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The KPAC Blog features classical music news, reviews, and analysis from South Texas and around the world.

Symphony Holding Canned-Good Food Drive For March Performances

Courtesy photo
San Antonio Symphony President David Gross.

The San Antonio Symphony is back at it this weekend, but this time around they're doing something a little different.

“We have our classical concert this weekend on Friday, March 7 and Saturday, March 8,” said new San Antonio Symphony President David Gross.

There will be a guest player/conductor.

“Kolja Blacher is our violin soloist, and he is also our guest conductor" said Gross. "And we’re going to be featuring music of Tchaikovsky, Mozart and Beethoven.”

But this is where the regular symphonic experience takes a slight detour, as he explained.

"We are going to be partnering with the San Antonio Food Bank and we’re going to be doing a canned goods collection at the Majestic Theater in the lobby on Friday and Saturday evenings," Gross said.

Of course, you should bring non-perishable goods because you’re a good person! But Gross says there's one more incentive.

"For anyone who brings $10 or more we will have vouchers for two free tickets to a concert," Gross said.

It’s nice when doing the right thing pays so handsomely. While I had him on the phone, I had to ask Gross how things were going on the new job.

"You having fun?" I asked.

“I am, I am!" Gross said enthusiastically. "It’s a great community, [I've] been here about five months now, [and I'm ] very excited about the transition to the Tobin Center. We’re also looking at doing a couple of presentations a year at the Majestic Theater [in the future]. We’re looking at doing a movie with symphony orchestra series at the Majestic."  

I had to ask him for clarification: "Are you saying that a film will be shown and instead of music from that film, it’ll be done live by the orchestra?”

“Correct,” he said.

That should be an interesting addition to their routine. I also asked  if anything surprised him about San Antonio.

“It’s colder this winter than I thought it was going to be,” Gross said.

I told him if he sticks around for a while, that cold will disappear!

Jack Morgan can be reached at jack@tpr.org and on Twitter at @JackMorganii