25th Anniversary Silver Jubilee Book

MUSICAL BRIDGES AROUND THE WORLD

Est. 1998

Founded in 1998, Musical Bridges Around the World, Inc. has been a powerful social impact organization. MBAW serves San Antonio audiences by providing access to high-quality global performing and visual arts. Their focus is on cross-cultural collaboration and bringing music to underserved communities.

MISSION

To celebrate our shared humanity by providing access to global arts for all.

VISION

A world where fine arts are accessible to all, our common humanity is recognized, cultural diversity is celebrated, and all are united in peace.

VALUES Excellence Equity Inspiration

Photos: Rob Michaelson, Ken Mahnke

CONTENTS

25TH ANNIVERSARY PROGRAM

Letter from San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg 2

Letter from Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff 3

Sponsors & Partners 4

Founding Musical Bridges Around the World 6

Pivoting During the Pandemic 8

Economic Power of the Arts 9

Russell Hill Rogers Musical Evenings at San Fernando Cathedral 10

• It Ain’t Necessarily So! / 25 September 2022 14

• The Big B’s / 30 October 2022 16

• Joy to the World / 4 December 2022 20

• From Italy With Love / 26 March 2023 24

• Expedition / 7 May 2023 26

Global Engagement & San Antonio Sister Cities 28

UNITYFest 30

• Silver Jubilee: Celebrating the Founders / 2 February 2023 34

• Jazz Masters / 3 February 2023 36

• Tea for Two / 4 February 2023 38

• East Meets West / 5 February 2023 40

• Silver Soirée / 5 February 2023 42

Awards & Recognition 43

The Quilt: A Living History of African American Music 44

MBAW Art Gallery 50

The Gurwitz International Piano Competition 52

Musical Sprouts 56

Golden Age 62

Gurwitz Youth Ambassadors 64

Colburn-Pledge Music Scholarship 65

Musical Bridges Wins International Award! 66

Musica Viva! / Membership Program 68

Impresario Club / Membership Program 70

The History of D’s on Keys 72

Planned Giving with Legacy Suites 73

Benefactors & Community Partners 77

Leadership & Staff 86

Volunteer & Internship Opportunities 90

September 22, 2022

Welcome to Musical Bridges Around the World’s Silver Jubilee!

I’ve been fortunate to partner with Musical Bridges long before my time in City Hall. As the General Manager of KRTU 91.7, the best Jazz station on the planet, we collaborated to promote some of the most remarkable jazz musicians brought here to the Alamo City.

Musical Bridges continues to evolve and adapt. I opened the very first online “Kids to Concerts” segment during the pandemic as we took upwards of 46,000 schoolchildren on a virtual trip through Eurasia. Today, the cornerstone San Fernando Concert series is broadcast globally - showcasing the best of San Antonio’s heritage and architecture.

An adaptive, dynamic team keeps the company relevant and active even in the most challenging of times. I’m proud to have our City’s First Lady, Erika Prosper, join me on the Global Advisory Council of this robust performing arts organization as we look forward to the next 25 years! Cheers to you for your continued patronage of the arts.

Sincerely,

Ron Nirenberg

MAYOR, City of San Antonio

September 20, 2022

Dear Musical Bridges Around the World patrons:

My wife Tracy and I have had the privilege of serving our community for over three decades. When I reflect on the single thread that binds, propels and inspires us to move forward and reach greater heights, it is the arts.

Regardless of peoples’ political or religious differences or the socioeconomic divide, the arts are a universal language transcending these barriers.

It’s not easy for non-profit organizations to survive, much less thrive during economic downturns, global pandemics and subsequent recessions, but Musical Bridges has done it time and time again.

They have stayed true to their mission, relevant to the community and adaptive in their approach. When people speak, they listen. I served on the Global Advisory Council and Tracy served on The Gurwitz Committee in 2020. We are looking forward to the next quadrennial piano competition in 2024.

As I complete my term as County Judge, I commend the success, value the growth, and hope to see the arts thrive in our community for the next quarter century and beyond.

Sincerely,

Nelson W. Wolff Bexar County Judge

SPONSORS

FOUNDATION

CITY OF SAN ANTONIO COUNCIL PROJECT FUNDS

KAITLYN AND STEWART SKLOSS FAMILY FOUNDATION

JOAN & HERB KELLEHER CHARITABLE

WILLIAM KNOX HOLT FOUNDATION

FAYE L. & WILLIAM L. COWDEN CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

DOMINIC ANDERSON, CFP

THE PLUM FOUNDATION

SAN FERNANDO CATHEDRAL

FOUNDING MUSICAL BRIDGES AROUND THE WORLD

A HISTORY BY ANYA GROKHOVSKI

Soon after moving to the US from the USSR, I came to Texas with my then-husband, Valeri Grokhovski and my six-year-old son Arseni. Valeri was working as a professor of piano at the University of Texas at San Antonio and having studied piano performance myself at the Gnessin State University in Moscow, I was hired as a staff accompanist at UTSA.

In 1998, I decided to invite my favorite professor Vladimir Bochkarov from Russia to visit San Antonio and share my new home city with him. We spoke in the fall and agreed he would visit in the spring and play a few concerts to help cover his travel costs. I was very much looking forward to reconnecting with him, being inspired by his piano artistry, artistic mentorship, and charismatic personality. I contacted the Mexican Cultural Institute in Hemisfair Park hoping they might have a budget for guest artists that season. To my delight the director of Instituto Cultural de México, Maestro Felipe Santander, kindly agreed to present a concert that would help pay for his international airfare. A few months later, not having heard from Vladimir, I started to doubt whether he was coming after all. More time passed, until one day, he called saying, “I am arriving next week!”

Anya! I am so excited! I got my airplane ticket and I am arriving next week!

Dr. Sheila Swartzman, Vladimir Bochkarov, and Dr. Jan Puckett

Anya’s professor Vladimir Bochkarov

I called the Mexican Cultural Institute frantically and asked if the concert they promised to organize was still on and if we could proceed with advertising. “Anya!” they said, “we did not hear from you for five months so we had to program another pianist!” Needless to say, I did not sleep that night as I was trying to figure out what to do.

The next day, I shared my concern with one of my private students, Dr. Jan Puckett. “Don’t you worry,’’ she said. ‘’We will have a house concert, invite our friends and ask them to donate and help pay for your teacher’s airfare.” Jan then spoke to her good friend and colleague Dr. Sheila Swartzman and the two of them created a miracle. This first concert took place in the beautiful Texas Hill Country home of Drs. Sheila Swartzman and Kenneth Bloom. Not only did we raise enough money to pay for Vladimir’s airfare, but we were also able to pay him an artistic fee. He still thinks money grows on trees in the United States. This was my first introduction to the great power of philanthropy in America.

Since everyone loved that first concert at Sheila’s home, they asked me to invite another professor, and so I did. During this second concert, a guest named Teresa Oxford suggested that we become incorporated as an organization. It turned out that she was a lawyer and offered to take care of this process. Then another friend, and mother of my student, Suzanne Rostomian, offered to apply for 501(c)(3) non-profit status on our behalf so that people could deduct their contributions from their taxes. It turned out that she was a CPA and handled this for us.

For the first few years it was a lot of fun, as the “party” went on - with me, my family, and a few friends performing. But then I realized we needed funding to continue programming on a regular basis and to expand our offerings. So began my lifelong education in building a not-for-profit organization.

I have been very lucky to meet wonderful people over the course of this 25-year journey who poured their love and support into this dream called Musical Bridges Around the World. It is because of them that we were able to come this far. Along the way, I learned day-to-day operations through much trial and error and did not take a salary myself for the first 10 years of the organization’s existence. We finally hired our first full-time employee, Diana Osborne, 17 years after our inception in 1998 and since then the organization has grown to eight full-time employees. I take tremendous pride in this growth, understanding that I began without any knowledge of the word “budget,” and we now have a million-dollar endowment and $1.3 million annual operating budget. Another miracle!

Our founders were the following smart professional women who fell in love with the idea of sharing beautiful international music with each other, and later with the community: Drs. Jan Puckett and Sheila Swartzman, artist Susan Dunis, healer Connie White, engineer Gladys Miller, CPA Suzanne Rostomian, and lawyer Teresa Oxford. This is how Musical Bridges Around the World was born. I had no idea what I was getting into, but time after time I felt miracles taking place all around me, continuing to this day.

Anya Grokhovski, Gladys Miller, Connie White, and Susan Dunis during the first MBAW concert in 1998.

PIVOTING DURING THE PANDEMIC & ECONOMIC POWER OF THE ARTS

PIVOTING DURING THE PANDEMIC

BY SUHAIL ARASTU

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Musical Bridges Around the World with a nimble, creative staff quickly pivoted to virtual programming. While audiences were accustomed to filling San Fernando Cathedral, instead they were taken on a journey visiting artists in their homes and studios across the globe.

“We hired a camera crew in Italy to follow Leonardo Colafelice, our Audience Favorite Award Winner from The Gurwitz” says Dr Anya Grokhovski, MBAW’s Artistic Director. “Everyone had different circumstances depending on the laws or rate of infection in their country, so when travel stopped we turned the cameras on!”

“It was a universally humanizing experience,” says Suhail Arastu, MBAW Advancement Director “not only did artists perform for us remotely, but we had a conversation about the trials and tribulations of quarantine in their countries and it resonated with our viewers.”

“Typically, audiences are accustomed to seeing our musicians dressed to the nines, rehearsed and under bright lights in San Fernando (Cathedral), but here they were - stuck at home with the dog barking, baby crying or dishwasher running and everyone could relate!” Arastu added.

“When we celebrated Beethoven’s 250th Birthday, we were meant to have the renowned Janoska Ensemble in San Antonio; instead we ZOOMed into Vienna at 7am Texas time, so that we could catch them in the afternoon in Europe and our interviewer, Maestro Sebastian Lang-Lessing in Seoul, South Korea could join us late at night before he went to bed” explained Grokhovski.

“Instead of children gathering in their auditoriums, cafeterias or gymnasiums” says Jennifer Reed-Martinez - Director of Community Engagement, “we partnered with the World Heritage Office, museums, artists and educators to take students on virtual journeys that were interactive and entertaining. When teachers were at a loss on how to keep the attention of elementary school kids on screen, we were able to provide fun, colorful content that connected them to their core curricula through the arts in a dynamic way.”

City of San Antonio’s Chief Diplomat, Shahrzad Dowlatshahi describes Musical Bridges as part of the cultural fabric of the City. Founded by an immigrant with classical piano training from the Soviet Union who fostered a performing arts non-profit while assessing relevancy and community needs has allowed the organization to not only survive, but thrive into their 25th Anniversary Season.

Through federal, state, foundation and local assistance grants as well as significant support from the Ford Foundation, MBAW was able to continue programming and increase its impact by growing a global virtual audience before returning to live programming. The organization sees great potential and increased impact as it envisions the next twenty five years.

ECONOMIC POWER OF THE ARTS

Elizabeth Fauerso, chief marketing officer for Pearl, said, “San Antonio’s power is in its culture and in its people, and that is where we will find our resiliency as well. It is through the creation of and participation in our visual and performing arts that we declare who we are as a city, and when we lose our creative class and creative spaces, we become poorer in every measure.”

As of May 2021, the total economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on arts organizations in Bexar County was $24 million, with an overall economic impact of $4.8 billion. Last year showed us that we cannot survive without the support and help of our community. It also made us realize that it’s not only important to emphasize the power of art as a catalyst for important conversations, but also as an integral part of the city’s economy, said Director of Artpace, Riley Robinson.

“The arts play a vital role in the economic development of this city and region,” says San Antonio economist Steve Nivin. “It is vital that these organizations return to healthy and sustainable levels of economic activity — not only for their wellbeing, but the local economy as a whole.”

It is often said that art feeds the soul. But culture and the arts also fuel the economy directly: The arts contribute more than

$800 billion a year to U.S. economic output, amounting to more than 4 percent of GDP. That figure is based on detailed data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (part of the Department of Commerce) and the National Endowment for the Arts.

The contribution of the arts to America’s economy is equivalent to nearly half of Canada’s total GDP, and bigger than the economic output of Sweden or Switzerland. Indeed, the arts account for more of U.S. GDP than industries such as construction, transportation, and agriculture. And they have been growing much faster than the economy as a whole.

The arts are not just an amenity—a form of intellectual enjoyment or spiritual enrichment—but a key source of investment in today’s economy.

One troubling finding: there has been a substantial decline in the level of government funding for arts-based education programs for the past couple of decades. Arts-education programs have fueled the development of leading arts-and-culture industries in other countries: For example, Sweden’s investment in music education for its kids is widely credited with propelling its songwriters and producers to the top of popular music.

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is the largest national funder of nonprofit arts organizations in America. Every $1 of NEA funding leverages $9 in private and public dollars and fuels a dynamic cultural economy. A pennies per capita annual investment has helped to leverage a nonprofit arts industry of almost 100,000 organizations strong serving millions of citizens in every part of America. Nonprofit arts organizations and their audiences today generate $135 billion of economic activity that supports 4.1 million arts and non-arts jobs throughout their communities. This nonprofit sector has gone on to help incubate and provide the research and development for an even larger for-profit arts sector in our country. The value of the arts is of course the joy, beauty, and ideas of the work made accessible to all Americans. An investment of 45 cents per capita funds the NEA and that investment in the arts supports jobs, generates government revenue, and is a cornerstone of tourism.

Thriving tourism and cultural destinations are growing out of once-latent artistic and cultural resources and contributing to economic sustainability in rural communities and regions. Cultural activities attract tourists and spur the creation of ancillary facilities such as restaurants, hotels, and the services needed to support them. Cultural facilities and events enhance property values, tax resources and overall profitability for communities. In doing so, the arts become a direct contributor to urban and rural revitalization.

Creativity is an essential raw material: cultural participation keeps the creative skills required of a knowledge-based workforce sharp. John D. Ong, Chairman Emeritus of The B.F. Goodrich Company, explains:

“People who create in our companies—whether they be scientists, marketing experts or business strategists—benefit from exposure to the arts. People cannot create when they work and live in a culturally sterile environment....The economic benefits of the arts greatly transcend and outlive any of the normal cycles....That is why business invests in the arts—even when times are tough, and when there is increased pressure to manage money carefully.”

Cultural activities are increasingly noted as drivers of meaningful development. But they have yet to gain a prominent place in the architecture of development strategy. The performing arts exhibit direct effects on social progress and economic growth through trade in music, movies, and temporary work permits for artists. Indirect contributions may also include environmental stewardship, tourism, nation branding, social inclusion, cultural democracy, and shifting cultural behaviors. These direct and indirect contributions are not well documented. The arts have consistently run a trade surplus for the U.S., delivering more cultural goods and services abroad than the nation imports.

By leveraging human capital and cultural resources we generate economic vitality in under-performing regions. Investment in the arts restores and revitalizes communities by serving as a centerpiece for downtown redevelopment and cultural renewal. It creates vibrant public spaces integrated with natural amenities, resulting in improved urban quality of life, expanded business and tax revenue base, and positive regional and community image. Additionally, the arts contribute to a region’s ‘innovation habitat’ by simultaneously improving quality of life—making communities more attractive to highly desirable, knowledge-based employees— and permitting new forms of knowledge intensive production to flourish.

ARTICLE ADAPTED WITH CONTRIBUTIONS FROM:

• Americans for the Arts. “Statement on Arts, Jobs, and the Economy.”

• Bailey, W. Scott. “Museums, Arts Groups Align to Protect Cultural Economic Impact amid Covid.”

• National Endowment for the Arts. “During Economic Highs and Lows, the Arts Are Key Segment of U.S. Economy.”

• “New Report Released on the Economic Impact of the Arts and Cultural Sector.”

• National Governor’s Association - Center for Best Practices. The Role of the Arts in Economic Development Issue Brief

• Richard, Florida. “America’s Arts-And-Culture Economy Is Robust and Growing.”

• Wolff, Benjamin. “Why the Arts Are the Great Unappreciated Engine of the U.S. Economy.”

Artist, Programs are Subject to Change

FREE TICKETS

mbaw.org/sfc

FOR UNDERWRITING ARTISTIC FEES FOR MUSICAL EVENINGS AT SAN FERNANDO CATHEDRAL

Attend

Concert are FREE & open to the public, but ticket registration is required. Please have the ticket(s)’ scannable QR code available for door attendants at entry. If you forget your ticket, you may provide the name provided on your order. If you did not get tickets, an attendant can still assist you to register in person. Seating is first-come-first-served, we recommend that you arrive no earlier than 6:15-6:30 PM.

Venue & Parking

SAN FERNANDO CATHEDRAL

115 Main Plaza, San Antonio, TX 78205

Parking is available downtown either at on-street City pay stations/meters (FREE on Sundays) or in paid lots/garages. The nearest garage options are:

n City Tower Garage - 117 W Commerce St

n Bexar County Garage - 211 S Flores St

n Houston Street Garage - 240 E Houston St

n Market Square Lot - 612 W Commerce St

Russell Hill Rogers, a San Antonio businessman, philanthro pist and patron of the arts, had a long association with the arts in San Antonio. While in high school, he was concertmas ter of the San Antonio Youth Symphony, and at the age of 17 was chosen to be in the violin section of San Antonio’s first Symphony Orchestra, founded by Max Reiter in 1939.

For over 40 years, he was active in most of San Antonio’s arts organizations, serving on the Boards of the San Antonio Symphony Society, the San Antonio Museum of Art, and on the Council of the McNay Art Museum. As an actor/singer, Mr. Rogers played many roles on the stage of the San Pedro Playhouse and served as President of the Board of Directors of the San Antonio Little Theatre. He was also a member and past president of the Texas Watercolor Society and sang with the Symphony Mastersingers of the time, including the period during which they served as the Opera Chorus for the touring MET productions presented annually in San Antonio from the 1940s to the 1960s. In 1979, a gift to the San Antonio Sym phony from Mr. Rogers established the annual Russell Hill Rogers String Residency, providing local string players of all ages with a unique opportunity to work with internationallyrenowned artists.

Shortly before his untimely death in 1986, Mr. Rogers estab lished the Russell Hill Rogers Fund for the Arts for the “support, encouragement, and preservation of the creative and performing arts including but not limited to painting, sculpture, architecture, music, literature and drama.” Its specific purpose is to benefit arts organizations and provide arts offerings available to residents of Bexar County, and the Fund has underwritten a number of significant arts projects and productions in San Antonio.

MUSICAL EVENINGS AT SAN FERNANDO CATHEDRAL

A HISTORY BY ANYA GROKHOVSKI

After one of these lunches, Susan and I were looking to expand our house concerts and stopped by one of the Carter Family’s prop erties. (The Carters have extensive real estate holdings and this particular one was a two-story building that no longer exists). It happened to be located right next door to San Fernando Cathedral, and the rector of the Cathedral, Father David Garcia, was stopping by as well. After we were introduced, he mentioned that he had just returned from a sabbatical in Europe and admired their beautiful historic churches. In addition to houses of worship, he remarked that European cathedrals play the role of cultural centers, offering free concerts for the local community as well as visitors. “It is my dream,” he said, “to bring world-class musical performances to San Fernando Cathedral on Sunday evenings when nothing else is happening downtown.” And without knowing us at all, Father David encouraged us to take a leap of faith and start concerts at the Cathedral right away. This is the true beginning of our now quarter-century-old Russell Hill Rogers Musical Evenings at San Fernando Cathedral!

concert “Suite Strings” with harpist Bridget Kibbey.

With Father David’s blessing, we launched our first public concert series. We offered 12 concerts, every first Sunday of the month. Most of these early performances were by my family members, friends and colleagues from the UTSA Department of Music. After a few years of initial excitement, I learned more about budgeting, the difficulties of fundraising, and how musicians cannot just perform for a “thank you” - they deserve to be paid.

