Tag Archive for: Veterans

Disability Champ ART SPARK Texas Names Its Annual Winners

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Every year Art Spark Texas chooses five or more artists who are disabled as winners of their annual awards. 

Celia Hughes, Executive Director, says the categories range from Artist of the Year Award,  the Gloria Bond Creative Aging Award, the Creative Veteran Service Award and several others.

In this Staccato, we focus on the 2025 SPARK Award winner Zachary LaViola of Austin whose autism and other issues does not prevent him from being a classical pianist.

There’s also filmmaker Matthew Alaniz, of Austin, TX, who is recognized as an artist who elevates disability awareness through digital or media art. You can see one of his movies “Ten To One” here.

Celia Hughes & Matthew Alaniz

Art Spark is now calling for Submissions for the 16th Annual Distinguished Artist Veterans Exhibit.

They Honor The Fallen With Their Words And Music

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There will be many honors this Memorial Day week for the military men and women who lost their lives while serving their country.  Music will be a large part of that. 

One of them is the world premiere recording of the opera An American Soldier.  It’s the true story of the young Chinese-American Army Pvt. Danny Chen who committed suicide because he was beaten every day by his fellow soldiers and a superior officer during his service in Afghanistan.

There is also a new version of  Symphony For Vietnam Veterans.   Composer and retired U.S. Army Captain James Kimo Williams has released a string orchestra version of his orchestral piece about his time in war.