeingcentertechport.com

The King William Association is again sponsoring its Concert in the Park event, featuring Mariachi Damas De Jalisco, marking the ensemble’s seventh appearance for the KWA at Beautify San Antonio Park. The Damas are referred to as San Antonio’s premier female mariachi group. (May 19, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.; 801 S. Main Ave., 78204; to reach the Damas, visit www.damasdejalisco.com/home.html)

If you prefer a fully staged musicals, there’s “Disney’s Frozen” a hot Broadway musical at the Majestic Theater. (May 22 to June 2; tickets are $40-$150; times vary during the run so check the Majesticempire site: www.majesticempire.com/events/frozen)

 Bharatanatyam is a form of classical Indian dance from Southern India that’s intricate and elegant and engages in story telling through movement. We received an announcement from a local library about a dance performance of Bharatanatyam,  at the Thousand Oaks Library, this weekend (May 18 at 12, noon; 4618 Thousand Oaks Dr. 78233; for info call 210-207-9190 or contact brooke.mjolsness@sanantonio.gov). Another dance event, “Landscapes of the Soul’ will be presented at the Carver Center by the Guadalupe Dance Company. Inspired by SAMA’s Goddess Triptych and commissioned by SAMA, the dance work was developed by the company dancers. It will be performed at the Carver Center May 23 at 7 p.m.; 200 N. Hackberry St., free.)

And here’s something for writers: No More Excuses: Submission Bootcamp- Stop Procrastinating and Start Submitting. This may be a very practical workshop that will push writers to submit their stories and poems to publications. The workshop will be led by Lyzette Wanzer, a San Francisco writer, editor and instructor. Class dates: June 2, 11, 18, 25 & July 2,9; from 6:30 p.m., via ZOOM, cost $75 – 155; members $135, go to https://geminiink.org to sign up.)

There’s a new attraction at the San Antonio Botanical Garden: the world premiere of Huntopia. Created by famed artist, Hunt Slonem, this outdoor art exhibit creates a whimsical world filled with colorful bunnies, birds and butterflies. Slonem’s “signature animal muses” will be giant-sized for plenty of photo opportunities throughout the Garden’s 38 acres. (May 4 – Nov. 3; 555 Funston Place, 78209; $13-$22; kids under three, free; https://hunttopia.com/)

Playing in theaters: “West Side Story” at the San Pedro Playhouse; “Schrodinger’s Catfish” at the Overtime Theater; “The Big Friendly Giant” at the Magik Theater; “After the Fantasy” at Boerne Community Theater.