I dream of bringing worldclass music into this space when downtown is quiet.

In 1999, Musical Bridges Around the World’s Board Chair was my dear friend and ceramicist, Susan Dunis. We would often go to lunch and just dream. (Now I know this is called “strategic planning.”)

Paul Carter, Father David Garcia, Anya Grokhovski, and Susan Dunis in front of the San Fernando Cathedral in the early 2000’s.

2020

Photo: Rob Michaelson

Since then, Russell Hill Rogers Musical Evenings at San Fernan do Cathedral have become a staple in San Antonio; for old and young, rich and poor, military, parishioners, homeless, students and visitors. The enchanting combination of historic and architecturally outstanding space with award-winning international artists offered free of charge, has become a source of pride for our city. For many people, these concerts offer inspiration, beauty and emotional sup port. I’ll never forget Sister Virginia, a Catholic nun, who attended these concerts for over 10 years. Each time she made a modest donation accompanied by a thank you note describing how moved she was by the presence of such divine art in the hallowed sanctu ary, a jewel of our city center.

In 2003, I was introduced through a mutual acquaintance to Frank Christian, one of the trustees of the Russell Hill Rogers Fund for the Arts. He loved our story and soon we began receiving support from their fund on a regular basis. The fund now underwrites artis tic fees and has become the title sponsor for the series, allowing us to continue offering each concert free of charge.

During the recent COVID-19 pandemic, we were contacted by many loyal attendees pleading with us to not stop these concerts. So we decided to continue the series by pivoting online during that long period of social isolation. Because of travel restrictions, stay-at-home directives, and venue closures worldwide, we chose to virtually visit artists from around the globe in their homes, for in-depth interviews and performances from their living rooms and studios. Needless to say, it was a challenging time for everyone. But through the love of music and the power of technology, Musi cal Bridges was able to stay connected with artists and audiences alike.

I want to thank the current rector of San Fernando Cathedral, Father Carlos Velazquez, for continuing the legacy and for his faith in our organization as we return to the Cathedral, showcasing live events as well as recording them to share with a global audience. Thanks to the continued support of the Cathedral staff and all MBAW volunteers and supporters, Father David’s dream has come true and continues to this day!

Violinist Tami Lee Hughes and pianist Elena Portnaya performing for Dreamweek concert “A Woman is a Sometime Thing” in 2018.

Photo: Ken Mahnke

Necessarily S o ! It Ain’ t

We warmly thank Debussy, Gershwin, Paganini and all the others for their kind participation. Any further information concerning our program would effectively ruin the show for you, the audience.

So, for the next hour or so, set aside your desperate desire to know what is coming and instead enjoy the tranquility of the unknown.

BRAD REPP VIOLIN

ALDO GENTILESCHI PIANO

DUO BALDO | Italy

The musical comedy team Duo Baldo is renowned violinist Brad Repp and pianist/actor Aldo Gentileschi. Their critically acclaimed concerts combine virtuosic performances, theat rical humor and pop culture.

In 2002, in a small town on the outskirts of Florence, Ita ly, the idea of Duo Baldo was born in the most natural of ways. Brad Repp, an American violinst studying in Lucca, and Aldo Gentileschi, a pianist and aspiring actor, met casu ally in a quaint coffee shop and began experimenting with new ideas that would eventually, and unknowingly, blossom into a show that captivates and surprises. The duo became the highlight of the town, and week after week people would flock from all around to see what they had invented. And now, over a thousand performances and tens of thousands of delighted audience members in major concert halls, re cital halls and theaters around the world is the result of that casual meeting of two very different people from two very diverse cultural backgrounds.

Duo Baldo made their debut with Italian tenor Andrea Bo celli in 2004. In February 2006, Duo Baldo won first prize at the National Short Theater Competition in Florence. After winning first prize at the 2009 Musicomicontest, they per formed at the opening of the 2010 Salzburg Festival. Other invitations include Tokyo’s Musashino Cultural Foundation, the Shanghai Concert Hall, the Mozaic Festival, the Beijing Concert Hall, the Chamber Music Society of Trieste, as well as appearances in Brescia, Cincinnati, Baltimore, Lugano (Switzerland), Mexico City and Stockholm.

In 2016, the duo was highly praised for a successful televi sion appearance on Italy’s popular talent show, “Tu Sí Que Vales”. In 2018, the duo made their first successful US Tour which included 36 cities. Also in 2018 the duo performed to a sold-out crowd at Taipei’s prestigious National Concert Hall, earning themselves a second invitation in October of 2019. In 2019, the duo appeared in the new and innovative TV series, “Now Hear This” on Great Performances | PBS, the first classical music television series broadcast in prime time since 1967. (episodes n.1 and n.4)

Brad Repp performs on a 1736 Testore violin. Aldo Gentiles chi performs on whatever piano he can find.

WHAT CAN I SAY? DISCOURAGING? SCANDALIZING? IRRITATING? BLASPHEMOUS? All in all Duo Baldo’s performance has to be seen, words are not enough to convey the subtle irony that pervades it.

SUSAN JARMAN Grapevine Magazine

THE DUO GAVE SUCH AN EXPLOSIVE PERFORMANCE, mixed with a series of exhilarating gags, that they literally conquered the audience.

GIANCARLO CASELLI Liricamente (Teatro Goldoni di Livorno)

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685-1750)

Concerto for 2 Violins in D minor, BWV 1043 I. Vivace

II. Largo, ma non tanto III. Allegro

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Pathétique Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13, 2. Adagio cantabile

JOHANNES BRAHMS (1833-1897) Hungarian Dance No. 1 Allegro molto, G minor

FRANTIŠEK JANOSKA (B. 1986) Souvenir pour Elise. Hommage à Ludwig van Beethoven

BÉLA BARTÓK (1881-1941)

Romanian Folk Dances I. Jocul cu bâta II. Brâul III. Pe Loc IV. Buciumeana V. Poarga românesca VI. Mărunțel

DAVE BRUBECK (1920-2012) Blue Rondo à la Turk

LEONARD BERNSTEIN (1918-1990)

Candide. Overture à la Janoska

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

When looking for a basic idea for their third album, the en semble started from their own strength in improvising. The musicians asked themselves who the greatest improvisers in classical music were and came up with the names Bach, Beethoven and Brahms, whom they view as the main role models for the ensemble, yes, even their patron saints. Then they looked a little into the modern age, and immediately took Bernstein, Bartók and Brubeck on board. Then it was time for the test. With the Janoska Ensemble, playful gestures are also the result of profound reflection and concentrated im provisation by the four musicians. The sensuousness of this music is also a perfect fit for the curvy silhouette of the epon ymous Latin letter B, which is originally from the Proto-Sin itic (or Proto-Chinese) alphabet and was used by Canaanite migrant workers around 1700 B.C. In its original form, the B resembled a house with an exit. The Phoenicians referred to the letter as bet, meaning “house.” This is an apt association for an ensemble whose musical foundations were laid some 150 years ago.

As with the Proto-Sinitic B, the door remains open. This makes constant change possible. And so, the boundaries between what is familiar and what is strange are blurred in a subtle way. Genres and styles sometimes dissolve in a man ner that is light-hearted, then soulful.

Their sensitivity to subcutaneous atmospheres, the ability to transcend conventional articulatory conciseness and last but not least, the way they deliberately turn a blind eye to genres and styles. No matter what this quartet plays, it all comes together to create the popular Janoska aesthetic. It strikes a fine balance between the Apollonian and Dionysian – rea son and passion. Progress may occasionally gallop in the wrong direction, but with The Big B’s the Janoska Ensemble presents music that is deeply human. These may be strange times, but they are still beautiful. Not least thanks to this won derfully hybrid music, which so perfectly expresses the out look of the Janoska Ensemble that brings people together.

LALO SCHIFRIN Composer

JANOSKA ENSEMBLE | Vienna, Austria

The musical universe is infinite and the galaxy of best-loved composers alone contains thousands of musical suns. Sty listically, though, these are often musical light-years apart. The Janoska Ensemble has set out to span intergalactic distance with its unique synthesis of musical worlds and its venture has won it an enthusiastic international public in a remarkably short time.

The four young progenitors of this art – each with superb classical training – have combined their individual musical attainments to perfection: Ondrej, František and Roman Janoska (three brothers from Bratislava) and their brotherin-law Julius Darvas (born and bred in Konstanz) are already successful in repeated engagements on four continents.

The Janoska Ensemble has achieved the feat, in the competitive jungle of today’s music scene, of forging their specific style into their own brand and thus into a genre concept, namely their Janoska Style, transposing familiar references from classic to pop into an audibly related and yet quite new message. Nor is this all: each of their preci sion-tuned arrangements invariably carries the hallmark of the ensemble’s abounding musical invention, the Janoska fingerprints. This fingerprinting – with an amazing range of expression from moving to thrilling – naturally shows up in the ensemble members’ own compositions. The Janoska Style possesses the rare ability to enthuse dedicated follow ers of totally opposing genres. Its vast reserves of positive energy electrify an audience after just a few bars; by the time they have embarked on their spontaneous virtuoso improvisations, the four great artists have stirred even the most reticent listeners from their seats.

Photography: © Andreas BItesnich

The Janoska Ensemble’s debut album “Janoska Style” was released on the prestigious classical music label Deutsche Grammophon in 2016 and attained gold status within a year. This concentrated versatility of the Janoska Ensemble allowed it to break new ground in the choice of its musical material on the album REVOLUTION, which released inter nationally at Deutsche Grammophon in 2019. In homage to the four ingenious Liverpoolers, the Janoska Ensemble has arranged top Beatles hits in Janoska style for their album. Their latest 2022 album, The Big B’s, originated as started from their own strength in improvising and then asked themselves who the greatest improvisers in classical music were. They came up with the names Bach, Beethoven and Brahms, whom they view as the main role models for the ensemble, yes, even their patron saints. Then they looked a little into the modern age, and immediately took Bernstein, Bartók and Brubeck on board. Their latest 2022 album released globally August 5th.

Roman Janoska plays a violin kindly loaned to him by Dr. Christian Kuhn.

THE JANOSKA ENSEMBLE IS ONE OF THE MOST ORIGINAL GROUPS OF EXTREMELY TALENTED MUSICIANS, who are very unique in performing classical music, jazz, Latin and other genres. Their inspiration is inexhaustible and they deserve everyone’s attention and enthusiasm.

JOY TO THE WORLD Christmas A Cappella

CHRISTMAS THEN AND NOW

“Sis willekommen, Herre Kerst” - 11th century, arr. Günther Raphael (1903-1960)

“Resonet in laudibus” - 14th century, arr. Jacobus Gallus (1550-1591), motet in three parts by Orlando di Lasso (1532-1594)

“Remember, O Thou Man” - 16th century, melody by Thomas Ravencroft (1611), arr. Ludwig Böhme (*1979)

“Mirabile Mysterium” by Jacobus Gallus (1550-1591)

“Rocking” by John Tavener (1944-2013)

“E la don, don” by Verges Maria Mateo Flecha (1481-1553)

“Madrigal for Christmas” by Thomas Morley (1557-1602)

“Mary walked through a wood of thorn” by Philip Radcliffe (1905-1986)

“Ave regina caelorum” by Carlo Gesualdo di Venosa (1566-1613)

“Il est né, le divin Enfant” - 19th century (France), arr: Ludwig Böhme

“God rest you merry, gentlemen” - 18th century, arr. Ludwig Böhme continued on next page

CAROLS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD

“Huron Carol” from Canada (Jean de Brébeuf, 1642), arr: Calmus

“Les anges dans nos campagnes” from France, arr: Fredo Jung (*1949)

“Betlehems Stjärna” from Sweden (Alice Tegnér 1893/Viktor Rydberg 1891), arr: Robert Sund (*1942)

“Shchedryk” from Ukraine, arr: Fredo Jung (*1949)

“Entre le bœuf et l’ âne gris” from France, arr: Reiko Füting

“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” from the United States (Hugh Martin/Ralph Blane), arr: Jens Troester (*1970)

“De tierra lejana venimos” from Puerto Rico, arr: Juan Garcia (*1976)

“Ding dong, merrily on high” from France, arr: Philip Lawson (*1957)

The twelve days of Christmas from Great Britain (Frederic Austin/William Henry Husk), arr: Ludwig Böhme

CALMUS ENSEMBLE | Germany

Homogeneity, precision, lightness, emotionality, humorous ness—these are characteristics of the Calmus Ensemble, one of Germany’s most successful vocal groups. The wide range of tonal colors, the passionate joy the singers convey on stage, their sound culture and their varied and imaginative programs never fail to inspire. The five singers from Leipzig have won several international prizes and competitions— most recently the OPUS Klassik 2019 for “Best Choral Re cording”. With over 50 concerts a year, Calmus is always a welcome guest throughout Europe and North America alike.

The ensemble’s repertoire range is almost unlimited. Influ enced by the tradition of the old masters of Leipzig, the sing ers are at home in the vocal music of the Renaissance, Ba roque, and Romantic periods alike. Over the years, they have commissioned and premiered numerous compositions, in cluding works by Paul Moravec, Mathew Rosenblum, Bernd Franke, Steffen Schleiermacher, Wolfram Buchenberg, Bill Dobbins, Mia Makaroff, Dan Dediu and Harald Banter. They also enjoy singing and arranging pop, folk, and jazz, as they published numerous sheet music publications.

THE ENTIRE PERFORMANCE

WAS

NOTHING

SHORT OF HYPNOTIC. Calmus’ five members blended perfectly in their harmonies and left the audience in awed silence many a time, before they finally broke out into applause.

KENDALL MOSTAFAVI DC Metro Theatre Arts

Calmus is known for its many collaborations including proj ects with the MDR Sinfonieorchester (Weill’s “The Seven Deadly Sins”), the Raschèr Saxophone Quartet, the Hamburg Ratsmusik, the hr-Bigband, the Capella de la Torre, amarcord (“Disputation”) or Elke Heidenreich (“Nachtgedanken”) further enrich Calmus’ repertoire, and with the lautten compagney BERLIN (“BachArkaden” / “Mitten im Leben”).

Calmus devotes a part of its time to the promotion of young talent. Lessons, workshops, and jury activities are part of the singers’ daily routine, at home in Leipzig and on the road as artists-in-residence at the STIMMEN Festival Lörrach, at the Bachwoche Stuttgart.

Photography: © Anne Hornemann

From

Love Italy with

7 PM SUNDAY 25 MARCH 2023

FRANZ LISZT (1811-1886)

Compositions inspired by Italian Opera masterpieces by Rossini, Bellini and Verdi

SEVEN BRILLIANT VARIATIONS ON A THEME BY ROSSINI, S. 149

REMINISCENCES OF THE OPERA “I PURITANI”, S. 390

FINALE OF “DON CARLO”, S. 435

FANTASY ON MOTIFS FROM THE OPERA “LA SONNAMBULA”, S. 393

RIGOLETTO, CONCERT PARAPHRASE, S. 434

LEONARDO COLAFELICE | Italy

Born in 1995 in Altamura (Bari), Southern Italy, Leonardo Colafe lice is a concert pianist of the greatest degree. In August 2016, he was awarded Second Prize in the prestigious Cleveland Inter national Piano Competition and also received 3 special awards: Audience Prize, Best Performance of a Russian Piece, and The Junior Jury Prize. Most recently in January 2020, Leonardo won the 3rd prize Bronze Medal and the Audience Favorite Award at The Gurwitz International Piano Competition in San Antonio (Texas, USA). He has also been recognized as “Emissary of the Muse” by the current mayor of San Antonio Ron Nirenberg. In May 2019, Leonardo was also one of the 6 finalists during the first edition of the “China International Music Competition” in Beijing.

Prior to this, Leonardo has been awarded with several interna tional prizes: in May 2014 as a young 18-year-old, Leonardo Colafelice was one of the six finalists in the “Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition” in Tel Aviv. At the end of the competition, he also received three important special priz es: Best Performer of a Classical Concerto, Best Performer of a Chopin Composition, and finally, Most Outstanding Pianist up to 22 Years of Age. Also in October 2014, he was awarded the “A. B. Michelangeli” prize from the city of Eppan in Northern Italy.

Between 2012 and 2013, he won several important international awards: Gold Medal at the “Gina Bachauer Young Artists Inter national Piano Competition” in Salt Lake City (USA); First Prize at the “Thomas & Evon Cooper International Competition” in Oberlin and Cleveland (USA); Gold Medal at the “Eastman Young Artists International Piano Competition” in Rochester (USA); all in 2012. In 2013, he was awarded: Gold Medal at the “Yamaha USASU International Piano Competition” in Arizona, where Mar tha Argerich herself personally handed him his Award; First Prize at the “Aarhus Competition” in Denmark; and finally, First Prize at the “Hilton Head Competition” in South Carolina (USA).

He was also the First Prize winner at many other international piano competitions including: ”The Young Pianists of the North International Piano Competition” in Newcastle (UK); “The Inter national Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition for Young Artists” in Szafarnia (Poland); “The Concours Musical de France” in Par is; “The International Tournament of Music” (TIM) in Verona (Ita ly); and “The Premio Città di Padova” in Padua (Italy). Colafelice is regularly invited to play in the principal Italian cit ies including Milano, Turin, Roma, Bologna, Messina, Palermo, Catania, Bari, Padova, Venezia, Verona, Caserta, etc., as well as abroad in various venues in the United States, Canada, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Denmark, Switzerland, Poland, Hun gary, Israel, Morocco, Turkey, Norway, Chile, and Georgia. He has performed with numerous and prestigious orchestras like:

The Cleveland Orchestra, The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, The Toledo Symphony Orchestra, The Aarhus Symphony Orchestra, The Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra, The Chile Symphony Orchestra, The Mo rocco Philharmonic Orchestra, The Orchestra dei Pomeriggi Mu sicali, The Orchestra di Padova e del Veneto and many more.

Leonardo is also currently Piano Professor at the renowned “Nic colò Piccinni Conservatory of Music” in Bari, in which Leonardo was graduated in 2014 as a pupil of Pasquale Iannone.

I am very excited to hear such a fabulous pianist and musician. Thanks for your music!

MARTHA ARGERICH Renowned Concert Pianist

7 PM SUNDAY 7 MAY 2023

ISAAC ALBENIZ (1860 - 1909)

Asturias (Leyenda) No.5 from Suite Espanola, op.47 (1886) (*)

ANTONIO VIVALDI (1678-1741)

Sonata a-Moll (RV 44) (*)

Largo Allegro Poco

Largo Allegro

GIOVANNI SOLLIMA (B. 1962)

Suite “Free life on Earth” (2003) for cello and guitar

MOLDAVIAN FOLK DANCES SUITE (*)

Hora Basarabiei Doina Banatului Coragheasca pe 12 Syrba de Concert

ÁSTOR PANTALEÓN PIAZZOLLA (1921-1992)

Tanti Anni Prima (Ave Maria) (*)

(*) arrangement for cello and guitar by Boris Andrianov and Dimitri Illarionov

Two outstanding Russian soloists - cellist Boris Andrianov and guitarist Dimitri Illarionov - combine forces in this rare and wonderful combination. Andrianov, who plays the cello with the ease of a violin, and Illarionov, who does not seem to know any instrumental boundaries, show an unbelievable breadth of musicality. Both musicians won important competitions. Their duo CD “Classical Duo” (by Delos Records, USA) was in the preliminary list of nominations for a Grammy Award. This CD as well as Dimitri Illarionov’s solo CDs with Naxos, Daminus Records and Edition Doberman and Boris Andrianov’s CDs with Quartz Records were highly acclaimed by critics. The duo has given concerts in Europe, North America and Asia. They took part in some significant festivals, such as the 2004 Los Angeles Festival of Russian Culture, the Tongyeong International Music Festival (Korea) and the Crescendo International Music Festival in St. Petersburg, Russia. In 2005 they were invited to play at the opening ceremony of the Hannover Messe and had an appearance between the speeches of German Federal Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Among other venues where they have performed as a duo are the 2006 G-8 Summit in Saint-Petersburg, the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Music Festival and in France: Festival de musique d’Auvers-sur-Oise, the Festival Pablo Casals Prades and the Annecy Classic Festival, the Frick Collection in New York, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.

