The Long Center is celebrating its 15th anniversary with something they’ve never done before. They’re throwing open the doors of the performing arts facility for the First Annual Teresa Lozano Long Community Day. Dr. Long broke racial barriers at the University of Texas back in the 1950’s. She and her husband Joe have funded many scholarships, educational institutions and The Long Center.
Remember the name Langston Lee. You most likely will be hearing about this 18 year old from Rouse High School in Leander, Texas. He is the first winner of “The Jimmys”, a national high school musical competition, to represent the local version, the Heller Awards For Young Artists in their first year of eligibility.
With summer almost over and school starting soon, there’s one more fun item that your children might appreciate. Teachers can take advantage of it too. It’s Carnegie Hall Kids. This voluminous website offers games, quizzes, musical maps and more for children to play with.
Carnegie Hall Education Director Sarah Johnson says if the kids get a bit of musical education, while playing, that’s okay too.
This next book on the summer reading list comes with its own soundtrack amid a story based on a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale. It’s The Nightingale, a book with music and other 21st century upgrades from the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra or ROCO in Houston.
ROCO Founder Alecia Lawyer says The Nightingale isn’t just for children.
This is another addition to your summer reading list.
There are hundreds of books about Mozart but the author of Mozart In Motion has a different take. Author Patrick Mackie takes us time traveling through the swirl that was Mozart’s short life.
It’s PanelPicker time for SXSW 2024. That’s when the festival calls for applications for those wanting to present a panel discussion. Last year in what’s believed to be the first time, there was a classical music panel. Artists & out of London is now looking for classical musicians to appear on the planned 2024 panel and the concert after.
Over the next few weeks, I’ll be featuring my summer reading list on Staccato. The first one is about composer Tina Davidson, whose complicated life can be heard in her music. Her biological Mother adopted her in Sweden back in the 1950’s but never told her. There are other surprising revelations as well in Davidson’s book Let Your Heart Be Broken. You can listen to her playlist from the book here.
Next week is Father’s Day. The Austin Symphonic Band is honoring Dads with a Father’s Day concert on June 18th at the Zilker Hillside Theater.
Cellist Bion Tsang is honoring his late father with a new album he named Cantabile. It’s dedicated to the music they enjoyed together. Tsang says he’s hoping his father Paul Ja-Min Tsang, is looking upon him with pride.
If you’ve ever done a large creative project, you know it usually takes longer than 96 hours – four days – to create what one might call something good. Composers and Librettist will be attempting this feat in the Atlanta Opera’s 96 Hour Opera Project.
The Atlanta Opera’s New Works Administrator Cara Consilvio says it’s not as arduous as it seems. Still, some of the 2 person teams won’t even meet each other in person until their arrival in Atlanta on June 9th.
Nathan Felix of Austin, is one of the finalists.
There’s a new Draylen Mason Composer in Residence at KMFA. She is Clarice Assad, a Brazilian-American composer who, when not on the road, lives in Chicago. In addition to composing, Assad likes teaching children how to collaborate with music and performance art. She is also working on an orchestral piece for KMFA. Her new work will be performed sometime in September in Austin.