The Gift of the Guitar with William Kanengiser
Austin Classical Guitar outdid itself, yet again. This time, Austin audiences had the extreme delight of hearing the modest William Kanengiser, one of the world’s most dynamic and influential classical…
Returning Classical Music to Its Roots
Classical music has long been perceived as a domain of quiet, formal concert halls, where hushed reverence and stiff seating dominate the experience. But a groundbreaking approach in Austin is…
SXSW 2025: Keynote Speakers
South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Conference and Festivals has announced the addition of new Keynotes and the third round of Featured Speakers for the 39th edition of its annual Conference, which…
Orchestral Exotica: Tucson Symphony
Tucson Symphony Orchestra last week offered a concert of mostly 19th-century music composed in France, but the standout piece with guest soloist Jing Xia (pictured) was from China. Xia, who…
FOR CHRISTMAS: The Messiah
Handel’s Messiah is now so closely associated with Christmas that the annual arrival of the holiday itself is naturally preceded by a performance of Handel’s most famous work. But it…
How to Ruin the Holidays, Graham Reynolds Style
I’ve written about Graham Reynolds, the virtuoso pianist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, bandleader, arranger, and jokester. That last bit is new to me as I discovered his wit as a raconteur at…
WOMEN IN JAZZ
Pamela and Kevin Hart, an iconic couple empowering jazz vocalists by entertaining Austin audiences with the best female jazz musicians, have done it again. The holiday concert that took place…
‘Twas The Night Before: Christmas with the Austin Gay Men’s Chorus
The Aluminum Christmas Tree stole the show. For those (like me) who are too young to remember, Christmas trees made of aluminum were all the rage in America from 1960-65.…
SCOTTISH MONTH in AUSTIN
Whether by chance or design, November became Scottish month in Austin. First came the Celtic Festival on the first weekend of the month, and this weekend the Austin Symphony Orchestra…
Suzette Emberton – A Fascinating Look into Synesthesia – A Composer Who Attributes Colors to Musical Notes
By definition a synesthete experiences synesthesia, a condition in which usually separate senses are intertwined. For instance, a person with synesthesia might see colors when they hear music, associate specific…