DIMITRI ILLARIONOV | Russia

ANDRIANOV’S PROFOUND MUSICALITY and phrasing

impresses one almost immediately.

ZUBIN MEHTA Director Emeritus of Israel Philharmonic Orchestra

BORIS ANDRIANOV | Russia

Cellist Boris Andrianov, winner of the bronze medal at the In ternational Tchaikovsky Competition, is the first Russian lau reate at the International Rostropovich Competition in Paris. His talent has been recognized by musicians such as Zubin Mehta - “his profound musicality and phrasing impresses one almost immediately.” and Daniil Shafran - “Boris Andrianov is probably one of the most talented cellists of Russia at pres ent.” Boris Andrianov has performed at the Moscow Conser vatory halls, Moscow Philharmonic Hall, St. Petersburg Phil harmonic Hall, the Concertgebouw, Tokyo’s Opera City and Suntory Hall and the Vienna Konzerthaus. He has performed with the French National Orchestra, the Mariinsky Theatre Or chestra, the Beethoven Orchestra with such conductors as Valery Gergiev, Pavel Kogan, Alexander Vedernikov, Krzysztof Penderecki and David Geringas. His CD of Rachmaninov and Shostakovich sonatas with pianist Uri Urasin on the Quartz label received the Gramophone’s “Editor’s Choice”.

Guitarist Dimitri Illarionov is the winner of two of the most prestigious guitar competitions in the world - the Interna tional Guitar Foundation of America Solo Guitar Competition and the International Guitar Competition of Francisco Tarre ga (the first time in 42 years that the winner was from Rus sia). Dimitri has played in some of the most prestigious halls in the world - Tonhalle (Zurich, Switzerland); Lutfu Kirdar (Istanbul); Great Hall of Moscow Conservatory; Concert Hall “Bulgaria” (Sofia); Osaka Symphony Hall; “Schleswig-Hol stein” Music Festival. He teaches at the Russian Gnesins’s Academy of Music. “... with such temperament, musician ship, richness of colour, radiance, sense of timing and feeling the acoustic qualities of his soft-toned instrument that the combination of all these abilities, coupled with an evident gift for entertainment, is the best expressed in one single word: wow!” “Tages-Anzeiger” (Zurich, Switzerland).

ILLARIONOV COMMANDS

ATTENTION with his fluent technique and bright basic sound, ‘in-your-face’ from the beginning of the first item.

JOHN DUARTE Gramophone

GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT & SAN ANTONIO SISTER CITIES

PRESIDENT DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER

GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT

On September 11, 1956, President Eisenhower brought Americans representing all walks of life to Washington D.C. to attend a White House Conference on Citizen Diplomacy. This conference formed the capstone of the People-To-People program.

Arts and cultural programs are some of the oldest and most robust in the sister cities network and continue to connect people from different backgrounds on a fundamental level. By experiencing and exploring the culture of an international community, citizens may gain insight into the history, values, and aesthetic sensibilities of their partners. Today, cultural exchange provides the foundation for many sister city relationships. These exchanges take many different forms, with musical performances, art exhibits, peace parks and gardens, and international cultural festivals.

In 2018, a new multinational jazz group assembled to celebrate three important birthdays: San Antonio’s Tricentennial, the 20th anniversary of Musical Bridges Around the World (MBAW), and the fifth year of its signature event, the International Music Festival (now titled UNITYFest).

Dr. Aaron Prado, a San Antonio-based composer, educator and musician, was charged to lead the International Sister City Jazz Ensemble that included saxophonist Shlomi Kohen (Tel Aviv, Israel); guitarist Prasanna (Chennai, India); guitarist Oscar Zensei Gonzalez, bassist Vico Diaz, vocalist Magos Herrera (Mexico); saxophonist and flutist Anke Schimpf (Darmstadt, Germany); jazz

pianist Sonoda Tomoko (Kumamoto, Japan); Elemotho, vocals and Suzy Eises, saxophone (Windhoek, Namibia); trumpeter Max Huang (Kaohsiung, Taiwan); Brandon Guerra on drums (San Antonio); accordionist Victor Prieto (Spain); and Chen Yan and Zhang Jianzhen, both playing Traditional Pingtan (Suzhou, China).

Dr. Prado was also commissioned by MBAW to create a new composition for this event that would celebrate the cultural heritage of these Sister and Friendship City classical, jazz and ethnic folk musicians but also let them put their stamp on the San Antonio artistic community. The visiting musicians each contributed a musical score from their own countries, such as Diaz’s “La brujula” or “Lullaby of Itsuki” featuring Sonoda’s piano. Incorporating improvisational solos for each musician, Prado created a piece titled simply, “Sister Cities.”

“I wanted to create a structure open enough for the culture of each musician to come through, in a way meaningful to them,” Prado said. As for the city, “it was a great moment for us to draw the eyes and ears of the world to recognize not only the richness of our past, but demonstrate our relevance and ability to serve as a world-wide cultural ambassador at this delicate moment in history. We’re a city with a history, but more importantly, we’re a city with a present and a bright future as well.”

Prado also noted that it was “the most complex musical project I’ve ever been part of – bringing 12 artists together to play each other’s music was not easy! And as music director I felt a great weight of responsibility to ensure that each musician’s feature was well-rehearsed and well-performed.”

Two deeply-held convictions unite us in common purpose. First, is our belief in effective and responsive local government as a principal bulwark of freedom. Second, is our faith in the great promise of people-to-people and sister city affiliations in helping build the solid structure of world peace.

Whether it was the powerful vocals of some, or the chilling instrumentals of others, the International Sister City Jazz Ensemble demonstrated variety, passion, and a sense of euphoria.

“I’m really happy that each musician was able to shine and be featured individually, but also that the group played so well as a unit. Here are all these artists who were strangers just a few days ago from countries all around the world inspiring each other working like a family to create art. I really thought it was a triumph both as a symbol of international cooperation and as a musical performance of the highest caliber,” said Prado.

If music is a universal language, Musical Bridges Around the World speaks it fluently. Over the course of the International Music Festival (now UNITYFest), unlikely and unique pairings like an Israeli-Palestinian piano duo or a Ukrainian vocalist with a Russian string quartet change peoples’ world views” and challenge preconceived notions.

“That’s important to our mission, music is the heartbeat of humanity. No matter what your belief system or structure is, everybody can recognize beauty and that’s what this festival is about, says MBAW Advancement Director Suhail Arastu. “The founder is a Russian Jew. I’m an Indian Muslim. We’re performing in a Catholic church. That’s America, right?”

ARTICLE ADAPTED WITH CONTRIBUTIONS FROM:

“Arts and Culture.” Sister Cities International (SCI), sistercities.org/ arts-and-culture/.

Frank, Nicholas. “International Music Festival Bridges Nations through “Universal Language.”” San Antonio Report, 31 Jan. 2018.

Hubbard, Emily. “International Sister City Jazz Ensemble/Musical Bridges - the Paisano.” The Paisano, 7 Feb. 2018.

Lopez, JJ. “Special Tricentennial Concert Brings Together Sister Cities.” Trinity University, 10 Jan. 2018.

SAN ANTONIO SISTER CITIES PAST & FUTURE

Musical Bridges Around the World has focused collaboration with San Antonio’s many Sister Cities across the globe. Below are just a few highlights:

In 2013, MBAW CEO & Artistic Director Anya Grokhovski traveled on a trade mission to the San Antonio Sister City of Chennai, India, with a delegation led by then-Mayor Julian Castro. In partnership with nonprofit Anuja San Antonio and artists such as Indian guitarist Prasanna, the musical connection remains vibrant and strong through artistic collaborations.

In preparation for Musical Bridges’ 20th Anniversary and the city’s Tricentennial in 2018, Anya later traveled to the Sister City of

Kumamoto, Japan. There she discovered pianist Tomoko Sonoda who then came to the Alamo City as a member of the Sister City Jazz Ensemble.

As Chairman of Sister Cities International (SCI), San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg appointed his Arts Commissioner, MBAW’s Suhail Arastu, to the SCI Board of Directors in 2018 and convened a US-Mexico Mayor’s summit in the Sister City of Guadalajara, Mexico during their 400th Anniversary year. Guitarist Vico Díaz of MBAW’s Sister City Jazz Ensemble was also featured as a guest performer during the summit.

In October 2022, Suhail Arastu traveled to the Sister City of Gwangju, South Korea to meet with the Ha Kyoung Wan, Director of Gwangju Metropolitan Culture & Art Center and Gwangju Symphony Orchestra’s Artistic Director/Conductor, Seokwon Hong. In celebration of a forty year Sister City relationship, an agreement was made whereupon the Gwangju City government would sponsored a tour of their orchestra to San Antonio for a UNITYFest 2023 performance with French Korean pianist and 2020 Silver Medalist of The Gurwitz International Piano Competition, Yedam Kim.

In 2022, San Antonio District 8 Councilman and Sister Cities International Board Member Manny Pelaez of Colombian heritage led a trade and cultural mission to Panama and Colombia in exploration of further city-to-city partnerships. Shahrzad Dowlatshahi, San Antonio’s Chief Diplomat and member of MBAW’s Global Advisory Council, invited MBAW to join the mission. CEO Anya Grokhovski and Board Member Dr. Awilda I. Ramos represented SA arts and culture to establish a foundation of understanding and mutual benefit through connections in Latin America. Visiting the UNESCO World Heritage site of Casco Antiguo, Anya and Awilda were so inspired by it and decided to include it in the curriculum for MBAW’s Musical Sprouts educational program next season.

Anya and Awilda learned that both countries held great interest in partnering with San Antonio arts and institutions of higher education. Upon return, they scheduled ZOOM meetings with 18 different institutions in Colombia and are planning to be matchmakers for some potential San Antonio-Colombia partnerships. Panama is very interested in partnering on a Musical Sprouts education segment with San Antonio campuses and showcasing the culture of San Antonio and South Texas in their schools.

The power of people to people relations cannot be overstated. Culture, art and music are great connectors bringing people of the world together. In times when governments disagree and politics are divisive, it is these relationships that must be nourished as we endure and strive to unite in common humanity.

UNITYFest

Free annual festival creating meaningful connections through cross-cultural collaborations and celebrating our common humanity. A union of classical and contemporary music from near and far defines our place in this melting pot that is San Antonio. Festival artists will engage the community through masterclasses, performances for area schools and senior communities and collaborations with cultural associations.

Attend

All UNITYFest concerts are FREE & open to the public, but ticket registration is required. (Discludes Silver Soireé). Please have the ticket(s)’ QR code available for attendants at entry. If you forget your ticket, you may provide the name provided on your order. If you did not get tickets, an attendant can still assist you to register in person. Seating is first-come-first-served, and doors open an hour before each concert time. GET FREE TICKETS AT MBAW.ORG/UNITYFEST Programs, Artists and Venues Subject to Change

Venues & Parking

Parking will vary per location, please visit mbaw.org/unityfest for details.

BUENA VISTA THEATER, UTSA DOWNTOWN CAMPUS 501 W César E Chávez Blvd, San Antonio, TX 78207

CARVER COMMUNITY CULTURAL CENTER 226 N Hackberry St, San Antonio, TX 78202

UTSA SOUTHWEST - SCHOOL OF ART 300 Augusta St, San Antonio, TX 78205

TOBIN CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS 100 Auditorium Cir, San Antonio, TX 78205

ST. ANTHONY HOTEL 300 E Travis St, San Antonio, TX 78205

UNITYFest

A HISTORY BY ANYA GROKHOVSKI

John L. Santikos, the businessman known for building the largest family-owned movie theatre company in Texas, was a great admirer of classical music and rarely missed Musical Bridges Around the World’s early concerts at San Antonio College’s McAllister Auditorium.

At the end of each season, John would stand in a long line to buy our next season’s subscription at a discounted rate. Once as I was speaking with people in queue, John came up to me and said, “Anya, why don’t you consolidate these concerts into one big festi val? It will be easier to market and will attract a larger audience.”

One does not take advice from such a great businessman for granted, so we decided to try this festival idea after much consideration amongst our Board of Directors and staff. 2014 marked our inaugural International Music Festival, which we held at Trinity University.

Over the years, the festival has provided a platform to widen our artistic expression to include world music, jazz and multimedia projects. The festival best reflects our organizational mission: celebrating our shared humanity by providing access to global arts for all! I should also mention that our renewed global vision was greatly influenced by the Silk Road Project in New York (now Silkroad), formerly under the direction of Yo-Yo Ma. Their perfor mances shook my world and made me realize that music is a great ambassador of nations and should be a vehicle to connect people across cultures.

The jazz element within the International Music Festival stemmed from early partnerships with prominent local internist Dr. Bradley Kayser, energy executive Chuck Parrish, and Musical Bridges’ sound engineer from day one, James Sanders. All three are jazz addicts – they live and breathe it. The walls of their homes are cov ered with recordings, and they have rooms dedicated to listening. To this day, they produce a weekly Tuesday evening jazz program on KRTU 91.7 FM called “Riffs’’ where they invite all to “Listen with Big Ears!” It was their unique perspective on jazz that made its way into MBAW’s vision and festival, inspiring us to present jazz concerts of international repute.

Speaking of jazz, one of the highlights that came out of the International Music Festival was a unique concert we produced for San Antonio’s Tricentennial in 2018. In partnership with the City of San Antonio’s International Relations Office, we brought one musician from each of San Antonio’s Sister and Friendship cities here to perform together as the “Sister City Jazz Ensemble.” Under the direction of renowned San Antonio jazz pianist, composer, pro fessor, and dear friend Dr. Aaron Prado, the ensemble performed Prado’s original composition “Sister Cities” which was commis sioned as part of the Tricentennial.

Anya, why don’t you consolidate these concerts into one big festival?

Barynya music & dance troupe

Photo: Rob Michaelson

All in all, time proved John Santikos to be correct; consolidating our McAllister concert series into one spectacular annual International Music Festival, now called UNITYFest, was a brilliant idea!

Joey Alexander & trio get a standing ovation at the 2017 festival.

Artists from San Antonio’s sister cities around the world joined together as the International Sister City Jazz Ensemble to perform composer Aaron Prado’s commissioned work “Sister Cities” during the 2018 festival.

Chinese artists Zhang Jianzhen and Chen Yan perform at the 2018 festival.

Photo: Ken Mahnke

Photo: Ken Mahnke

Photo: Ken Mahnke

MBAW’s first performers were members of CEO Anya Grokhovski’s family, student, and friends. This concert brings them together again, as Anya performs with pianist Valeri Grokhovski, violinist Mark Cheikhet, pianist Elena Portnaya, Agarita Chamber Ensemble, and mezzo-soprano Veronica Wil liams. All generations of musicians will unite in celebrating, reuniting, and contributing to a shared peace that comes through music.

Buena Vista Theater, UTSA Downtown Campus

BILL CHARLAP TRIO

Grammy Award-winning pianist Bill Charlap has performed with many of the leading artists of our time, from Phil Woods and Benny Carter to Gerry Mulligan and Wynton Marsalis. He is acclaimed for his interpretations of the American popular songbook, and has recorded albums featuring the music of Hoagy Carmichael, Leonard Bernstein, George Gershwin, Ir ving Berlin, Cole Porter, Richard Rodgers and Duke Ellington.

The Bill Charlap Trio, with bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington, marks its 23rd year together this season, and is recognized as one of the leading ensem bles in jazz. The Trio earned Grammy nominations for 2017’s Uptown Downtown (Impulse!/Verve) and Somewhere: The Songs of Leonard Bernstein and The Bill Charlap Trio: Live at the Village Vanguard (both on the Blue Note label). Their 2016 album Notes from New York (Impulse!/Verve) earned a five-star review in Downbeat, which hailed it as “a master class in class.” The trio’s most recent recording features them supporting Tony Bennett & Diana Krall on the chart-topping, Grammy nominated Love is Here to Stay. The Bill Charlap Trio tours all over the world, and their New York engagements in clude regular appearances at Jazz at Lincoln Center and the Village Vanguard.

BILL CHARLAP | Piano

Last summer, Mr. Charlap celebrated his 15th year as artistic director of the 92nd Street Y’s Jazz in July festival. He has also produced concerts for Jazz at Lincoln Center, New Jer sey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), the Chicago Sympho ny Center and the Hollywood Bowl. He is Director of Jazz Studies at William Paterson University in Wayne, New Jersey. Founded in 1973, the program is one of the longest-running and most respected jazz programs in the world.

Born in New York City, Mr. Charlap began playing the piano at age three. His father was Broadway composer Moose Char lap, whose credits include Peter Pan, and his mother is singer Sandy Stewart, who toured with Benny Goodman, appeared on the Ed Sullivan and Perry Como shows, and earned a Grammy Award nomination for her recording of “My Coloring Book.”

Mr. Charlap’s collaboration with Tony Bennett, The Silver Lin ing: The Songs of Jerome Kern, on the RPM/ Columbia label,

won the 2016 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. It features Mr. Charlap and Mr. Bennett together and in collaboration with The Bill Charlap Trio and in duo piano performances with his wife, renowned jazz pianist and com poser Renee Rosnes.

Mr. Charlap and Ms. Rosnes frequently collaborate in duo pi ano concerts. Their highly acclaimed album Double Portrait is on the Blue Note label. Mr. Charlap’s website is billcharlap. com.

PETER WASHINGTON | Bass

Peter Washington is one of the most in demand and record ed bassists in modern jazz, with a discography of over 400 recordings. Born in Los Angeles, Washington played classical bass as a teen and majored in English Literature at U.C. Berke ley, where he became interested in jazz. He was invited by Art Blakey to join the Jazz Messengers in New York. From there Washington became part of two of jazz’s most celebrated tri os: the Tommy Flanagan Trio, and for the past thirteen years, the Bill Charlap Trio. Washington’s freelance work roster is a “who’s who” of jazz, including Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry, Milt Jackson, Johnny Griffin, Bobby Hutcherson and the Carne gie Hall Jazz Band. In 2008, Washington became part of The Blue Note 7, a septet formed in honor of the 70th anniversary of Blue Note Records. The group recorded the album Mosaic and toured the U.S. in 2009.

KENNY WASHINGTON | Percussion

Kenny Washington was born in Brooklyn. In 1977, while still in his teens, he worked with Lee Konitz and his nonet. He has been a member of the Bill Charlap Trio for the past thirteen years and has performed and recorded with dozens of major artists, giving him a discography of hundreds of titles. Artists include Benny Carter, Betty Carter, Johnny Griffin, Ron Carter, Clark Terry, Milt Jackson, Tommy Flanagan, Dizzy Gillespie, Arturo Sandoval and Benny Goodman. Washington is a noted jazz historian and radio personality; he has written liner notes and helped prepare re-releases by Art Blakey, Count Basie and others, and has also been a disc jockey on WBGO and Sirius satellite jazz radio. He currently serves on the faculties of Pur chase College, State University of New York and The Juilliard School, teaching drums and jazz history.

