spring sounds
San Antonio ensemble arranges 7 free concerts in April, from musical theater to tango
For many urbanites, spring rustles up feelings of FOMO about all the places we forget to visit between all the work, school, and foodie events. Agarita, San Antonio's eclectic chamber ensemble, is making sure calendars are filled with a wealth of free programming from April 13-27.
The chamber group is working hard on seven performances during that period, starting with Casa de España at the UTSA Recital Hall. This recital, including some tango works, will shed light on Spanish and South American musical traditions. The repertoire includes works by Astor Piazzolla, Andrea Casarrubios, and Laura Vega.
Next, on April 17, the ensemble welcomes guests to its home space, the Agarita Loft. This all-purposes home base includes practices spaces, a concert space, an art gallery, and work space. (Even artists need to send emails sometimes.)
The evening's works are unified as Songs of Love, and span both the art and popular performance spheres. Agarita founder Daniel Anastasio will accompany Chicago-based soprano Kristina Bachrach, performing Duparc and Robert Schumann on the art side, and George Gershwin and Cole Porter on the musical theater side.
A short Humble Hall series of outdoor Sunday shows brings the group on tour through various San Antonio districts. (Pop quiz: Do you know yours?) Visiting Districts 1 and 5 on April 14 are Aimee Lopez on violin and Jessica Petrasek on flute. Then just Lopez will continue on to Districts 6 and 7 on April 20. For these shows, audiences need not concern themselves with fancy clothes and concert halls, instead enjoying the music on picnic blankets or whatever else they bring to sit on.
The last performance this month, on April 27, brings award-winning Colombian cellist Santiago Cañón-Valencia to the Carver Community Cultural Center. In addition to his musical collaboration with Agarita, Cañón-Valencia approaches art as a painter and photographer. One of his paintings will be on auction at the performance to benefit the chamber group.
These performances remain free thanks to sponsors like H-E-B, the City of San Antonio, Russell Hill Rogers Fund for the Arts, and the King William Association, as well as community benefits like the painting auction.
For those who like to plan ahead, the next show scheduled after April is June 18, in collaboration with the Witte Museum. See the full schedule at agarita.org. Although the Santiago Cañón-Valencia concert will be free, audience members will need to snag tickets online starting April 14.