Season 2024-2025
Connor Chee: The Navajo Pianist
3pm Sunday, October 20, 2024
Don't miss this unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the beautiful sounds of Navajo culture blended with the elegance of piano music, themed drinks/food and great conversation afterwards. Get ready to be transported to another world through the power of music!
Finding Identity in Music
3pm Sunday, February 25, 2025
The Bardin-Niskala Duo (Cellist An-Lin Bardin & Pianist Naomi Niskala)
The Bardin-Niskala Duo is committed to using classical music to explore identity, fight racism, promote cultural awareness, and celebrate humanity during this time of division and racial violence. We perform cello and piano works by under-represented and historically marginalized composers, and our commissioning project asks ALAANA (African, Latinx, Asian, Arab, and Native American) composers to create repertoire that incorporates folksongs and children's songs of the composer's particular cultures. Through these commissions and the performances of these works, we promote these composers and open dialogue with and amongst audience members on the notions of homeland, community, and belonging, on the complexity and uniqueness of various cultures, and on the challenges of navigating life in this country as a bi-cultural, multi-cultural, or minority person.
Each performed work is preceded by a video from the composer, in which they speak about their work, what culture(s) and race(s) they most identify with, their (often ongoing) search for a sense of identity and belonging, and the importance of music for opening up communication, expression, and dialogue.
East Meets West: The Music of the Philippines
2:30pm Sunday, April 20, 2025
Kapwa (Soprano Katrina Saporsantos & Pianist Benjamin Dia)
Kapwa is a voice-piano duo that consists of soprano Katrina Saporsantos and pianist Benjamin Dia. Katrina holds a Master of Music and Professional Studies Certificate in classical voice from the Manhattan School of Music while Benjamin obtained his Master of Sacred Music in piano from Westminster College. Both are alums of the University of the Philippines.
Their concert features a mix of old and traditional music from the Philippines to newer works by Filipino composers whose writing styles are influenced by those traditions while being written in a completely Western musical language. They will be performing pieces for voice, piano, and Philippine instruments by composers such as Nicanor Abelardo, Augusta Espino, Josefino Toledo, and Robin Estrada, and more.
Pride Recital: Music Unites
3pm Sunday, June 8, 2025
Featuring LGBTQIA+ composers and allies
Join us for a retrospective of LGBTQIA+ composers and themes that resonate with the LGBTQIA+ community. Spend the afternoon enjoying wonderful music at the Studio A listening room. Performers include members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies. All proceeds go to Austin-area LGBTQ+ non-profit organizations. This event will include a pre-concert talk on LGBTQIA+ representation in music and the arts, as well as, stories from the performers of this personal journey towards finding identity and belonging. Post-performance we will celebrate the day with a reception and dance party!