Tea for two

7 PM Saturday 4 February 2023

Coates Chapel, UTSA Southwest - School of Art program

CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921) Danse Macabre, Op. 40

PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Waltz Op.20 from Swan Lake, arr. V. Babin

SERGEI RACHMANINOFF (1873-1943) Suite No. 2, Op. 17

ALEXANDER TSFASMAN (1906-1971) Jazz Suite, arr. I. Tsygankov

LUDMILA BERLINSKAYA & ARTHUR ANCELLE | Piano RUSSIA

Drawing their strength from a mutual taste for sharing, taking risks, and exploration, Ludmila Berlinskaya and Arthur Ancelle are inseparable pianists; they are a symbiotic couple on and off stage.

Reviews acclaiming the duo as “sensational pianists” (Fan fare) and “brilliant, cheerful” (Diapason), lauding their ability to “cultivate duality in a supernatural dimension” (Le Monde), their “superb technique” (Classica), their synchronization giving “the impression of only one player” (musicweb-inter national), and their “really dazzling play” (fonoforum) have placed them on the list of highest-ranking piano duos on the international stage.

Both coming from a long line of famous performers, and both accomplished soloists, Ludmila Berlinskaya and Arthur An celle have become a piano duo characterised by an unfalter ing mutual understanding. Thanks to their special energy on stage, original repertoire, new concert formats and ability to communicate with the audience, they aim to contribute to giv ing the piano duo a status equal to all other forms of chamber music.

In only a short time, the duo managed to put together a rep ertoire featuring the ‘greatest hits’ for two pianos and four hands, as well as rare works featuring original compositions and new transcriptions, enriched by Arthur Ancelle’s scores : Francesca da Rimini (Jurgenson), Romeo & Juliet (Chant du Monde), After a reading of Dante, etc.

Each season, they are guests of the most beautiful halls: Ra dio France Auditorium, Salle Gaveau, Moscow and St. Peters burg Philharmonic Halls, Zaryadye Hall, Moscow Conservato ry, and they will make their debut at the Philharmonie de Paris in 2022.

Invited to prestigious festivals such as the Sommets Musi caux de Gstaad, the Moscow December Nights Festival, the Tokyo Spring Festival, Rota das Artes in Lisbon, Klavier Rar itäten in Husum, the Lisztomanias, the Solistes à Bagatelle or the Pianofolies du Touquet, they also collaborate with renowned orchestras such as the St. Petersburg Philhar

monic Orchestra, the Freiburg Philharmonic Orchestra, the Ulsan Philharmonic Orchestra, the Orchestre National d’Ile de France, the Orchestre de Picardie, and conductors of all generations: Nikolai Alexeev, Arie Van Beek, Jader Bignamini, Lucie Leguay, Rebecca Tong...

Bolstered by intense recording activity as a duo, as soloists, or as chamber musicians, Ludmila Berlinskaya and Arthur An celle have already released 8 albums together, all of which have been extremely well received and awarded by the in ternational press (Gramophone’s Editor’s Choice, Classica’s Choc, Le Monde’s and Libération’s Album of the Year, Pianiste Maestro, etc.).

Their creativity and desire to share is also expressed through the artistic direction of two festivals: La Clé des Portes, creat ed in 2012 and which takes place in the enchanting setting of the Loire castles, and the Rungis Piano-Piano Festival, entirely dedicated to the world of 2-pianos and 4-hands.

© Berlinskaya Ancelle piano duo 2022

Photography: © Ira Polyarnaya

East meets west

YEDAM KIM | Piano

FRANCE-SOUTH KOREA

Born in South Korea, Yedam started piano at the age of 6 with Eun-Ock Kim and Hae-jeon Lee. After many prizes at national piano competitions and her debut recital in Seoul in 2002, she moved to Paris.

Yedam graduated with her Master’s degree at Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris (CNSM de Paris) in 2010 with Henri Barda and Bruno Rigutto, her Postgraduate degree in 2013 at the Salzburg Mozarteum with Jacques Rouvier and obtained the ‘Diplôme de Concertiste’ at Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris in 2015. She graduated also with a Master’s degree of opera coach at CNSM de Paris and studied with Rena Shereshevskaya until 2019.

Yedam is the prizewinner of several international piano com petitions: recently 4th prize in Cleveland International piano competition in 2021 and 2nd prize in San Antonio Gurwitz in ternational competition in 2020, 2nd prize in Porto Santa Ce cilia international competition, 6th prize in Seoul international competition, 6th prize in Hong Kong international competition, 2nd prize in Epinal international competition. She was also a semi-finalist in the Queen Elizabeth international competition. She played in prestigious halls in Europe, US and South Korea as a soloist, chamberist and with orchestras such as Konzer thaus in Berlin, Salle Pleyel, Salle Cortot, Théatre du Châtelet and Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow.

GWANGJU SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

SOUTH KOREA

The Gwangju Civic Symphony was formed in 1967 by stu dents and alumni from Chosun University’s music department and local musicians. In 1976, it was renamed the Gwangju Symphony Orchestra and officially founded as the city’s rep resentative public orchestra.

Through its 43 years, the orchestra has held almost 350 regu lar concerts and over 800 other performances. While aspiring to represent not just Gwangju, but all of Asia, the orchestra is focusing its efforts on three major goals: improvement of musicianship and expansion of repertories, strengthening its domestic and foreign brand, and its orchestral education pro gram. This includes the concert commentary program Classic Talk, the age-specific programs GSO TEENS and GSO KIDS, a humanities concert, and more. The outdoor festival-style con

cert GSO PROMS began in 2018, and features performances and a music playground experience. The Gwangju Symphony Orchestra has also toured and sold out concerts globally in countries such as Czech Republic, Austria, and Japan.

SEOKWON HONG | Artistic Director GWANGJU SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Conductor Seokwon Hong, 13th Artistic Director of Gwangju Symphony Orchestra, was the first Korean to be appointed as principal conductor of an Opera Theater in Austria. Hong actively conducts operas, ballets, symphonies, and modern classical music throughout Europe and Asia. He has conduct ed for Berlin Deutsch Symphony Orchestra, Konzerthausor chester Berlin, Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra, Beetho ven Orchestra Bonn, and more. European Opera magazine ‘Merker’ is quoted, “Conductor Hong Seokwon led the orches tra in making the most ideal sound of Strauss.”

5,000 years of art history in a complex of building that once housed the Lonestar Brewery. On the Museum Reach of the River Walk.

silver Soirée

Awards

Peacock Alley, St. Anthony Hotel

Following the festival finale concert, toast to a quarter century of music-making at Musical Bridges Around the World! Join MBAW founders and sponsors in the beautiful Peacock Alley of the St. Anthony Hotel for an evening of jazz, champagne and hors d’oeuvres.

Awards & Recognition

As they say, it takes a village...

Musical Bridges would not be celebrating her Silver Jubilee without the patronage, dedication and invaluable efforts of countless individuals over the years. During this special anniversary year we attempt to recognize a number of indispensable individuals below.

FOUNDERS

DR. JAN PUCKETT DR. SHEILA SWARTZMAN

CONNIE WHITE SUSAN DUNIS SUZANNE ROSTOMIAN GLADYS MILLER DR. GUSTAVO MEDELLIN FATHER DAVID GARCIA MARK CHEIKHET

VALERI GROKHOVSKI, DMA

DR. ERIC MILLER DR. AWILDA I. RAMOS

LEADERSHIP IN EDUCATION

CALEB GONZALEZ

KEN THOMPSON

DR. ERIC MILLER

DR. AWILDA RAMOS DR. BECKY HUANG

DR. BELINDA FLORES

EXCELLENCE IN SERVICE

ROLANDO GREENFIELD NORMA MARINEZ KEN MAHNKE DR. ROBERT MICHAELSON DIANA DAY LAURA LEE LISZT LINDA WASSERMANN

SUSTAINABILITY

RUSSELL HILL ROGERS FUND FOR THE ARTS

KRONKOSKY CHARITABLE FOUNDATION BROWN FOUNDATION

CITY OF SAN ANTONIO DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND CULTURE BEXAR COUNTY TEXAS COMMISSION ON THE ARTS NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS H-E-B

*Deceased

VISIONARY

SHAHRZAD DOWLATSHAHI, Chief Diplomat, City of San Antonio

JAZZ VISIONARY

CHUCK PARRISH

BRADLEY KAYSER, MD JAMES SANDERS LEGACY ROBIN ABRAHAM*

DRS. MICHELLE & ERIC MILLER

JANUARY

17, 2022

MUSICAL BRIDGES TURNS ITS GLOBAL FOCUS HOME TO EXPLORE ROOTS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSIC

BY NICHOLAS FRANK

The San Antonio nonprofit arts organization Musical Bridges Around the World (MBAW) is known for its ongoing mission to build bridges between nations through music.

However, racial tensions heightened by the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd in 2020 and subsequent protests had MBAW turn its attention back home, looking to bridge gaps in understanding among cultures inside the United States.

In considering how to broach the topic for MBAW’s Musical Sprouts youth education program, which has focused on the music of world regions considered trouble spots such as Syria, the Palestinian territories, Iraq and Ukraine, Director of Advancement Suhail Arastu said, “We asked what the need was in the schools. And they said, ‘We understand that you’re Musical Bridges Around the World, but

we are suffering as a nation from these racial tensions. … How can we showcase for the kids the beauty of African American music?’”

The result is The Quilt, an hourlong documentary film exploring the roots, outgrowths and influences of African American music from the time of slavery to the present day.

Director Julya Jara originally embarked on the project for the Musical Sprouts program in part because the coronavirus pan demic spurred a shift to video production, but she said it eventually became a dedicated film project in itself.

A VIA bus travels north on Broadway past the SA is Amor mural created by the Art Everywhere campaign of Centro.

san antonio report

The title and concept originated with San Antonio writer Cynthia Freeman Gibbs, who wrote the script for the film and became its co-narrator, along with her 14-year-old niece Lauren Anya Hunter.

Freeman Gibbs envisioned a metaphor for interconnections between a range of musical styles featured in the documentary: slave songs, spirituals, the blues, ragtime, jazz, music of the Harlem Renaissance period, gospel, music of the civil rights movement, R&B and hip-hop.

“You can look at all the different connections between music from the past and the music that we listen to today,” Freeman Gibbs said of her approach to the script. “I thought that would be important for kids — and anyone — to realize that it’s not separate,” but culture and historical facts are “interwoven and connected and all stitched together.”

The metaphor concisely illustrates “the interconnectedness of all of the people and cultures and how big of an impact African American culture has,” Jara said.

Filmed in segments, each style can be taught separately during the five-week Musical Sprouts program, or together as a one-hour film that can be shown at film festivals or broadcast on television or presented online. MBAW’s Musical Sprouts program serves the San Antonio, North East, Southwest, South San Antonio and Devine independent school districts for the 2021-22 academic year, and the six elementary schools that will receive The Quilt are Price, Palo Alto, Southwest, Devine, Kriewald Road and South San.

The documentary features performances by leading figures in Texas music including jazz scholar and performer Aaron Prado, who wrote original music for the film, and pianist Arlington Jones of Dallas, vo calist Beverly Houston, mezzo-soprano Veronica Williams, trombon ist Ron Wilkins, blues singer and guitarist Marc “Mockingbird” Smith and Andrea “Vocab” Sanderson, a musician and current San Antonio poet laureate.

“The Quilt: A Living History of African American Music” concert Jan. 23 at San Fernando Cathedral will feature artists from the film presenting their various musical specialties.

Serendipity also played a significant role in producing the film, Jara said. While visiting the Carver Community Cultural Center during filming, Jara noted an exhibition of work by members of the African American Quilt Circle of San Antonio and asked if their quilts could be featured in the film’s opening sequence.

“We were lucky to … catch that moment and bring it into the film,” Jara said. “It really helped us to tie everything together.”

Making such an elaborate production for the first time as an orga nization has taught everyone involved to expand their skill sets and explore their own creativity, said Anya Grokhovski, MBAW CEO and artistic director.

“This project became a labor of love to a lot of creative minds,” Grok

While the release date for the finished film has not been set, the Jan.

Director Julya Jara Photo by Manuel Alejandro Hernández Cardona/CMC Studios

Left-to-right: Pianist Arlington Jones with Film Director Julya Jara and Photography Director Alejandro Gutiérrez Photo by Manuel Alejandro Hernández Cardona/CMC Studios

Actress Lauren Hunter Photo by Manuel Alejandro Hernández Cardona/CMC Studios

BECOMING THE WRITER & ACTRESS FOR THE QUILT: A LIVING HISTORY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSIC

BY CYNTHIA FREEMAN-GIBBS

“Writing Books for the World to Enjoy” became my motto as an au thor. I envisioned my books being adapted into movies and became curious about scriptwriting.

The door to become a scriptwriter opened for me on July 28, 2020. Julya Jara with Musical Bridges Around the World saw me facilitate a virtual community conversation called “Amplifying Black Female Voices” for the Classic Theatre of San Antonio. Julya contacted them to request an introduction to explore a collaboration opportunity. She was looking for a writer to write the narrative for a video featuring African American culture.

I met Julya and MBAW’s CEO, Anya Grokhovski, on a Zoom meeting on August 7, 2020, and my life as a scriptwriter began. They shared their vision to educate children about African American music in a video to be shown in select schools. I attempted to decline their request because I’m an author of books for adults and wasn’t skilled in creating films for children. I offered to find someone else who may be able to help them. Needless to say, Anya and Julya were quite persistent and convinced me to dive into this project.

My extensive research began on music genres spanning from the music during the time of slavery, Negro Spirituals, Blues, Ragtime, Jazz, Harlem Renaissance, Gospel, Civil Rights movement, Soul & R&B, and Hip Hop. The wealth of information I gathered by listening to songs, watching videos, and reading pages of material was both valuable and enjoyable.

After exchanging ideas with MBAW, I created a story about an aunt and her niece and their conversation about music. What began as a small video evolved into a full feature documentary film needing two actors, a full production team, and even an entertainment attorney.

Since I hadn’t created content for kids before, I sought feedback from my 14-year-old niece, Lauren Anya Hunter, who lives in Mem phis, and mentioned her suggestions to the MBAW team. Consid ering we needed a child actor, Anya suggested hiring Lauren, then convinced me to believe that I was talented enough to act along with my niece. I hadn’t acted since I was a freshman in college but agreed to do so, editing the script to fit my real-world relationship with Lau ren. This was a joy to do, as we naturally have a bond and chemistry which we knew would be felt on screen.

Thankfully, Lauren is multi-talented in the performing arts. After a full day of school, extracurricular activities, and homework, she would rehearse her lines. The challenge of not being together in person to practice was offset by her familiarity with memorizing scripts. She even perfected changing the tone, pitch, and cadence of her voice to sound like a twelve-year-old instead of the teenager she was quickly morphing into.

I, on the other hand, had to get creative in learning the lines that I had written. Creating the story seemed easier than memorizing and verbalizing the script without sounding like a robot. Thankfully, Julya was a patient Director who brought out the best in me and gave me the confidence to step outside of my comfort zone.

Since this film was written with children in mind, an interactive script was necessary. We played hambone to demonstrate how slaves used their bodies as instruments. For the Ragtime genre, Lauren had to learn a simple version of ‘The Entertainer’ on the piano. She and the talented Arlington Jones were the only two people who could touch the keys of the Steinway piano on set to play ‘The Entertainer’. I included this song because my father challenged my siblings and I to learn the advanced version without any mistakes in order to win a crisp one-hundred-dollar bill from him. I wanted to capture this musical moment from my life in the film.

Another stretch for the two of us was demonstrating how to scat jazz singing although neither of us are scatters. We learned from my sister, Jamille Hunter, who is Lauren’s Mom. Julya encouraged us to have fun with this scene even when I sounded like I was saying “Scooby-Doo”! I won’t say our rehearsals were easy, but the interac tions made our time together a lot of fun and productive.

Days before the planned production set schedule of April 30th and May 1st in 2021 at the Carver Community Cultural Center, Julya called and said we needed to adjust the script to turn it into a doc umentary instead of a fully fictional film. What? Change the script now? Seriously? Well, we rushed to make the changes, learned the lines, and it turned out to be for the best.

Onset, Lauren and I enjoyed having a “glam” team doing our hair and make-up. They were talented in making Lauren appear younger than her actual age by putting her hair in cute afro puffs and dressing her to bring out the more youthful look of her character.

So after six months of virtual rehearsals, COVID-19 delays, script overhauls and revisions, we filmed a full 43 pages of script in two days! This has been followed by several automated dialogue replace ment sessions and endless editing and perfecting on Julya’s part. Finally, “The Quilt: A Living History of African American Music” will soon be born out of much hard work featuring one Tennessean ac tor, several Texas-based musicians/performers, boundless archival material, and local San Antonio landmarks. I am excited to see it go to schools and to the public in 2023!

After it is all said and done, I can now say, I am “Writing Books & Films for the World to Enjoy!” Oh, and by the way, I am now available for acting gigs.

P.S. Anya & MBAW surprised me again back in October 2021 as the documentary moved through postproduction. She asked if I could work with the Musical Sprouts educational team to not only help cre ate 5 school lesson plans around “The Quilt”, but also be the acting talent for paired video lessons in front of thousands of kids? Once again, with a bit of convincing, I said yes. So in January 2022, despite still dealing with COVID challenges, we filmed two days at PR Story Studios in January 2022. I had the best time stepping outside of my comfort zone for another meaningful way to help kids learn about African American music and culture.

Veronica Williams with Aaron Prado on piano. Photo by Rob Michaelson

Dancer Tanesha Payne

Photo by Manuel Alejandro Hernández Cardona/CMC Studios

Cynthia Freeman Gibbs. Photo by Rob Michaelson

THE MUSIC OF THE QUILT: A LIVING HISTORY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSIC

BY AARON PRADO, DMA

When Musical Bridges Around the World the presented me with an ambitious project to create a video documentary about African American music for school-age kids, I jumped at the opportunity to contribute. For “The Quilt: A Living History of African American Music”, the mission was to provide schools with educational content that would celebrate black culture. While MBAW is accustomed to building cultural bridges, those bridges usually connect San Antonio, TX to countries and cultures around the world. Here, the idea was to build bridges within our own community, promoting empathy, toler ance, and understanding by holding up and recognizing the excel lence of American people of color who have shaped the soundtrack of our country.

Together with the wonderful author Cynthia Freeman Gibbs, director Julya Jara, and the entire Musical Bridges crew, we set about mak ing our vision of “The Quilt” a reality.

As we tinkered with the script, we carefully chose which artists and pieces to feature. Eventually we assembled a cast of impec cable musicians from San Antonio and surrounding areas whose wide-ranging talents represented the African American music’s grand arc going all the way back to the mid-19th century. We grap pled with thorny issues like how to portray for children the music during the time of slavery; whether to include the complex, contro versial chapter of minstrelsy and blackface (we did not include it in the end); how to feature the definitive artists of each genre while also shining a light on our local talent; how to deal with legal and licensing issues when using audio and video examples (kudos to Sean Kithas!); and how the script and actors’ performances could bring everything together into a cohesive story that would enrich and also entertain a school-age audience. As if these issues weren’t tricky enough, throw in the complication of doing all this during a pandemic and you’ve got a logistical puzzle that turned this into a formidable, lengthy project.

The soul of this project comes from the musical performances by some of Texas’ finest musicians. Veronica Williams is an operatic mezzo-soprano whose voice is an instrument of rare range and beauty. Her performances of negro spirituals and civil rights era anthems are uplifting and sublime. Her singing is complemented by the soulful mastery of veteran vocalist Beverly Houston – a legend of south Texas music who brought a powerful voice to the soul mu sic portion of the documentary. Marc “Mockingbird” Smith is a San Antonio-based blues guitarist and vocalist who bared his heart and soul in classic and original compositions to portray the emergence of the blues in the Mississippi Delta at the turn of the 20th century.

