Classical Spotlight: Debating which concert

There's lots to choose from this week on Classical Spotlight, and as one of our guests suggests, you can TiVo the VP Debate tonight and hear live classical music instead!

The UT New Music Ensemble, under the direction of Professor Dan Welcher performs The Tyrant by Paul Dresher; and Eight Songs for a Mad King by Peter Maxwell Davies tonight at 8:00 PM in the McCullough Theatre on the UT campus in Austin. It marks the 30th anniversary of the ensemble, and features tenor John Duykers.

The UTSA Orchestra plays tonight as well, starting at 7:30pm. On the program is Brahms 1st Symphony and Mozart’s 3rd Horn concerto with soloist, faculty member Drew Stephen (right). Eugene Dowdy directs.

Conspirare, led by Craig Hella Johnson, opens their seventeenth season with Home, a collage-style concert featuring past favorites and new works by composers as diverse as J.S. Bach, Dolly Parton, Ennio Morricone, Samuel Barber, Annie Lennox, Tarik O’Regan and more. Three performances on October 3, 4 and 5. Tickets at 512 476-5775.

This weekend you won't want to miss the opening concerts of the San Antonio Symphony on October 3 and 4, 8:00 pm at the Majestic Theatre. Christopher Seaman (left), conducts with Orli Shaham, piano in Mozart's Piano Concerto #21, Brahms' Symphony #2 and Britten's Young Persons Guide to the Orchestra.

The Walden Chamber Players, from Boston, visit Ruth Taylor Hall at 7:30pm, Saturday night. The Trinity University event is free and open to the public, featuring Mozart's Piano quartet in E flat Major, KV 493; Stephen Paulus' Dramatic Suite for flute, violin, viola, ‘cello and piano; Virgil Thomson's Serenade for flute and violin; Faure's Piano quartet in c minor op. 15. Find out more at http://www.waldenchamberplayers.org/.

The San Antonio Chamber Choir with Artistic Director/Conductor Scott MacPherson perform this Sunday, October 5th at 4 p.m. at Saint Luke's Episcopal Church. They'll sing Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Mass in G minor; motets and anthems of William Byrd; and music of Johannes Brahms and Claudio Monteverdi.

Also October 5, at Civic Center, New Braunfels starting at 4:00 p.m., Conductor David Mairs is joined by Charles Yang, Violin with the Mid Texas Symphony. The program, Scary Virtuosity, includes Saint-Saëns' Danse Macabre Op. 40; Sibelius' Valse Triste Op. 44, No. 1; Dukas' The Sorcerer's Apprentice; and Sibelius' Violin Concerto Op. 47.

“Fantasia for Organ” is the next San Fernando Cathedral performance from Musical Bridges Around the World (director Anya Grohkovsky, left). It's 7:00 pm, Sunday, October 5th, with Svetlana Berezhnaya, organ and soprano Annalisa Mendiola. The program features organ favorites by Bach and arias for soprano from the Baroque era. One hour before there are demonstrations and celebrations out front including fencing, dancing and music.

Finally, Heinavanker, a vocal group from Estonian sings at the Parker Chapel on the campus of Trinity University, Wednesday, October 8th at 7:30pm. Learn more about them at http://www.heinavanker.ee/index.php?go=index&lang=eng