Classical Spotlight

The St. Mark's Choir and Youth Choir are going to Exeter Cathedral to be choir in residence from July 22-July 28. They will be responsible for singing daily services, with one day off! In total, they will perform 7 services (two on Sunday).

This weekend, Sunday at 4pm, the choirs are presenting a concert entitled, "Exeter in Texas" were they offer a preview of some of the music:

As arts seasons draw to a close in May and June, musicians and audiences look forward to summer festivals. Locally we'll enjoy the Cactus Pear Music Festival, and Mozart Festival Texas, this July and August, along with the new "Q" chamber music series.

Seven years ago (2006), and with a 27 million budget, Kenneth Branagh made a film version of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's The Magic Flute (read the film synopsis here.) The Peter Moores Foundation, who do amazing work translating opera into English, commissioned Stephen Fry to make this adaptation, and it remains witty, sexy, funny, passionate, and silly as the original libretto!

Friday night includes a celebration of Flag Day with the Heart of Texas Concert Band. "It's not as popular a holiday as St. Patrick's Day or even Columbus Day!", says music director and conductor Mark Rogers. "But we found lots of music appropriate for honoring the flag and wanted to do a concert."

"It came to me in one night - a dream! I like to say that those dream images were probably rooted in my just going to college for the first time," says Conrad Tao about his Vestiges for piano. That was the start for the new album, Voyages.

A new chamber music series debuts this weekend in San Antonio: Q. Led by oboist Jennifer Berg, it will include three concerts this summer at Christ Episcopal Church.

"I wanted to do something in my hometown, for my family and friends," says Berg. The first concert includes music by Bach, Vaughan-Williams, Loeffler, and Rebecca Clarke. Jennifer will play along with pianist Daniel Anastasio, violist Marissa Bushman, and soprano Gail Wettstein.

The fourth season of the Texas State International Piano Festival includes guests as far away as South Korea, China, along with locally-renowned pianists such as Anton Nel. The week-long festival starts June 1 with performances, lectures, masterclasses and lessons, and runs through Sunday, June 9.

The Opera San Antonio (TOSA) presents a "Gala Concert of Stars" at the Majestic Theater this Thursday, May 23 at 7 p.m. These stars include Patricia Racette, Jay Hunter Morris, Dolora Zajick, Daniela Mack, Alek Shrader, Lucas Meacham, and Eric Owens.

TOSA announced Lisette Oropesa is replacing Susannah Biller, who was unavailable due to a schedule conflict.