We were fortunate to have one of the greatest trombonists alive today, Ron Wilkins, for the jazz scenes. For decades a mainstay of the San Antonio jazz music scene, he now lives now in New York City, but was in South Texas recovering from a near-death experience with COVID-19 when he agreed to participate in the Quilt project – he’s a powerhouse musician and a thrill to hear! San Antonio Poet Laureate Andrea “Vocab” Sanderson brought a vibrant flavor of today’s musical styles to our scenes about hip hop and rap; her compelling original compositions grace the closing scene of The Quilt documentary.

Through it all, journeyman bassist Brandon Rivas and the impecca ble drummer Johnathan Alexander performed with soloists in the rhythm section, effortlessly moving from style to style.

Visually stunning, musically profound, the performances in the film capture the soul of each genre and bring to life each historical chapter of African American music in a way that will delight viewers of any age. From blues and jazz to gospel and soul, ragtime and swing to hip hop and rap, performances featured in The Quilt make connections across time and geographical space to show how the cultural legacy of African American music is indeed interconnected just like a great big beautiful quilt.

After filming was completed, director Julya Jara set to work on the mammoth task of editing all the pieces together, and when each scene was completed I went in to the studio with audio producer/editor Brandon Guerra to add music scoring to comple ment the dialogue and cinematography. My original theme for The Quilt may be heard through the film, and I’m particularly proud of the scoring we created to support dancer Tanesha Payne’s pow erful sequence in the scene about the middle passage and music during the time of slavery.

This project was a collaborative effort of immense proportions and shows what can be accomplished when a community of passionate artists and scholars are empowered to do important, transformational work. Hats off to MBAW and here’s to another 25 years of building bridges and breaking down barriers with innovative arts programming and education!

PERFORMING ARTISTS FEATURED IN THE FILM:

• Aaron Prado, DMA | Bandleader, Composer, Pianist

• Johnathan Alexander | Percussion

• Beverly Houston & Breezin’

• Arlington Jones | Piano

• Tanesha Payne | Dance

• Brandon Rivas | Bass

• Andrea “Vocab” Sanderson | Vocals & Spoken Word

• Marc “Mockingbird” Smith | Guitar & Vocals

• Michael Sumuel | Bass-Baritone

• Ron Wilkins | Trombone & Vocals

• Veronica Williams | Mezzo Soprano

Veronica Williams with Aaron Prado on piano. Photo by Rob Michaelson Aaron Prado

Trombocalist Ron Wilkins

Pianist Arlington Jones performing ragtime. Photo by Rob Michaelson

EXHIBITION SCHEDULE

Opening Reception: 5-8 PM Saturday 20 August 2022

14 JANUARY - 31 MARCH 2023

The Quilt: Behind The Scenes

Robert Michaelson, Sarah Jane, Manuel Alejandro Hernandez

Cardona of CMC Studios, & MBAW Staff

Opening Reception: 5-8 PM Saturday 14 January 2023

15 APRIL - 31 JULY 2023

Looking for Spring

Works by Gwen Rhea Cowden (G. Rhea)

Opening Reception: 5-8 PM Saturday 15 April 2023

RECEPTIONS & EVENT REGISTRATION

Public receptions are FREE to attend but require ticket registration. Please have the ticket(s)’ scannable QR code or name available for door attendants at entry. If you did not get tickets, an attendant can still assist you to register in person. Parking is free.

Free ticket registration available at mbaw.org/art

GALLERY EXHIBIT TOURS

Want to visit the gallery? Appointments are available Monday through Friday, 10 AM to 4 PM for single or group exhibition tours.

Contact Gallery Director Diana Roberts at dlr@musicalbridges.org

LOCATION

23705 Frontage Road Suite 101 San Antonio, TX

ART GALLERY

A HISTORY BY ANYA GROKHOVSKI

I’ve been an art collector with a lifelong love for the visual arts. When Musical Bridges Around the World was producing concerts at McAllister Auditorium early in our existence, we would have small “art shows” and receptions in the lobby during intermission. In later years, we grew into a real office space and finally moved out of my kitchen! This was really the beginning of becoming a professional organization. I found a beautiful suite in Leon Springs, only three and a half minutes from my house. I saw potential in the space with floor-to-ceiling windows, large open spaces and a beautiful location which presented the opportunity to have our new office double as an art gallery! And so we hosted our first MBAW Art Gallery opening exhibition in 2013 with San Antonio pop artist Rex Hausmann. I remember his huge 8’ x 10’ castle titled Milanium was lighting up our office with its bright fluorescent pink and orange hues. Since then, we’ve presented over 31 quarterly exhibitions with free receptions of wine, bites and music, featuring more than 65 different artists. We’ve had some international highlights with artists from Armenia, our Sister City of Wuxi, China, as well as many amazing artists from our community. Along the way, management of the gallery space shifted from my hands to Julya Jara (currently our Development Director) and is now run by Art Gallery Director Diana Roberts, a long-time curator, writer and arts administrator. Our gallery has become an extension of MBAW’s mission as we merge local with international talent showcasing textiles and sculpture, African to Islamic works,

and pop art to drawing, with everything in between. The gallery continues to serve as a community gathering space for book signings, children’s piano recitals and meditation retreats. The MBAW staff and I continue to enjoy working in our office as we find ourselves surrounded by beauty each day.

MBAW HELPED AT A TIME WHEN MY CAREER WAS STARTING IN 2013. The show was fantastic and people loved the exhibition titled FIREWORKS. We sold a few works and had a great opening reception where The Flying Balalaika Brothers from Austin performed, there were food trucks, and we were even able to get a few kittens adopted into good families in partnership with SNIPSA! In later years, MBAW collaborated to give artists from The Hausmann Millworks: A Creative Community exhibition opportunities. It’s a real joy to show my works in the MBAW Art Gallery with Diana [Roberts] and with Anya [Grokhovski] and all that’s going on with MBAW.

HAUSMANN, Artist Hausmann Millworks: A Creative Community

REX

CEO Anya Grokhovski with artist Rex Hausmann's works.

the gurwitz 2020

classical voice north america

6 FEBRUARY 2020

RENAMED, RETUNED COMPETITION RISES IN KEYBOARD WORLD

BY MIKE GREENBERG

SAN ANTONIO — A new name, a new outlook, and a new sher iff have brought distinctive character and a boost in stature to the other major piano competition in Texas. Its inaugural run under the new dispensation concluded on Feb. 1.

Born in 1984, the San Antonio International Piano Compe tition had been strictly a solo contest that, in early years, was of more regional than international interest. But it grew steadily in prize money and in the caliber of its contestants. Following the 2016 edition, the competition’s board sought a merger partner and settled on Musical Bridges Around the World, which had been founded in 1998 by a Russian emigré pianist, Anya Grokhovski. Musical Bridges had started out producing classical concerts, often featuring other Russian emigré musicians, in the historic San Fernando Cathedral, but its program expanded into jazz, world music and dance, and programs for kids and seniors, all underwritten by dona tions and offered to the public without charge. Professional staff, budget, and capability grew accordingly. Adding a piano competition to its menu would be something of a stretch, but not an impossible one.

The results exceeded all reasonable expectations. Under the Musical Bridges umbrella, with Grokhovski running the show, the competition experienced a wholesale transformation. First, the event was renamed the Gurwitz International Pia no Competition to honor the memory of Ruth Jean Gurwitz, a former president of the competition, a stalwart supporter of classical music in San Antonio, and, by reliable report, an excellent classical and jazz pianist. The competition moved from a triennial to a quadrennial schedule, increased the medalists’ purse from $30,000 in 2016 to $50,000, and add ed chamber music and concerto rounds for the finalists. The

previous organization had commissioned a solo work for each competition from 1991 on — Joan Tower, Paul Moravec, and Matthew Mason were the most recent composers. The Gurwitz went a step further, commissioning a work for the unusual combination of piano, clarinet, and percussion.

A stunning development was The Gurwitz’s admittance to the World Federation of International Music Competi tions. Only five other U.S. competitions are members, and only two of those are piano competitions — the Cleveland and Fort Worth’s Van Cliburn. (Grokhovski said the Van Cli burn staff had been most helpful with advice and guidance through practical complexities, such as dealing with the tax laws in the competitors’ home countries.) The inaugural Gur witz Competition attracted 76 applicants from 21 countries. Twelve were chosen to perform — five from Russia, three from South Korea, and one each from Canada, China, Ita ly, and Ukraine. For the first time, none of the competitors was an American. (One American made the cut but with drew.) Grokhovski’s world-music interests were reflected in two distinctive elements of the 2020 competition. For the semifinal round, at Trinity University, the six musicians were required to include a piece from their home countries. The Russian and Italian offered familiar Prokofiev and Scarlatti, respectively, but the rest — all three South Koreans and the Chinese — played fascinating modernist works that deserve wider hearing in the West. The composers were the Chinese Yiqiang Sun and the Koreans Il Hoon Son, Dahei Boo, and Isang Yun. As in previous competitions, semifinalists also had to play a Latin American or Spanish work. Korea’s Jongyun Kim, who did not advance to the final round, was awarded the $5,000 prize for the best performance in that category.

The venue for the third round was the gilt-edged Charline McCombs Empire Theater, dating from 1913. Each of the three finalists played a solo work and then joined clarinetist Kinan Azmeh and percussionist John Hadfield — members of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silkroad Ensemble — in the commissioned work by San Antonio composer Ethan Wickman. Titled Murmurs from the Exile, this lovely piece evokes both the musical atmosphere of the Middle East and the forced migrations that are the re gion’s present lot. All three players are required to improvise a cadenza, with harmonic guidance from the composer. For Azmeh and Hadfield, improvisation is old (but stylish) hat; for classical pianists and competitions, not so much. Maybe it should be.

The Tobin Center for the Performing Arts was the venue for the concerto round, anchored by the San Antonio Symphony under music director Sebastian Lang-Lessing.

The gold medal ($25,000) went to China’s Jiale Li, a native of Huludao in Liaoning Province. He is currently pursuing a doctorate at Eastman. Li’s account of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 evinced limitless technical chops, sensitively sculpted phrasing, and power by the megaton — yet in the slow movement he could spin the merest wisps of gossamer poetry. Among the three finalists, Li produced the longest and most elaborate cadenza in Murmurs from the Exile. Li chose to play a Shigeru Kawai in all three rounds. In the Rachmaninoff concerto, that instrument translated Li’s most extreme displays of muscle into gushers of rich, burnished sound. In earlier rounds, however, the same instrument re sponded with less grace to his hyper-aggressive performanc es of Liszt’s B-minor sonata and Ginastera’s Sonata No. 1. Ko

rea’s Yedam Kim took silver ($15,000). She brought maturity and intelligence — and no small share of brilliance — to Bee thoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5. In the second round, her tra versal of Ravel’s La valse was remarkable for its freedom and a clear narrative line. Her cadenza in the commissioned work was the most succinct of the three. Kim’s most striking trait was a velvet touch that yielded a consistently beautiful tone on both a Steinway (in the concerto) and a Shigeru Kawai (in earlier rounds). Kim has been living in France since 2002.

From Italy, Leonardo Colafelice took bronze ($10,000). In Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3, Colafelice frequently pushed the tempo, causing lapses in coordination with the orchestra. But his solo work in the second round was elegant, colorful, and crisp, most memorably in Stravinsky’s Three Movements from Petrouchka. At the end of the third-round concert, a vote via smart phones gave Colafelice the Audi ence Favorite Award ($5,000). Colafelice played a Steinway in all three rounds. He teaches at the F. Torrefranca Conser vatory in Vibo Valentia, Italy. The Gurwitz can’t yet match the perks that Cleveland and Van Cliburn medalists receive and that might be more valuable than cash. The Cleveland gives its first-prize winner a New York recital debut and three years of management services in addition to $75,000. The Van Cliburn offers three years of management services and a recording deal to all three medalists. Grokhovski still has work to do. Meanwhile, San Antonio offers one perk that can’t be duplicated: On behalf of the mayor and city council, all of the Gurwitz competitors were given certificates official ly appointing them Emisarios de las Musas — Emissaries of the Muses.

Mike Greenberg is an independent critic and photographer living in San Antonio, Texas. He is the author of The Poetics of Cities (Ohio State University Press, 1995). He was a Knight Fellow at Stanford University in 1986-87. He served as managing editor of Chicago Magazine and was a critic and columnist for a daily newspaper for 28 years.

Photo: Greg Harrison

Photo: Rob Michaelson

THE GURWITZ

A HISTORY BY ANYA GROKHOVSKI

In the summer of 2016, I received a call from Anne Johnson inviting me to lunch. Anne, who was the former board president of the San Antonio International Piano Competition (SAIPC), brought with her SAIPC’s Executive Director Suzanne Lambillotte. I suspected it had something to do with the competition. Before I go on, I want to men tion that when I moved to San Antonio in 1991 to work at the University of Texas at San Antonio, I didn’t know much about the city. Ruth Jean Gurwitz, one of the founders of SAIPC, was very kind and invited me and my then husband to many cultural events in the city, including the aforementioned San Antonio International Piano Competition. I devel oped a great respect for the organization thanks to Ruth’s goodwill.

Back to my lunch meeting with Anne and Suzanne: I was eager to learn about what they had to say. After catching up about family, friends, children and pets, they dropped the bomb. “Anya, how do you feel about taking on the SAIPC?” Anne asked. “We looked at San Antonio organizations and concluded that Musical Bridges Around the World would be the best match. We trust you as a pianist to keep the compe tition alive.”

This was the beginning of a year-long process of communication between the Board of Directors of MBAW and SAIPC. Once the merger took place, two board members from the competition moved to Musical Bridges’ board: Anne Johnson and Bryan Helbert. Both were a tremendous help during the transition. We decided to rename the com petition in honor of Ruth Jean Gurwitz, a pianist, a lifelong supporter of music in San Antonio, and the very woman who introduced me to the competition almost 30 years ago.

Moving forward to 2018, I traveled to Fort Worth to seek advice from those at The Cliburn, one of the most established and recognized piano competitions in the U.S. and around the globe. I cannot overstate the generosity of their leadership, especially Jacques Marquis for welcoming me, advising us and sharing their best practices. Thanks to The Cliburn’s mentorship, we were able to learn from our neighbors to the north and did not have to reinvent the wheel.

Two years later in January 2020, the competition was accepted into the highly exclusive World Federation of International Music Compe titions and after four years of careful planning, we produced the first edition of the Gurwitz International Piano Competition (just before the COVID-19 pandemic swept the United States). With 76 initial appli cants from 21 nations across the globe, the vast pool of extraordinary pianists was narrowed to 12 semi-finalists who were flown to San Antonio for live competition. Four rounds of competition whittled the semifinalists down to three who performed in the final two rounds. Following the fourth round, a panel of distinguished judges announced the gold, silver, and bronze medalists.

The competition incorporated Latin composers to celebrate San Antonio’s heritage, a commissioned world music work reflecting the MBAW mission, and a final round with the San Antonio Symphony. The Gurwitz has since become one of the most reputable and visible cele brations of the art of piano in the world. We continue to foster develop ment of local piano students through the Gurwitz Youth Ambassadors, community engagement and masterclasses with jury members, as well as extensive performance opportunities for its finalists.

Anya, how do you feel about taking on a piano competition?

Bryan Helbert, Lynne Noriskin, Elena Portnaya, Anya Grokhovski, Anne Johnson, Deborah Moore, and Richard Ferguson.

Photo: Greg Harrison

MUSICAL SPROUTS

A HISTORY

BY ANYA GROKHOVSKI

The beginning of Musical Bridges Around the World’s educational pro grams started at the oldest official venue for Mexican culture in the U.S., Instituto Cultural de Mexico. We’ve always had an excellent relationship with this gem of a space in San Antonio. It’s the largest cultural arm of Mexico in the country, outside of Washington, DC. The performance hall seats about 180 people, and our first audiences were children from surrounding schools who walked to the concerts with their teachers. As the series grew, we learned that many schools faced logistical challenges such as getting kids to the venue. As a result, we decided to move the program into the schools and bring the concerts directly to the students. This was the start of our Kids to Concerts program in 2001.

One highlight from the early days of Kids to Concerts was the Mozart season. In 2006, we celebrated his 250th birthday by creating characters based on young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and his older sister Nannerl. We decided to go all out and make it a costumed season and my piano students, sisters Yvonne and Vanessa Freckmann, dressed in period costumes and acted and performed in many schools that year. The kids were totally enamored!

During one of the Kids to Concerts in the Southwest Independent School District, we met a local music teacher named Caleb Gonzalez. He saw our program as an incredible asset and offered to help to share it with more schools. He connected us with many other Title I schools which allowed the program to grow to thousands of students. Caleb ended up becoming the main leader of our programs for kids, first joining the MBAW Board of Directors and then moving on to serve in his current position as Director of Educational Outreach.

As a response to inquiries from numerous Southwest School District principals in 2014, MBAW board member Dr. Awilda I. Ramos joined

Caleb in the effort to better connect our musical offerings to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math) requirements by creating classroom curricula. This is how the Musical Sprouts program was born. MBAW Board Chair Dr. Eric Miller and his wife Dr. Michelle Miller funded the program for two years starting in 2016, and in 2019 we were awarded a High Impact Grant from Impact San Antonio - a women’s collective giving and grant-making organization. That grant allowed us to move online and continue the Sprouts program even during the two years of the global pandemic.

We also partnered with the University of Texas System for a total of five years to research how the introduction of global arts positively affects overall learning through Musical Sprouts. The study’s results proved that the students showed improvement in TEKS (Texas Essential Knowl edge and Skills) comprehension, multicultural knowledge, increased at tendance, engagement, better conduct, STAAR (assessment of academic readiness) grades, and enhanced English language skills.

Introducing children at an early age to foreign cultures in a positive way is priceless. Without leaving the classroom, students are able to travel the world through this program. Today, Musical Sprouts implements a tailored, five-lesson-plan curriculum, offered as a hybrid of live and virtual programming, and eBooks that provide equity and access to under-resourced youth in our city. By bringing the world to children at an early age, we shape the young minds of today to be the global leaders of tomorrow. Looking to the future, we are excited to partner with SAMMinistries’ after-school programs and many other educational systems in San Antonio and nationwide to share the award-winning Musical Sprouts program!

When I taught at Kriewald Elementary, kids had no idea what a passport was. The fact they get to see it and build an understanding of a passport, to me, is powerful.

CALEB GONZALEZ MBAW Director of Education

The first Sprouts meeting between MBAW & UTSA.

AS RESEARCHERS, WE HAVE ENJOYED WORKING WITH THE MUSICAL SPROUTS PROGRAM. As a result of our collective efforts, we have learned how to meet the needs of the students and teachers through challenging times, while maintaining our research integrity. We are currently working on several manuscripts that will be submitted to peer-reviewed outlets, so that we can disseminate the lessons learned and most importantly share the impact of Musical Sprouts on the children's STEAM learning outcomes and socioemotional learning.

BELINDA BUSTOS FLORES, PH.D.

Associate Dean of Professional Preparation & Partnerships

Principal Investigator & Founder, Academy for Teacher Excellence Research Center University of Texas at San Antonio, College of Education and Human Development

Anya’s piano students Vanessa and Yvonne Freckmann dressed up as young Mozart and sister Nannerl to perform for schools in 2006.

Photo: Liz Garza Williams

mbaw.org/sprouts

PROGRAM MILESTONES

• Introducing kids to countries/cultures like Russia, India, Japan, Mexico, Spain, Germany, Ukraine, African American, and San Antonio Sister Cities. They visited these cultures through the arts and explored through hands-on activities that bridged into science, technology, engineering, and math (STEAM).

