KPAC Blog

Concordia Choir travels across 8 states in only three weeks

The Concordia Choir from Concordia College in Minnesota performs in San Antonio at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 1 at St. John’s Lutheran Church (502 East Nueva Street). The concert is part of the choir’s 2013 tour, which includes performances across eight different states: Des Moines, Kansas City, Fort Smith, Houston, Oklahoma City, Sioux Falls, and Minneapolis.

  The music world suffered a significant loss on Friday, February 22, with the passing of the German conductor Wolfgang Sawallisch. He was 89. His resume is beyond reproach. He is likely best known in the US through his 10 years as the Music Director of the Philadelphia Orchestra (he succeeded Riccardo Muti and was subsequently succeeded by Christoph Eschenbach). His remarkable career covered more than half a century.

Years ago, in the late 1970s, Chuck Berginc joined the San Antonio Symphony as the orchestra's second trumpet. Chuck's career later took him to several years as principal trumpet in the Orquesta Sinfonica del Estado de Mexico and more recently (if 30 years can be considered recent) principal with the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra as well as principal trumpet for the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra.

Ever wonder what it takes to become a successful professional trumpet player? Everyone has their own story, so here is Chuck's, in his own words (and notes).

In the hurly-burly of a Piano competition there are selections that can make or break the chances of a competitor; pieces so difficult or dense that only a master musician can make them work for the audience and more importantly, the judges.

On the Piano this Sunday, we continue with music from the 2012 San Antonio International Piano Competition where two of the pianists "go big" in an effort to convince the judges that they have what it takes to be worthy of the gold medal.

Debussy

The William C. Hall Pipe Organ Competition turns 42

Saturday, March 2, undergraduate and graduate organists will compete for the 42nd annual Hall Pipe Organ Competition in San Antonio. This year there are a record number of entrants, something unusual for the competition, since sometimes they are unsure of whether or not they will get the minimum of five competitors!

I couldn’t have timed better the decision to replay my all time favorite Masterpiece Theatre Classic, "The Forsyte Saga," than the week the Metropolitan would broadcast its "Carmen." I had never really considered the fact that the two works and their heroine’s were so close; more sisters than cousins.

The similarities are striking

San Antonio's vocal chamber group the Copperleaf Quintet, has an afternoon of music for Lent planned this weekend. On the program are works by Francisco Guerrero and Tomas Luis de Victoria.

"His [de Victoria's] lines are just so exquisite, and when they are so exposed by just having one person on a part singing them, it's just a wonderful thing to hear!" said Ruth Moreland, the director and soprano for the group.

MISERERE: Reflections for Lent

Sunday, February 24, 2013 at 3:00 p.m.