It’s a classical music fan’s favorite time of year: the start of a new performance season. Featuring works by composers like Astor Piazzolla, Joaquin Turína, Laura Vega and Florence Price, there’s something for everyone — from casual listeners to devoted aficionados.
Among the performing groups that have announced new seasons are Agarita, Camerata, Classical Music Institute, Mid-Texas Symphony, Musical Bridges Around the World, San Antonio Philharmonic, and the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio.
Agarita
On Sept. 2, Grammy Award-winning violinists from the Parker Quartet, including Daniel Chong and Jessica Bodner, kick off Agarita’s latest season with a performance at the University of the Incarnate Word’s Diane Bennack Concert Hall.
The four-person ensemble will go on to deliver a full program on Oct. 21 in the Incarnate Word’s majestic Motherhouse Chapel. The program is inspired by Andrea Casarrubios’ Seven for solo cello, and includes works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Dmitri Shostakovich, Jessica Meyer, Hans Krása, Andrea Casarrubios, Christopher Cerrone and Johannes Brahms.
In a first-time collaboration for Agarita, the ensemble will perform for the San Antonio Public Theater at the San Antonio Playhouse on Jan. 27. Each scene performed will take place right alongside the actors for a fully immersive experience.
On Feb. 24, internationally acclaimed Spanish guitarist Pablo Sáinz Villegas returns to San Antonio for a South American-themed music event at the San Antonio Botanical Gardens Kelso Center. The event will include works from Astor Piazzolla, Heitor Villa-Lobos, and a specially commissioned work by composer Laura Vega.
The Carver Community Cultural Center welcomes Santiago Cañón Valencia on April 27. The award-winning cellist will perform alongside Agarita for a diverse program inspired by his Colombian background and his experiences as a painter and photographer.
Agarita wraps up its season on June 18 with another first-time collaboration, this time with the Witte Museum. The event promises to be an adventurous and varied program that interacts with themes in the museum’s collection.
All Agarita shows are free, with more information on the concerts available on the group’s website.
Camerata
The Camerata chamber ensemble returns for its 21st season with five new concerts and a recital offered in San Antonio and Kerrville. Camerata performances will take place at three locations: First Presbyterian Church in Kerrville, Christ Episcopal Church in San Antonio and Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit in San Antonio.
The season opens with “19th Century Echoes” on Sept. 1-3, the first of two concerts centered on the musically rich period between the World Wars and honoring composers Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Fritz Kreisler and Florence Price. The concert features music that carries forward 19th-century traditions, with each piece’s movements centering on themes of military duty, camaraderie, romance and even dance.
The second of the two concerts, “Breaking Away,” takes place on Sept. 29 and Oct. 1, and is inspired by the lives and works of composers Leoš Janáček, Germaine Tailleferre and Ernest Bloch. This concert features themes of loss, reclamation, determination and triumph.
Piano trio concert “Star Crossed” takes place Jan. 12-14 and features Claude Debussy’s music for star-crossed Pelléas and Mélisande, plus works by Clara Schumann and Johannes Brahms.
In February, themes of beauty and mystery are explored in “Las Musas,” with works by Errollyn Wallen, Joaquin Turína, and Gabriel Fauré for soprano and chamber ensemble. Then in spring from April 5-7, the string trios in “Bold Brilliance” take the stage to honor the greats: Ludwig van Beethoven and Dame Ethel Smythe.
To close the season on May 5, violinist Matthew Zerweck and pianist Viktor Valkov join forces for the Camerata Recital in a duo performance to remember.
Tickets for all Camerata concerts are available through the ensemble’s website.
Classical Music Institute
Classical Music Institute is back with its latest season titled “A Music Odyssey.”
The journey starts with CMI’s ninth annual “Savor the Music” event at the Tobin Center’s H-E-B Performance Hall on Nov. 1. Then on Nov. 4, Franki Fullana leads the orchestra for a Vivaldi-filled performance at the Carlos Alvarez Studio Theater.
Catch the New York-based Escher Quartet performing the complete Béla Bartok String Quartets Dec. 4-6, and pianist Tomomi Sato performing works by Mozart and Robert Schumann on Dec. 7.
The CMI 210 Festival in the spring includes a performance by opera star René Barbera.
More information on tickets and the season schedule is available on the CMI website.
Mid-Texas Symphony
The Mid-Texas Symphony opens its 46th season celebrating the rich musical history of American music with “Rhapsody in Blue” on Sept. 10 at Jackson Auditorium in Seguin.
Other highlights of the concert season include Tchaikovsky’s “Ukrainian” symphony on Nov. 5 at Canyon High School Performing Arts Center in New Braunfels; “Sounds of the Season,” a holiday performance featuring the Comal Independent School District’s Children’s Chorus and soprano Liliana Guerrero on Dec. 10; and Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition on April 28 at Jackson Auditorium.
The symphony performs in various venues around Central Texas. Schedule and location details are available on the Mid-Texas Symphony website.
Musical Bridges Around the World
Musical Bridges Around the World continues its mission of “providing access to global arts for all” with its 26th season of free Russell Hill Rogers Musical Evenings at the San Fernando Cathedral, all of which take place on select Sunday evenings at 7 p.m, starting Sept. 24.
Performers include Chinese concert pianist Jiale Li, who will make his first appearance in San Antonio since winning the Gold Medal at The Gurwitz 2020 International Piano Competition; Hungarian virtuoso violinist and composer Roby Lakatos & His Ensemble in their San Antonio debut; and Latin jazz singer-songwriter Magos Herrera with highlights from her latest album, Aire.
Visit the organization’s website for more information.
San Antonio Philharmonic
The San Antonio Philharmonic launches its second season Sept. 22 with “Chee-Yun and Firebird,” featuring international violinist and recording artist Chee-Yun’s performance of Lalo’s Symphonie Espagnole, and Stravinsky’s 1945 Suite from The Firebird. The symphony will open the program with Grammy-nominated Juan Pablo Contreras’ Mariachitlán.
The series of 10 classics concerts includes performances by Norwegian trumpet soloist Tine Thing Helseth, Venezuelan pianist Gabriela Martinez, and the return of violinist Randall Goosby, who was a fan favorite last season. Goosby will perform Iman Habibi’s Jeder Baum spricht, Mendelsshon’s Concerto in E Minor and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5.
For more information on the full season of events, as well as tickets and season packages, visit the SA Phil website.
Youth Orchestras of San Antonio
Youth Orchestras of San Antonio returns for its 2023-24 concert season with a trio of performances at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts.
“Music from the Movies” on Oct. 29 features scores from favorite films like Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Caribbean, and even a special collaboration with Camerata San Antonio, playing music from the movie Nope.
On Jan. 28, YOSA presents “American Rhapsodies,” a symphonic event celebrating America’s diverse heritage. And on May 12, the orchestra premieres “Wildlife Harmonies,” compositions inspired by animals at San Antonio Zoo by members of the Composers Alliance of San Antonio.
Visit the YOSA website to learn more about its events and programs.