• Hiring full-time Director of Community Engagement Jennifer Reed-Martinez

• Certifying MBAW as a Texas Education Agency-approved continuing professional education (CPE) provider. MBAW can now provide CPE hours for certificate renewal to educators and train teachers in Sprouts.

• Expanding community partnerships to enrich the curriculum.

• Completing multi-year pilot research study in partnership with University of Texas (see right).

CONTINUED EXPANSION

At the request of our partner schools and organizations, Musical Sprouts will also expand its programming from a traditional classroom model to include specialized content for new constituencies, such as: •

1 2

2022-23 SCHOOL

Our plans also include building relationships with juvenile detention centers in order to bring our multicultural content to incarcerated youth, as well as professional development opportunities in diversity, equity and inclusion.

The Great China Excursion

The Quilt: A Living History of African American Music

PILOT RESEARCH STUDY RESULTS

Testing the efficacy of our Musical Sprouts programming was im portant to Musical Bridges Around the World. We partnered with University of Texas at San Antonio and UT Health Science to conduct a multi-year longitudinal study to demonstrate that arts integration pro grams combined with the world’s cultures can have a positive impact on a student’s knowledge of content, social emotional learning (SEL), cultural competence, and connection to the community.

The study evaluated data from 4 cultural learning segments: Journey to Japan, Exploration of Ukraine, San Antonio Sister Cities, and The Quilt: A Living History of African-American Music. The curriculum and activities in each segment allowed students to be immersed in that segment’s culture of study.

Results showed a 50% improvement in content knowledge in treatment schools. (see graphs to right)

A peer-reviewed article showcasing the impact of our Musical Sprouts curriculum has been written by UTSA and will be published soon in an educational journal.

SPROUTS RESEARCH SCHOOLS

DISTRICTS, CHARTERS, CONSTITUENCIES RECEIVING EDUCATIONAL CONCERTS

Athens Elementary Devine Elementary

Hutchins Elementary

JT Brackenridge Elementary

Kindred Elementary

Kriewald Road Elementary

Palo Alto Elementary

Price Elementary Southwest Elementary School of Science & Technology Discovery

UTSA USES MUSICAL PROGRAM TO TEACH GLOBAL ISSUES TO STUDENTS IN SA

University of Texas at San Antonio College of Education & Human Development News May 2022

BY CHRIS REICHERT

When researchers from the College of Education and Human De velopment first teamed up in the Fall of 2019 with Musical Bridges Around the World and UT Health San Antonio to study an educa tional program called Musical Sprouts, they couldn’t imagine the challenges and opportunities that awaited them. Musical Sprouts combines fine arts, cultural exchange, and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) lessons for under-served elementary students in San Antonio.

In partnership with Musical Sprouts, Belinda Bustos Flores, professor and associate dean of professional preparation and partnership; Becky Huang associate professor; and Kimberly Salazar, research assistant and master’s student in the Counseling Department, are investigating how the program has affected the cultural awareness, socioemotional wellness, and STEM learning outcomes of the participating students.

Participating students are introduced to music, dances, and art from specific cultures and countries. From there, some have the chance to explore further in a series of lessons that integrate arts and culture with STEM concepts. For example, when students were studying Japan, they were able to use that country’s high speed rail system to learn more about magnetism.

Salazar, who joined the project in fall 2020, is especially passion ate about the program. “I think a lot of the time arts are forgotten about or they’re less funded, just because people don’t see the value in the arts within a curriculum,” she said.

She has been busy designing research and analyzing the team’s data, and says their findings indicate that integrating arts and

STEM concepts has significant repercussions on the students’ knowledge and social emotional learning, even for those students who only experienced the concerts.

“Simply providing a concert of a given culture’s music seems to be enough to stimulate their knowledge,” she explained. And the re sults are even more pronounced for those students who do cover the STEM and culture lessons.

“It’s definitely not surprising that these kids are really benefiting from the lessons and from the videos and activities,” she said. “It’s the ‘typically less interesting subjects’ of science and math, but it’s integrated in a way that’s interesting.”

But the team’s research has not been without its challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic forced them to adapt their methods as class es became virtual and holding live concerts was no longer possi ble. Lesson content is accessible via eBooks which contain texts, videos, and experiential activities like crafts and foreign language vocabulary. For the Japan segment, Salazar said the team tried an even more hi-tech approach.

“It was kind of like a PBS-style video lesson where there was a nar rator and an animated character that she interacted with, and the kids really, really enjoyed that; they responded well to that segment and how it was structured,” she said.

Even 2021’s infamous winter storm served to hamper the re searchers, skewing their timeline and temporarily reducing the number of participants. However, virtualization has also made the researchers’ task easier. By transitioning to online surveys and

tests, Salazar says she’s able to collect and process the data faster.

Storms and pandemics have also been a trial for the teachers in volved. At a time when many teachers have had to prioritize their students’ safety and wellbeing over their curriculum, Salazar says the last thing they want to do is overload teachers.

“They’re dealing with a lot right now – and for the foreseeable future will be dealing with a lot – but they’re doing great,” she said. “They seem to be excited that we’re giving this opportunity to their students, and we are grateful for that.”

Musical Sprouts has also proven a vital educational resource for more sobering yet equally important subjects. When students watched the Musical Sprouts video, “Exploration of Ukraine,” nobody knew this Eastern European country would become the flashpoint for the largest military action in Europe since World War II. In the video, musician and luthier Jurij Fedynskyj sings traditional songs, talks about Ukrainian culture and history, and shows how he makes and plays a variety of Ukrainian folk instru ments. But while Fedynskyj’s family is in the US, he has remained in Ukraine even as the Russian military pushes its advance.

“It’s definitely a segue into talking about real-life events,” Salazar said, “and it’s very unfortunate that this is what we have to talk about, but it gives our students an opportunity to expand their horizons and their worldviews and talk about those things…that was our intention in sending that out – we sent it to teachers and students, giving them the opportunity to have those tough conversations.”

Back in San Antonio, Salazar hopes the program can continue to expand its reach and students’ horizons all over the country. One goal she and the team have is publishing the results of their research to solidify their work and raise awareness for such a program’s potential. This way, she hopes to begin bringing more attention (and funding) to arts education.

“The goal is to make it so that arts and culture are held in the same regard or the same esteem as STEM,” she said. “Because fine arts is important – it teaches us creativity and it teaches us how to be resourceful. I think that would be awesome if we were able to integrate the arts and culture into everyday curriculum even more than it is now.”

UPDATE TO ARTICLE

During the three year partnership with Musical Bridges Around, UTSA researchers Dr. Belinda Bustos Flores, Dr. Becky Huang, and Kimberly Salazar conducted the study entitled ‘The Intersectionality of Arts-Integration and SocialEmotional Learning during COVID-19: Musical Bridges Around the World: The Musical Sprouts Program.” As mentioned before, the study examined the impact of the Musical Sprouts program on students’ STEAM learning outcomes and social emotional learning (SEL). Despite the disruption and the challenges of the pandemic, it was found that the Musical Sprouts had a positive impact on the students. The manuscript of this study has since been submitted to Journal for Learning Through the Arts.

UTSA RESEARCHERS

Belinda Bustos Flores, Ph.D.

Associate Dean of Professional Preparation & Partnerships Professor, Department of Bicultural-Bilingual Studies Principal Investigator & Founder, Academy for Teacher Excellence Research Center College of Education and Human Development

Dr. Becky Huang, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Bicultural-Bilingual Studies Director of Language Learning and Assessment Laboratory College of Education and Human Development

Tina Wang, PhD

Graduate Research Associate, Program Evaluation

Kimberly Salazar, MS

Graduate Research Associate, Program Evaluation

mbaw.org/goldenage

GOLDEN AGE

A HISTORY BY ANYA GROKHOVSKI

Golden Age began from a conversation with Daniel Laser, director of the Golden Manor Jewish Home for the Aged (now called “Golden Estates”, run by San Antonio Jewish Senior Services). Daniel had been attending our events and was a big fan of Musical Bridges.

After one of the concerts at McAllister Auditorium, he asked if we would consider having a guest artist stop by his facility and perform for the residents there. We decided to give it a try and my brother Mark and I gave the very first Golden Age concert in 2010. Since then, our guest artists perform a total of 15 to 35 concerts every year in various senior centers, retirement commu nities and nursing homes throughout the city.

Following a performance by enchanting Armenian soprano Mane Galoyan, one of the seniors in attendance came up to her and said, “Thank you for wiping the dust from my soul.” It turned out that she was a former opera singer who had not attended an opera performance in years and was moved to tears by Mane.

Over the years, we have developed close relationships with sev eral communities including Franklin Park Senior Living, Army Res idence Community, The Towers on Park Lane, Blue Skies of Texas, The Village at Incarnate Word, Brookdale Senior Living and many more. The response from seniors is overwhelming! We are also fortunate to have Susan C. Franklin, the co-founder of Franklin Park, on our Board of Directors. An avid arts supporter, host and patron, Susan has been an incredible asset to Golden Age, Musica Viva, and Impresario Club, and was Committee Chair for The Gurwitz 2020 International Piano Competition!

Photos: Rob Michaelson, Ken Mahnke

THE INFLUENCE OF GOLDEN AGE

BY SUSAN C. FRANKLIN

Imagine the scene: A dramatic crescendo rises across the piano keys as the masterful pianist brings a moving piece to its dramatic con clusion. The audience is captivated. Eyes fixated; ears rapt. Applause rings out as the crowd affirms the effort, and the artist takes a bow. This description could be used to create the scene found in many a performing arts center. Yet, through the inspirational Golden Age programming of Musical Bridges Around the World, this scene is one that plays out in senior living communities throughout San Antonio.

Golden Age concerts transform the activity rooms of senior living communities into world-class performance spaces as gifted musi cians of many disciplines share their art with these special audienc es. Through this innovative program, seniors across our area are given access to art forms that stimulate their senses and activate their memories. Golden Age concerts have included performanc es by musical artists including renowned pianists, vocalists, and ensembles. Upcoming concerts include visits by the Gurwitz Youth Ambassadors in Piano as well as performances by Jiale Li, the 2020 Gurwitz Gold Medalist.

Research is still unfolding, but many studies reveal the true power of music to comfort seniors confronted with the realities of ag ing including memory loss and dementia. According to Jonathan Graff-Radford, M.D., a Mayo Clinic faculty member, “Research suggests that listening to or singing songs can provide emotional and behavioral benefits for people with Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia.” Even though the cognitive decline real ized with many dementias seems all-encompassing, often the “key brain areas linked to musical memory are relatively undamaged by [Alzheimer’s disease].”

As Co-Founder of Franklin Park, a luxury senior living provider, I have seen first-hand the power of the arts, specifically music, in creating joy and providing comfort for our residents. For many years

now, we have used music therapy in our memory care communities, and we have seen how the sharing of a curated playlist of personal favorites can physically change a senior’s countenance. It is a true delight to see a resident’s face light up when they hear a song from their youth. For family members, the response to music that they see from their loved ones is a gift in what is a difficult stage of life.

Since my youth, I have been drawn to the arts. My first love was ballet, and I found so much personal enjoyment in the expression that dance afforded me. Of course, any dance style would be empty without the soul that music infuses. Given our love of the musical arts, on numerous occasions, my husband, Aubra, and I have hosted small-format concerts in our home. With every gathering, I have been overwhelmed by the joy shared among our guests and the artists. I am grateful that San Antonio is a community dedicated to celebrating the arts and is the home of many non-profits committed to furthering musical study and appreciation.

Through the years, my love and support of the performing arts has led me to involvement with many organizations in San Antonio dedicated to sharing the gift of musical artistry with our citizens. In 2016, I was honored as a Creative Arts Inductee of the San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame. I have served as a committed board member of Musical Bridges Around the World for well over a decade, and in that time, my heart and soul have been touched by the beauty and the level of artistry brought forth through this organization. Among my most treasured moments of service, is my chairing of the Committee for the inaugural Gurwitz International Piano Compe tition in 2020 which further elevated San Antonio’s reputation as a community dedicated to arts cultivation. The success of the Gurwitz Competition and the reception by the community and other constit uencies reinforces my commitment to championing the performing arts in our community.

THE GURWITZ YOUTH AMBASSADORS

The Gurwitz International Piano Competition also encourages the development of young pianists in the greater San Antonio area. These young pianists represent Musical Bridges Around the World & The Gurwitz to showcase the positive experiences music can bring to people of all ages and backgrounds in our community. They are involved in performing and speaking to schools (Musical Sprouts), senior living communities (Golden Age), special public events, or attending/participating in piano masterclasses with local and international piano virtuosos brought in by the organization or our partners.

In December 2021, ambassadors performed for three Bexar County area senior communities and held a Youth Holiday Con cert alongside Colburn-Pledge Music Scholarship recipients (see right page). In May 2021, they participated in a masterclass at Musical Arts Center of San Antonio with visiting concert pianist and Gurwitz 2022 Silver Medalist Yedam Kim. In December 2022, they are scheduled to perform at five Bexar County area senior communities.

CURRENT AMBASSADORS

CHLOE CASTILLO ELEANOR CHEIKHET SELAH FLORES ELLEN FOREMAN LOUIS GEER MICHEL HADAD

KADENCE HOWELL

INTERESTED IN APPLYING?

Advanced piano students 18 years or under who are interested in becoming an ambassador are invited to apply based on the recommendation of their piano teacher.

Contact Elena Portnaya, DMA, Gurwitz Artistic Director & MBAW Artistic Coordinator at elena@mbaw.org for more information.

Photo: Steve Peterson

Ambassadors Hudson Lupo, Eleanor Cheikhet ,and Norah Lynch Ambassador Ellen Foreman

EVELYN HUANG DYLAN LIM HUDSON LUPO NORAH LYNCH ANNA SZALAI DANIEL VOELLER

RONALD ZHU

Photo: Rob Michaelson

COLBURN-PLEDGE MUSIC SCHOLARSHIP

A HISTORY BY ANYA GROKHOVSKI

One of the most recent programs to become part of the Musical Bridges Around the World family is the Colburn-Pledge Music Scholarship. This happened after a meeting with April and Eric Brahinsky in the summer of 2021. As professional musicians, they understand the importance of music education and told me about a scholarship created in 1985 by former San Antonio Symphony musicians John Pledge and Lois Colburn. With proceeds from the estates of Pledge’s sister, Genevieve, they put together the Colburn-Pledge Music Scholarship offering tuition aid to young string players in Texas preparing for careers in classical music. I learned that while the scholarship steadily continues to this day, over the years the Brahinskys have been volunteering to manage the fund and award the scholarship.

Both April and Eric were impressed with the progress MBAW made with taking the reins and producing the 2020 iteration of The Gurwitz International Piano Competition (previously the San Antonio International Piano Competition) and asked me if we would be willing to continue the mission of the Colburn-Pledge Music Scholarship. Our board of directors and staff were honored to adopt the scholarship as another arm of our programming. The first auditions began under MBAW over this past summer in 2022 and we are still in the learning process to make this program shine. We hope to create a bright future for string students, honor the legacy of the symphony musicians and keep the art of classical music alive.

We hope to create a bright future for string students, keeping the art of classical music alive.

EMILY AVERYT Violin

SHOSHANAH ISRAILEVICH Cello

MATTHEW AVERYT Cello

VIVIANA PETERS Violin

2022 RECIPIENTS

Photo: Steve Peterson

Averyt siblings perform at 2021 Youth Holiday concert.

san antonio report

SAN ANTONIO’S MUSICAL BRIDGES WINS INTERNATIONAL AWARD FOR CONNECTING CULTURES

BY NICHOLAS FRANK

Musical Bridges Around the World (MBAW) is the first U.S. recipient of the Fair Saturday award, given by the Bilbao, Spainbased Fair Saturday Foundation to arts organizations that “generate a notable social impact through culture,” according to its 2018 annual report. Musical Bridges’ guest artists hail from such diverse locations as Syria, Armenia, Indonesia, Russia, Argentina, Spain, Israel, and the Palestinian territories, and all perform free of charge for the public.

The Fair Saturday Foundation has bestowed its annual Fair Saturday Awards since 2017 “to recognize inspiring organizations worldwide transforming realities through culture and building bridges among communities, cities and regions,” Foundation President Jordi Albareda Ureta said in an e-mail to the Rivard Report. “MBAW fits perfectly to that.”

The foundation also organizes Fair Saturday, a global event meant to counter Black Friday, the post-Thanksgiving day that launches the Christmas shopping season each year. That consumeristdriven, informal holiday aims to put businesses in the black, a bookkeeping term for profitability.

Albareda founded Fair Saturday in 2015 as a “global cultural movement” to counter the “strong desire of ‘having’” with “the profound aspiration of ‘being,’” the annual report said.

Each year, the late November Fair Saturday Festival invites cities worldwide to schedule events tied to the organization’s identity and goals. The 2018 festival featured 11 official “hub” cities including Málaga, Lima, Milan, and Bristol, along with 180 participating cities worldwide.

An international organization aiming to balance consumerism with a focus on arts, culture, and social justice has recognized San Antonio nonprofit Musical Bridges Around the World for its 20 years of bringing together diverse international musicians for free community concerts.

Suhail Arastu presents on MBAW at the Fair Saturday Festival at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain.

Photo: Fair Saturday Foundation

Among the seven 2019 awardees are the Ingoma Nshya women’s cultural center in Ngoma, Rwanda; the Artscape Theatre Centre in Cape Town, South Africa; and the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, founded by Daniel Barenboim in Berlin.

Suhail Arastu, MBAW’s Advancement director, said being included in the same company as Barenboim is a particular honor.

“He’s pretty special in our world of the performing arts and music,” having created the Divan Orchestra to bring Arab and Israeli musicians together in performances around the globe, Arastu said.

MBAW has partnered with several musicians involved in Barenboim’s project, including Kinan Azneh and Kevourk Mourad, both originally from Syria. San Antonio Symphony violinist Bassam Nashwati also has played with the Divan Orchestra.

Arastu and MBAW founder and President Anya Grokhovski will travel to Spain for the June 24 Fair Saturday Awards ceremony at the Guggenheim Bilbao art museum, a visit Arastu said will help their organization continue to foster such international cultural collaborations.

“Events like this, where it’s tied to really great performing arts organizations across the globe, there are inevitable partnerships,” he said.

Albareda noted that awarding a Texas cultural organization as the first in the United States holds particular resonance. MBAW won the award in part, he said, “because they build international bridges through music in Texas instead of walls.”

Anya holding the Fair Saturday Award.

Photo: Fair Saturday Foundation

Photos: Rob Michaelson, Ken Mahnke

DR. GUSTAVO MEDELLIN

MUSICA VIVA!

A HISTORY BY ANYA GROKHOVSKI

In 2001, the San Antonio Express-News published a story about Dr. Gustavo Medellin, who had just moved to San Antonio from Minneapolis where he enjoyed attending high-quality international “salon” concerts. He hoped to replicate this experience in San Antonio and call it “Musica Viva!”

Musical Bridges Around the World also had house concerts happening during this time. They were and still are one of the original staples of the organization. Linda Wasserman, my friend and also my mother’s violin student, was my right hand at the time. We both invited Dr. Medellin to lunch and after we heard his story we shared our Musical Bridges’ journey with him. It turned out that we were kindred spirits and proceeded to form a partnership, essentially merging his house concerts with ours under the name Musica Viva!

The goal of this series was to present chamber music the way it was intended to be heard, in chambers. When a small group of friends shares space with performers, magic happens, and in my opinion, this is incomparable with any other experience. Our bodies reverberate in unison with the strings of a violin, cello or human voice making us one with the musicians. Together with Gustavo, we brought world-famous artists to San Antonio music lovers!

Dr. Medellin would often say, “Anya, I did not have time to promote this concert, I will just pay for it!” His kindness and generosity were crucial to our organization’s survival during that time. He hosted concerts at his home, provided food and hous ing for musicians and guests, transported rental chairs in his own truck and was fully invested in this new musical endeavor. We charged $35 at the door, having no idea if we would raise enough money to pay artistic fees. If we did not, he covered the difference out of his pocket.

Musica Viva is now one of our long-time membership programs and continues to offer world music of the highest caliber in some of the most beautiful homes in our city. Hosts find it a joy and a privilege to have award-winning artists perform among friends, family and fellow patrons. Dr. Medellin was the true godfather of these house concerts and I will be forever grateful for his commitment and generosity.

Anya, I did not have time to promote this concert, I will just pay for it!

Mezzo-soprano Carolyn Sproule, Dr. Gustavo Medellin, and Anya Grokhovski

Photo: Rob Michaelson

Impresario

Photos: Rob Michaelson

IMPRESARIO CLUB

A HISTORY BY ANYA GROKHOVSKI

San Antonio is a place of hidden gems; and I discovered one of them years ago through our Director of Advancement, Suhail Arastu.

Suhail’s friend and bon vivant Leland Stone had just relocated his hardware showroom, Stone Standard, from King William to the Roosevelt Library, adjacent to Roosevelt Park near the Mission Reach. Leland took the historic 1929 structure, which for a time served as the San Antonio Fire & Police Pension Fund office, and restored it in magnificent fashion in 2014.

As we were blessed with continued growth at Musical Bridges Around the World, our Musica Viva membership series began to exceed capacity. So we explored the launch of a new mem bership series to “celebrate the senses.”

While music stirs the heart and soul, we sought to add an elevated culinary offering to thank our highest-level donors for their support. Since launching in 2019, the newly restored Roosevelt Library has become the perfect space for elegant candle-lit evenings, intimate conversations with the artists, and dinners by renowned House Chef Shih Hua Fuh and the

Honorary Consul General of France, Chef Damien Watel. At times, guest sommelier Fabien Jacobs shares insights into his delectable wine pairings for the evening.

In addition to hosting the Impresario Club, Roosevelt Library has become our home away from home and is where our Board of Directors convenes quarterly, where we court partners and supporters, and where artists rehearse. It is in this very space where David Robinson agreed to serve as Honorary Chair of The Gurwitz 2020!

As the New York Times wrote, “Leland Stone is a man for every detail.” It is his meticulous nature and attention to all aspects of curating an experience that creates an unforgettable ambiance as we combine music with culinary excellence in a setting rem iniscent of centuries past. We’re grateful to Leland for sharing his space with us and welcoming our artists and patrons for these magical Impresario Club evenings.

Magnificent! Impresario Club epitomizes a true refined experience that wraps around you with a blissful hug.

CARLOS MIRANDA President of PAC Aviation International Inc. MBAW Board Member

Photo: Greg Harrison

Brittney and Carlos Miranda

D’S ON KEYS

A HISTORY BY ANYA GROKHOVSKI

From 1991 to 1995, I was working at the University of Texas at San Antonio’s Music Department as a staff accompanist alongside my ex-husband Valeri who was a piano professor.

At the time, both of us had many private students, most of whom were medical doctors. We decided to establish a performance fundraiser for the UTSA Music Department which also provided an opportunity for these talented students to perform. They were fun and successful events and even after Valeri and I parted ways with our jobs at UTSA, I didn’t want to break this new tradition. The musical showcase of medical doctors found a new home when I began Musical Bridges Around the World, under the title D’s on Keys. It now continues each year to raise money in support of MBAW’s educational programs and has grown to include not just medical doctors but professionals from many fields (PhD, JD, DDS, et al.). I’m continually amazed by the talents and dedication of all our participants. They are very busy people with family obligations who still find the time to practice music and share their talent for a great cause. My great appreciation goes to all of them for being such heroes for the arts and in their respective fields.

DR. JOSEFINE HEIM-HALL

I grew up in Munich, Germany with five siblings, three of whom became professional musicians. Although I wanted to become a doctor from when I was little, playing the piano was always a part of my life. After moving to the USA and eventually to San Antonio, my busy job as a pathologist made it difficult to keep up with piano practice. The opportunity to perform with D’s on Keys motivated me to resume a regular practice schedule. Once I started playing again I remembered my love for the piano. I even took up piano lessons again first with Anya and currently Elena (MBAW’s Artistic Coordinator & Staff Pianist). I try to challenge myself by learning new pieces and working to bring them to performance level. D’s on Keys has both motivated me and helped me gain confidence. Further, through my participation I help support MBAW’s mission by raising funds that go to musical education for children.

Dr. Francisco G. Cigarroa performs for 2018 D’ on Keys gala.

TO LEARN MORE, CONTACT:

LEGACY SUITES & MBAW’S ENDOWMENT

A HISTORY BY ANYA GROKHOVSKI

At one board meeting I was complaining about our financial situation when one of our Directors, Paul Martin said, “Well of course there’s financial insecurity, we don’t have an endowment!”

Following the meeting, Board Chairman Dr. Eric Miller pulled me aside and told me that he would be selling one of his business es soon and would be willing to contribute to the cause.

Not long after I was in the kitchen of another board member, Sujata Venkateswar, as she was cooking. With the aroma of delicious Indian food in the air, she mentioned that Robin Abraham, former cellist with the San Antonio Symphony and founder of Northside Music School had supported her invitation for a classical Indian violinist to teach in San Antonio, whereup on she would share tuition fees with the teacher and the school. At the end of the year when she came to Robin with a $25,000 check for the school’s share, he refused it and told her to endow a program for Indian music!

Robin had been a dear family friend playing concerts with my parents early on when we first came to San Antonio, and I had never asked him for anything. I scheduled a meeting and shared

Paul Martin’s endowment suggestion with him. He asked how much we had so far and I told him we had nothing! He asked how much we wanted and I told him that I had no idea! I also had no idea how endowment worked with banks and accounting. Robin said he would do some research and get back to me.

Several months passed and our conversation left my mind when the phone rang, it was Robin. “Anya,” he said, “I’ve done some research and it’s easy to start an endowment, you just have to open an account and put money in it!” “Great,” I responded, “but what money?” I asked. “I’ll give you some,” said Robin.

Shortly thereafter, I went to visit Robin with our Administra tive Assistant (now COO) Diana Osborne. He handed us a half-million dollar check and said “now you girls go and have a nice lunch!”

...what money? I’ll give you some!

Elena Portnaya, Anya Grokhhovski, and Robin and Peggy Abraham celebrate Robin’s 95th birthday at a Musica Viva concert.

...what money?

I’ll give you some!

Sometime later, Dr. Miller moved forward with selling one of his businesses as he had previously mentioned to us. With money from that, he contributed matching funds to the endowment. So far, the endowment has served mainly as a rainy day fund, a saving grace for the organization when we needed to borrow from the principal during hard times.

There are no words to express the extent of gratitude we owe to Robin and his wife Peggy Abraham and Drs. Eric and wife Michelle Miller for their immense generosity in ensuring the sustainability of Musical Bridges Around the World as an orga nization.

Thanks to professional consultation and dedicated develop ment staff, we now also have a planned giving program titled Legacy Suites. It provides opportunities for supporters of MBAW to make a lasting impact in the arts through their will, trust or IRA beneficiary designation.

Now in this 25th Anniversary Season, we plan to grow the en dowment to guarantee the organization’s livelihood for the next 25 years of providing access to arts for all!

From left: Anya’s parents Zina Khiger and Yuri Sheykhet perform with Alexander Grokhovski and Robin Abraham.

Drs. Michelle and Eric Miller

Photo: Rob Michaelson

WHY I JOINED LEGACY SUITES

BRYAN AND MACRINE HELBERT

Written by Bryan Helbert

Although I am not a musician, I have had a great love of all genres of music throughout my life. Originally growing up in Fort Worth, TX, my wife Macrine and I were fortunate enough to host a young Russian woman competing in the 2005 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, one of the most respected piano competitions in the world. We planned to continue hosting Cliburn competitors for years to come, but work brought us to San Antonio only two years later. Once we arrived, we learned about the San AntonioInternationalPianoCompetition (SAIPC) that was held every three to four years since 1984. When I inquired about hosting one of their competitors, then-president Anne Johnson became aware of my financial work back ground. She asked me to join their Board of Directors and I agreed, serving for eight years as their Treasurer.

Although SAIPC was very successful, we saw an opportu nity to grow further after we approached Anya Grokhovs ki, founder and CEO of Musical Bridges Around the World, on the prospect of MBAW managing the competition. Once this was decided, I was asked to join MBAW’s Board and shortly thereafter became their Treasurer. SAIPC was renamed The Gurwitz International Piano Competition on behalf of one of its key driving forces, cofounder Ruth Jean Gurwitz. The 2020 Gurwitz competition was a rousing success and for the first time, the competition’s finalists were able to perform with the San Antonio Symphony before a sold out crowd in the Tobin Center for the Per forming Arts.

Macrine and I then decided to include MBAW in our estate planning. Our primary reason was to ensure the ongoing growth, success and continuation of The Gurwitz International Piano Competition, as it has been one of our biggest passions. But after my involvement and deepening commitment to MBAW for the past five years, I have seen the impact of its educational programs and its mission

to make music available to individuals of all walks of life at no cost. We live in a truly divisive world at present and music is an instrument that can truly build bridges be tween individuals of various backgrounds, not only in San Antonio, but around the world. I am proud to serve MBAW and hope the Legacy Suites planned giving program will contribute to the continued work of the organization for many, many years to come.

LUCI HARTY

I was introduced to Musical Bridges Around the World about 5 or 6 years ago, in the exact efforts to help organize a Planned Giving program. After learning more about the organization, I began to support it and ultimately joined their Board of Directors.

My family always saw the importance of music and the educational and emotional advantages associated with childhood exposure to quality music. I was introduced to various genres early in my childhood. Each of my siblings learned and played instruments (piano for me) and my parents made sure that we attended symphonies, musi cals, ballets and other types of musical art performances. I also excel in mathematics and I attribute my early music exposure in large part to that.

While writing (and now rewriting after the recent loss of my husband), I want to contribute to something that will be a positive influence in peoples’ lives. MBAW is the only non-religious organization that I am including in my will because I believe in its vision – a multicultural arts organization focused on education and creating one-of-akind performances by internationally renowned artists for the benefit of the general public and underserved youth and elderly communities. Music changes lives for the better and I want to support an organization that makes that possible.

MUSICAL BRIDGES AROUND THE WORLD

& COMMUNITY PARTNERS

The Board of Directors and Staff of Musical Bridges Around the World extend their heartfelt gratitude to the following individuals, foundations, corporations, and organizations that have supported all programs of MBAW from 1 January 2021 through 10 November 2022. Gifts listed below are cumulative.

PROGRAMS OF MUSICAL BRIDGES AROUND THE WORLD

n Russell Hill Rogers

Musical Evenings at San Fernando Cathedral

n MBAW Art Gallery

n Musical Sprouts

n Golden Age

n The Gurwitz International Piano Competition

MUSICAL BRIDGES SOCIETY

n UnityFest (previously titled International Music Festival)

n Colburn-Pledge Music Scholarship

ARTS AMBASSADORS:

$100,000 - $1,000,000 AND ABOVE City of San Antonio Ford Foundation H. E. Butt Foundation

Ben Jones Kronkosky Charitable Foundation Nancy Smith Hurd Foundation Russell Hill Rogers Fund for the Arts

VISIONARIES: $50,000 - $99,999

The Brown Foundation, Inc. County of Bexar

National Endowment for the Arts

LEADERS: $20,000 - $49,999

Betty Stieren Kelso Foundation City Council Project Funds

Elizabeth Huth Coates Charitable Foundation of 1992 Greehey Family Foundation H-E-B LP

Joan and Herb Kelleher Charitable Foundation

Mr. Roger W. Johnson*

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Parrish

David and Deborah Rogers San Antonio Area Foundation

Terra Nova Violins - Abbas Selghi Texas Commission on the Arts Donna and Ted Welsh

PRESENTERS: $10,000 - $19,999

Anna Catherine Armstrong, MD

Susan and Jon Blumenthal Enterprise Holdings Foundation

Faye L. and William L. Cowden Charitable Foundation

Drs. Robert Michaelson and Anya Grokhovski

Jonathan and Rachel Gurwitz

Samantha Price Fischer and Vernon Haney

Dr. Adam and Julie Harris

Anne and Bruce Johnson Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation

Muriel F. Siebert Foundation

Mary and Michael Leroy Porter Drs. Luis and Awilda Ramos

Texas Cavaliers Charitable Foundation

MAESTROS: $5,000 - $9,999

Dominic Anderson BBVA Foundation

Cassandra C Carr

Elisa Chan and Clifford Hew

Cute Smiles 4 Kids - Sherry Scott

Digital Pro Lab - Amanda Dominguez

Susan and Aubra Franklin

Drs. Kevin Hall and Josefine Heim-Hall Shadia Khoury

James G. Lifshutz

Paul Martin

Drs. Eric and Michelle Miller

Carlos and Brittney Miranda Drs. Jorge Magallon and Karla N. Munoz

Plum Foundation

Dr. Aureliano A Urrutia and Gwen Cowden

William Knox Holt Foundation

Drs. Stan and Yuliya Zebrowski

COMPOSERS: $2,500 - $4,999

Ms. Norma Bodevin and Dr. Raul Yordán Jovet

Raimondo Briata Broadway Bank

Shahrzad Dowlatshahi and Richardson Gill

Fastsigns - Matthew and Kimberly West Adriana Flores

Arseni Grokhovski and Flor Beckman

Grant and Lori Hakspiel Macrine and Bryan Helbert Kaitlyn and Stewart Skloss Family Foundation

Svetlana Krizover and Yury Sless - YS Orthopedics

Karen and Robert Leckie

Mary Flanagan and Michael Lichtenstein MD

Myra Stafford Pryor Charitable Trust

Dr. and Mrs. Jose F. Pascual Drs. John Richardson and Jan Puckett

Stephen T Quigley Jr

Raba Kistner

Vicki Sparks MD Dr. Sheila Swartzman

Hector Anthony Troche

Unintech Consulting EngineersElisa Chan and Clifford Hew University Health System

UT Health San Antonio

Lisa and Rafael Veraza

Lora and Jim Watts

Eileen Weigum

WestEast Design Group - Katherine and Christopher Kimm

Mary Ann Winden

Phillip Wing and Tanya Orndorff

Fa Winsborough

MUSICAL BRIDGES AROUND THE WORLD

BENEFACTORS & COMMUNITY PARTNERS

Cols Kris and George Wolf Dr. Leopoldo Zorrilla and Dianne Penfield

CONDUCTORS: $1,500 - $2,499

Ret. Col. Jeanne Berkheiser

Audi Dominion - Rick Cavender Dr. Melvin L. Cohen

Adriana and Carlos Contreras Jaime and Jack Cooke

Mike Monroe and Nancy Cook-Monroe

Brett and Crystale Cruz

Beverly Davis

Catherine and Steven Dikcis Mr. Thomas G. Duckworth Susan Dunis

Mr. and Mrs. Randolph D. Glickman

Elizabeth Hurst

Dennis B. Karbach and Robert K. Brown

Faisal Khan and Mila Weronika

Stella and Anatoly Koretsky Paul and Anne Krause Rosemary Leon

Drs. Nadine Liu and Jim Baggett Silvia R. Magana-Valencia and Dr. Diego R. Valencia-Chavez Law Offices of Pat Maloney - Pat Maloney Jr. Kirk and Ellen Marchand Olga Marushkina and Alexander Kuzmin

Kathi Oppenheimer Timothy and Mary Owens Marianne Reuter

Jenn and James Rosenblatt Vito and Toni Ruiz Sendero Wealth Management

Cathy Shelton

Frank Stenger-Castro Dr. Gustavo Valadez Ortiz and Mr. Larry Dahl

Mr. Mario Vazquez

Deborah Wilson

Barbara Woodriff and Peter Guenther

Kristina Zhao - Sichuan House and Dashi Sichuan Kitchen and Bar

TROUBADOURS: $750 - $1,499

Brenda L Belville

Jeanne Bennett

Betty Boston

Graciela A. and Dr. Francisco G. Cigarroa

Valerie Collins

Ekaterina and Vitali Edrenkine

Dr. David and Mrs. Elizabeth Friedman Michael Graef

Mrs. Virginia Kane

Drs. Bradley Kayser and Gemma Kennedy

Ed and Nancy Kelley

Jane Lewis

Vicki McLaughlin

Hind Neamah MD

Lynne Noriskin Peggy and Paul Pace

Derrick Pizarro

PlainsCapital Bank Cristina and Victor Saldivar, MD Mrs. Carmen Samaniego Perny and Bill Shea

Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators

Liz Tullis

Mr. and Mrs. Mel Weingart Mr. Graham Weston Connie and Charles White Paula and Kurt Winkler Stewart Zweikoft, M.D.

PATRONS: $250 - $749

Lorraine and Curt Anastasio

Argyle Foundation Richard C. Arredondo

Jenifer Brown

Craig Browning

Kari and Kevin Butts

C.H. Guenther & Son Henry Cisneros

Aaron Conley

Cheryl E. Davis Michael Duan

Anita Feigenbaum Mr. David Fisher

Tenchita and Alfredo Flores Michael and Barbara Gentry

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Gonzalez Daniel Goodgame

Dr. and Mrs. Charles T. Goodhue Brian Gorman

Carol Growney

Thomas and Kyong Hannon Jeff Hawthorn

Teresa Hayes

Sonia Hitchcock Malathi and Vijay Koli Ms. Debra Kress Veronika Liskova

Diane Malone Louise A. Mandel

Mr. Thomas Masinter Taddy McAllister Scott and Elizabeth McMillian

Dr. Joaquin and Mrs. Sheila Mira Frank S. and Deborah H. Morrill Joseph and Toni Murgo Michael and Lucia Murphy Ana and Felix Padron Eduardo Parra

Pamela Peck

Joseph V Penn MD

Jennifer Reed-Martinez and Angel Martinez Gil Robinson Eleanor Rogers William Sandve Jr.

MUSICAL BRIDGES AROUND THE WORLD

BENEFACTORS & COMMUNITY PARTNERS

Anne Schelleng

Jorgina Schreier

Sheryl and Michael Sculley Martha Spinks

Kausi and Murali Subramaniam Ronald and Joan Symes Ian and Donna Thompson Dale W. Tremblay Shari and Cliff Underwood Mike Weiss Jose and Angela Weissmann

CRAFTERS: $120 - $249

Michael Adler Nancy Fix Anderson Suhail Arastu Tatyana Boulgakova and Joe Pareres

Marjorie David Dayton Foundation Depository, Inc. Molly Dupnick

Albert Eisch

Mr. Elliott Gurwitz Linda and Mayor Phil Hardberger Pilar and Thomas Helferich Elainie Hicks Erika and Larry Hicks III Darby Ivins

Waheeda and Nooruddin Kara The Kaufman Group

Steven Kowal

Dr. Henry and Ann Lipsitt

Helen McDaniel

Joseph and Kerry McKeon Graciela Hernandez and Arturo Nunez

Suzanne Patenaude

Elena Portnaya Kathleen Silva Susan Skaer

Kim Smith David Snyder

Patrick Sparks

Karen Thompson

Monterrey Iron Shauna Weaver

SUPPORTERS: $1 - $119

Hector Acosta

Sonia Acosta

David Adams Mickey Addison Tamara Adira Ildiko Agoston

Alternative Learning Systems, Inc.

Nanalie Andress Sandra Arispe Richard Armendariz Jolene Armstrong Lucia Artacho Susan Athene Tana Austin

Stefanie J Austin

Nora R. Avina Armen Babajanian Zet Baer

Barbara Baker

Claudia and Don Bankler Noah Barshop

Lisa Bartee

Mr. Arturo E. Batres

Lori and Ron Bauml Peter Bawa

Nancy Beard

Ubaldo Beato

Sandra Benavides

Louis Benavides

John Berberena Edward S. Bernreuter Marguerite Biesele

Gina Black

Irene Blaess D.D.S. Monte Bobele

Cheryl Boone-Delgado

Dr. Yurii and Mrs. Elena Borshch

Jan and Greg Boys

Elizabeth Branch

Robin Breon

Leticia Bresnahan

Carter Brown

Mr. and Mrs. Walter Brown, Jr. Robert Browning

Kristina Buck

Syeira Budd

Virginia Burkholder

Marisa Bushman and Ignacio Gallego

Dianna Buxkemper

Mr. and Mrs. Wade Caldwell

Micheline Calixte

Martha Camacho

Dominique Campa Alison Canavan Juan Cano

Schriver Carmona - OCD Print

Joan Carroll

Chris Carson

Katharine Cartwright

Carlos Castaneda

Sandra Castellanos

Ricky Castillo

Roland Cavazos

Leticia Cavazos Dr. Marco Chalaby

Mike Chalmers

Matthew Choma

Geoffrey Clarke

Jacqueline Claunch

Clyta Marie Coder

Precious Coleman

Rev. David Collett

Kimberley Corbin Karen Cramer

Mary Cruz

Zahra Cruzan Carlos Cuevas

MUSICAL BRIDGES AROUND THE WORLD

BENEFACTORS & COMMUNITY PARTNERS

Elaine Dagen

Nancy Dales

Jeff Daniel

Mary Francine Danis Steve and Bizzy Darling Cecily David Lisa Davis

William and Lisa Davis JoAnne Dawson Debra De La Garza

Dale Dettra David and Gloria Deviney Sue Dial

Coral Diaz April Dickson Ray Diener Edward L Domecq Laurie E Doyal-Lampman

Martin Dreyer Randell Drum Dryden Labs LLC Arlene Dryer

Natalia Dunaeva Susan Duncan

Lisa and Kevin Dunne Derive Development Roger Elliott

Zifa Esparza Abel Estrada Karen Evans

Jerry Fansler

L B Feiner

Blakely Fernandez Sandra Fischer

Lorraine Fisher

Janae Florance Roland Flores Rick Frederick

Susan Frost

Gary and Nancy Fullerton Albert and Joanne Fulton

Kristy Gabrielova Renata Galindo

Elisa Galloway

Mariana Garate

Father David Garcia

Jesus Garcia Hector Garza Yair Gazitt

Dr. Pedro Castillo and Iuliana Genunchi Castillo

Lukin Gilliland Jr. Judith Godinez

Mr. and Mrs. Johnathan Godsey Dr. Alistair and Mrs. Virginia Goldstein Steven Gonzalez

Arturo Gonzalez

Magda Gonzalez

Mr. William F. Goodman

William Goodman

Lois Gordon

Donna Gottwald Mrs. Cindy Graham Julia Growney

Jo Guerra

Mr. and Mrs. Elliott Gurwitz

Kathy Hagey Sarah Haney Deborah Harris

Luci Harty Michaele Haynes Raquel Head Sherry Heffner

Irene R Heim

Samantha Henry Mark Hewett

Larry Hicks Sr

Linda Hill Jennifer Hiller

Siegmundo Hirsch

Stewart Hollub

Frank Huddleston

Alisha Ilufi

Jose Iturbe

Carlos Roberto Jaén Dr. Angelika C. Jansen

Patrick Janson

Julya Jara

Karen A Jensen

Laura Jesse Mags Jesse Patricia and Kevin Jones

Marilyn Juarez

Ben and May Jurewicz

Ben and Mary Jurewicz Sharon and Bob Kahn

Baya Kakouberi

Peggy Karam Ann Kasman

Martin Keighley

Cynthia Keith

Brittany Kennedy Smith

Stephanie Key

KGB Texas

Michael and Lynette Kithas

Sean Kithas

Stephanie Kithas

Benjamin Krick

LeRoy Kroll

Annie Labatt

Barbara Labatt

Ron Laby

Johnny and Julie Lairsey

Denise Landon

Belkis Lane

Claudia Langford

Anne Larme

Patti Larsen

Andrew Laurel and Amanda Martinez

Angela Lee

Darrell Lewis

Idalia Lim

Larry Loden

Mary Lynn Logan

Fabiola Luevano

Steve Lyons

MACSA - Musical Arts Center of San Antonio

MUSICAL BRIDGES AROUND THE WORLD

BENEFACTORS & COMMUNITY PARTNERS

Victoria Madden

Deborah Maloney

Mark Mangus

Sarah Manzke

Debbie Margozewitz

Dr. and Mrs. Arthur E. Marlin

Joey Marra

Cynthia M Marshall

James Black and Elizabeth Marshall-Black

Ashley Martin

Maria A Martinez

Anna L Martinez

Martha Martinez

Diana G. Martinez

David C Marx

Alan Matherly

Mary Matthews

Michelle McCloskey

Serena McCoy

Jane McDaniel

Robert C. and Laura J. McDaniel

Ms. Linda McDavitt

Haylee McDonnell

David Meadows

Lisa Menard

Maria Mercedes O’Higgins

Ivri Messinger and Mark Rumple

Joelle Miller

Peter H Monie

Carolyn Monroe

Jennifer Morey

Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey Morgan

Kristen Morton

Ann Marie Mowry

Ms. Anne Marie Mullen-Smith

Lita Joy and John Murphy

Marilyn Murphy

Anne Myers

Paul Myers

Neifa Nacel-Dovalina

John and Selina Nanna Jayne Neal

Network For Good

Ms. Chris Neuhaus

Sandra and Art Nicholson

John Nikolatos

Shari Norris

Patricia O’Connell

Laurie O’Connor

Kevin O’Donnell Mehmet Oguz

Joncharity

Thomas Ommen Judith Ortiz Diana Osborne Paula Owen Angelica Palm Nicolette Palmer

Eleanor Palmer Niesa Parmelee

Sonali Patel Roberto Paz Annalisa Peace Charlotte Peck

Kristen Peeler

Tom Peine

John Pelayo

Paul Pena Abel Perez

Tom and Trish Perlmutter

Troy Peters

Paul Pfeifer

Jeanette Pierce

Thomas Pollard

Yelena Polyachenko

Maria Prasser

Barbara Ann Puloski-Robles

Susan Qiu

Ms. Charlotte Randolph

Rick Reusch

Michael Richter

Raul Rios Jill L. Rips

Diana Roberts and Danville Chadbourne

MUSICAL

Bill Robertson

John Robertson

Dharma and Rolando Rodriguez

Pedro Rodriguez

Maren Rodriguez

Gloria Rodriguez

Karen Roe

Stephanie Romero

Monica Roog

Eileen Roth

Herminia Ruiz MaryLou Russell Rita Saavedra

Melissa Sader

Dr. and Mrs. Mo Saidi

Kevin Salfen

San Antonio Mobility Coalition, Inc. (SAMCo)

Diego Sanchez, Jr.

Ursula Sanderson

Lamar Sawyer Jr.

Katherine and Charles Schmidt

Yanka Schmidt

Rollette Schreckenghost-Smith

Andreas Schwartze

Shelby Sckittone

Samuel and Janet Scott

Hilary Scott

Beatrice Sepulveda

Dr. and Mrs. Alberto C Serrano

Dr. Sudha Seshadri

Yevgeniy Sharlat

Cynthia Shelton

Aissatou Sidime-Blanton

Phyllis Siegel

Hanna Sikorski

John Silantien

Michael and Elaine Simpson

Barbara Simpson

Gurpaul Singh

Roger Singler

Dr. Nuala Sinisi

Boris Slutsky

BRIDGES AROUND THE WORLD

BENEFACTORS & COMMUNITY PARTNERS

Beth Smart

Nancy Smith

Stephanie Smith

Rebecca Smith

Bryan Sparks

Marga Speicher

Brian St. John Elaine E Staton

Laurie and Edgar Stiteler Fiona Stone

Jimmie and Arturo Suarez Natalia Sun

Fiona Sun Yusef Svacina Christine Sykes

Charles Szabo Gabor Szalai

Zinayda Tagay

Edwin Tamayo Barbara Tamez

John Tarr

Jose Taylor Chip Thompson Celia Thomson Marjorie Tipton Rajia Tobia Elia T. Torres

Basel Touban Viacheslav Trapeznikov Mrs. Priscilla Truesdell

Michael Tuschak Mrs. Janelle B. Tye

Grace Uribe Isabel Valdez

Olga Valentin Reyes

Virginia Van Cleave

Leticia and Pete Van de Putte

Gema Varela

Miguel Villarreal

Christine Vina

Carmen Viramontes

Slobodan Vujisic Dr. and Mrs. Howard Wang

Linda Wasserman

Chef Lisa Astorga and Honorary Consul General of France Damien Watel

Dixie Watkins

John and Elizabeth Watson Bob Wehrmeyer

Judy Weidow

Rene and Marty Wender Adam Wetherell

Karen Wetzel

Dr. Richard D. Wheatley, Sr. Vera White Bettie Wise

Emily Woodell Liliya Yanovsky Itien Yeh Lev Zhurbin Aida Zorrilla

* Legacy Gift

COMMUNITY PARTNERS (INCLUDES IN KIND)

African American Quilt Circle of San Antonio

Agarita

Alamo Music Center Ambassador Theatre Group Anuja SA

Casa Arastu

Biga on the Banks

Carver Community Cultural Center City of San Antonio

Department of Arts & Culture Global Engagement Office Parks & Recreation World Heritage Office Chronicles of Phoenix Clementine Digital ProLab DreamVoice/DreamWeek

FASTSIGNS

Hayward Gaude Fine Portraits Hilmy Cellars

Hotel Valencia

International School of San Antonio J. Canavati & Co. LLC

KRTU 91.7 FM

Kalalaya Indian Performing Arts Main Plaza Conservancy Maverick-Carter House Opera San Antonio

RK Group

Roosevelt Library SA 2020

San Antonio African American Community Archive & Museum

The San Antonio Report San Fernando Cathedral

Shooters Films

Sister Cities International Sound Health Network

The Spine Group

Terra Nova Violins

Texas Public Radio

Barry Brake

Nathan Cone Jack Morgan

Trinity University Ukrainian San Antonio The University of Texas at San Antonio

UT Health and Science Center World Affairs Council

D’S ON KEYS

AUCTION DONORS

Alamo Music Center Suhail Arastu

Bandstar Music

Travis Black Phil and Lorraine Canter

Cassandra Carr

Contemplative Resource Center

MUSICAL BRIDGES AROUND THE WORLD

BENEFACTORS & COMMUNITY PARTNERS

Dashi Sichuan Kitchen and Bar - Kristina Zhao

Digital Pro Lab - Amanda Dominguez Albert Gonzales

Anya Grokhovski, DMA Hayward Gaude Photography

Dr. Angelika Jansen

JLen Events - Jaime Cooke Dr. Robert Michaelson

Perry Dental Health

Elena Portnaya, DMA

PR Story Studios - Angel Martinez Dr. Jan Puckett

Re:Rooted 210 Urban Winery Maya Sokovic Natalia Sun

Tobin Center for the Performing Arts

Connie White - Jin Shin Jyutsu

VOLUNTEERS

Maia Adamina Carlos Alvarez John Arellano Andrea Arizmendi Yazmin Arizmendi Marcus Barber Daniel Bastien Holly Burkich Roseanda Burrage Phi Cao

Samantha Champoux Sam Clendenin

Rachel Cywinski Aurora Deiri

Maribeth Drake

Justa Garcia-Higby Biniyam Gebrezgi Adriana Gonzalez

Ethan Caleb Gonzalez Oscar Gonzalez Rolando Greenfield Eddie Gutierrez

Sabina Gutierrez

Maddie Guzman

Rene Guzman

Maximillian Hart Rosie Helbling

Larry Hicks III

Nicholas Jimenez Youssef Kaib

Svitlana Kroll

Ron Laby Andrew Laurel Ronnie Liu

Teresa Loredo Norma Marinez

Amanda Martinez Angel Martinez Lydia Martinez Michael Maurer Jocelyn McCoy Sara Morales Star Morales Liam Pelosky Andrea Rodriguez Mica Russell Kimberly Salazar Samantha Salazar Anita Sanchez Samantha Sauceda Belinda Scholz

Jay Scholz Josephine Stevens

Nadia Tagami Todd Tagami Celia Thomson

Jocassia Tonini Grace Uribe

Victor Vargas

Fa Winsborough Rayan Yassminh Jacqueline Zamora

MUSICAL

BRIDGES’ PERFORMANCES SPAN GREATER SAN ANTONIO

MUSICAL BRIDGES’ ARTISTS HAIL FROM AROUND THE GLOBE

san antonio sister city

THE HONORABLE LINDA & PHIL HARDBERGER

First Lady and Mayor (2005-09) City of San Antonio

global advisory council

FRANCISCO G. CIGARROA, MD

Former Chancellor (2009-14) University of Texas System

City of San Antonio

THE HONORABLE CHARLES GONZALEZ

Texas State Representative (1999-2013)

U.S. House of Representa tives

STEVE

MAYOR RON NIREN BERG (2017 - Present) City of San Antonio

LORI HOUS TON Assistant City Manager City of San Antonio

SHAHRZAD DOWLATSHA HI

Chief Diplomacy & Protocol Officer

NIVIN, PHD Chief Economist (2002-08) City of San Antonio

MAESTRO SEBASTIAN LANG-LESSING Music Director Emeritus San Antonio Symphony

MAESTRO KARIM WASFI Conductor Iraqi National Symphony Orchestra

THE HONORABLE JUDGE NELSON WOLFF

Bexar County Judge (2001-Present)

ERIKA PROSPER NIRENBERG

First Lady of San Antonio H-E-B, Senior Director of Community Insights

co-chairs

board of directors

Colonel

ERIC MILLER, MD Founder The Spine Group

VERNON HANEY Sr. Program LeaderConstruction Division HEB Facility Alliance

AMANDA DOMINGUEZ Owner Digital Pro Lab

JAIME LEN COOKE Owner JLen Events

BRYAN C. HELBERT, CPA Senior Consultant Raba Kistner, Inc.

ADRIANA L. FLORES Vice President Alamo Music Center

SUSAN C. FRANKLIN Co-Founder Franklin Companies

FAISAL KHAN Principal and Wealth Advisor Southwestern Money Management LLC

CARLOS MIRANDA President PAC Aviation International, Inc

ROBERT B. LECKIE Lawyer & Business Executive (Retired)

PAUL MARTIN Managing Partner & CIO Martin Capital Advisor Commander - U.S. Navy Reserve (Retired)

STEPHEN T. “TIM” QUIGLEY President of Sister Cities International

Commanding OfficerU.S. Navy (Retired)

BEN JONES CEO Misfit Ventures

AWILDA I. RAMOS, MD Pediatrician New Braunfels, Texas

- U.S. Army Reserve (Retired)

FA WINSBOROUGH Founder Luminous Counseling Center

KRISTINA ZHAO Culinary Director - DASHI Sichuan Kitchen + Bar, Co-Owner - Sichuan House

CHARLES PARRISH Former Executive VP Tesoro Corporation

emeritus trustee

emeritus trustee

secretary chair vice chair treasurer

board alumni

John A. Acosta

Mary Frances Agnello

Dominic Anderson, CFP Suhail Arastu

Yurii D. Borshch, MD Jenifer Brown

Judy Crabb*

Diana A. De La Torre Alba M. Diaz

Susan Dunis Aspasia Erian Richardson B. Gill, PhD

* Deceased

Caleb Gonzalez

Fred Grasso

Arseni Grokhovski

Kevin Hall, MD Kelly Hamilton

Luci Harty Bess Hieronymus*

Bruce E. Houston, JD Crisarla Houston

Mariya Houston, RN Anne Johnson Waheeda Kara

Barbara Lind Veronika Liskova

Gustavo Medellin, MD Analisa Mendiola

Gladys Miller Kevin Moor

Sebastian Mora, MD Jan Puckett, MD Luis Ramos, MD Marleen Richardson Sharon Romer* Suzanne Rostomian, CPA

independent contractors and interns

Caleb Gonzalez

Director of Educational Outreach

Diana Roberts Art Gallerist

Emily Myers

Volunteer Coordinator & Office Assistant

Casey Winkelman

Administrative Assistant

Lynda Alston Bookkeeper

Erin Lecce

Reed J. Smiley Certified Public Accountants

Rachel Ruiz

Reema Shroff, JD

Frank Stenger-Castro, JD Sheila Swartzman, MD Leticia Van de Putte

Sujata Venkateswar, CPA

Rafael J. Veraza, Ph.D, M.P.H. Daniel Webster*

Connie White

Mary Ann Winden Stan Zebrowski, DDS

Corinna Quintanilla Curriculum Specialist

Kimberly Salazar Educational Researcher

Coral Díaz Graphic Designer

Dryden Labs, LLC Website Design & Digital Marketing

Nancy Cook-Monroe Publicist

Kenneth Mahnke Robert Michaelson Photographers (In-Kind)

ArtsDrive™

Chronicles of Phoenix/ Phoenix Films Elias Flores III Grace Goen PR Story Studios Steve Peterson Videography/Editing/ Production

Tabitha Dunham Lesley Ramsey Grant Writers

LEFT

ANYA GROKHOVSKI, DMA Founder, Artistic Director & CEO

ELENA PORTNAYA, DMA Artistic Coordinator & The Gurwitz Artistic Director

SEAN KITHAS Marketing Manager

CENTER

DIANA OSBORNE, EXECUTIVE MPA Chief Operating Officer

SUHAIL ARASTU Advancement JULYA JARA, CFRE Director of Development

ERIKA HICKS Development Manager

RIGHT

JENNIFER REED-MARTINEZ Director of Community Engagement

Photo: Rob Michaelson

ARE YOU A COLLEGE STUDENT?

SPRING, SUMMER, AND FALL INTERNSHIPS AVAILABLE!

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT INTERNSHIP

Includes but not limited to: assisting with grant reporting and invoicing, supporting day-to-day operations, and working with the COO to organize expenses/maintain bookkeeping.

MUSIC MARKETING INTERNSHIP

Includes but not limited to: Publishing to event calendars, working with the Marketing Manager to research & collect marketing data, and optional graphic design and A/V production opportunities.

— CURRENT DATES AND DEADLINES —

SPRING INTERNSHIPS: JANUARY – MAY Application Deadline: December 13

SUMMER INTERNSHIPS: JUNE – AUGUST Application Deadline: May 15

FALL INTERNSHIPS: SEPTEMBER - DECEMBER Application Deadline: August 14

TO LEARN MORE AND APPLY, GO TO: mbaw.org/careers

NOTE: MBAW Internships are on a volunteer basis and do not receive financial compensation as a part of the program. If your university/ college/department has special applications/requirements that MBAW may need to process with the school, please contact us well before the application date so that we may begin these processes.

The largest and most prestigious violin shop in Texas serving the Austin, Houston and San Antonio areas. Purchases, rentals, full-service repair, and excellent customer service ensure musicians of any level find exactly what they need.

6983 Blanco Road, San Antonio, TX 78216 / (210) 349 4700 / terranovaviolins.com Road, Antonio,

Photo: Rob Michaelson

TERRA NOVA

VIOLINS

Proud Title Sponsor of MBAW's 25th Anniversary Book

Proud Title Sponsor of MBAW’s 25th Anniversary Book